Floppy Disc Cleaner (5.25")

thingiverse

Build for simple cleaning a 5.25" floppy disc, using a design that's open to modification and expansion by others. The main issue with the 5.25" disc is its lack of a dedicated protected socket for rotation, which means you have to apply pressure on both sides to rotate it. This also makes cleaning the discs more delicate, as any pressure from the cleaning cloth works against the pressure applied when rotating the knob. This design can be used with just the knob or combined with additional support. The support itself could benefit from a better design that securely holds down the disc. A raised area on the support is intended for a cutout cloth to apply gentle, gradual cleaning pressure. To clean, hold onto the support and lightly press down on the top side of the disc. Please note that 3D printed surfaces can be too aggressive when clamped down on discs, potentially causing damage over time. Adding a thin layer of rubber to the surfaces in contact with the disc can help mitigate this issue. I use default PLA settings on my DaVinci XYZWare printer and don't foresee any major problems with this design.