Electrical Box Twist Model

thingiverse

In my second attempt to comprehend OpenSCAD operations, I modeled a 4" square electrical box with a raised plaster ring using AutoCAD before exporting it to an STL format. Unable to make emmett's heart gears file work, I restructured the original cubeGears3 code until it failed as well, then reconstructed it to meet my requirements. Gear1 and Gear2 modules now accept x and z rotation inputs (1 or 2), with additional rotations inside these modules, twogears module, and assembly module for non-cubic objects. I incorporated an object module that loads custom STL files and orients them for gear combinations. However, the relationship between the overall model, center, and pins remains unclear to me, so I manually adjusted the center cube until it met my desired appearance. The pin length was determined by measurement, and using the Pins library, I created a pin. Although I haven't posted this modified code due to feeling it doesn't surpass the original, I may do so if requested or if I resolve remaining issues. The center STL maintains emmett's original slits but is reoriented to change their functionality, which is acceptable since they can be easily cleaned up and the pins are captured. As a large model (4"x4"x2-7/8") that requires support material under Gear1-1-1, Gear1-2-1, Gear2-1-1, and Gear2-2-1 for overhangs, I used Makerware for slicing instead of Skienforge. The gear portions can be printed without support, but cleanup requires careful handling to avoid damaging the teeth. The remaining parts - Gear1-1-2, Gear1-2-2, Gear2-1-2, Gear2-2-2, Center, and Pin - print supportlessly. I used silver PLA with .25 layers, bed temperature of 60°C, extruder temperature of 220°C, two shells, 5% infill, three bottom layers, and four top layers for printing.