Fender Washer for Flying Crank Ghost

thingiverse

I am a home haunter -- one of those crazy people who go all out decorating for Halloween just like others do for Christmas. We build elaborate DIY static props and animatronics, going to great lengths to create an unforgettable experience. With my new 3D printer, I'm looking for ways to use it to take my haunt to the next level. One of the classic animatronic props is the Flying Crank Ghost (FCG), a slowly bobbing and wafting ethereal figure that works similar to a marionette. We decided to build an Axworthy last year, so I didn't have time or funds to finish my FCG, but I did get started and I'm now revisiting the project. One thing I learned a year ago was that trying to drill holes in the metal fender washer (the revolving part where the marionette's strings are attached) was an exercise in frustration with just a hand drill and limited work space. It has occurred to me that it'd be much simpler to just print the part with the holes already present. This part hasn't been tested yet, but I don't see any issues arising from it. For instructions on making your own Flying Crank Ghost, check out Kick the Fog or the original design on Phantasmechanics. Various other parts -- like the rotating arm, rope clamp, carabiners, pulleys, and eye bolts -- may also be good candidates for printing if engineered well. Print Settings: Printer: Maker Select v2 (Wanhao di3) Rafts: Doesn't Matter Supports: Doesn't Matter Resolution: 0.1 - 0.2 mm is recommended, but not critical Infill: Above 25% or so probably doesn't matter, but I used 100% Notes: Print in your choice of plastic. I used eSun Green PLA+ since it was what I had on hand. Black would be a better color choice if you have it handy (since you don't really want the mechanics of the FCG to be visible). This part supports the weight of the marionette (spread amongst the three string holes), but that shouldn't be an especially heavy load. The FCG is typically mounted under some sort of roof so it likely won't be exposed to much sunlight if it's installed for multiple days. It's more important to have smooth rotation and avoid sharp edges cutting into the lines, and so I've rounded the string holes and edges. You may wish to print slowly (for quality on the holes) and do some light sanding on these parts after printing, but it shouldn't take much. Support is probably not necessary unless you print in something like PETG that doesn't tolerate overhangs as well as PLA (the underside of the fillets are the only places it would ever matter).