Geared Jack

thingiverse

This is a basic jack that I built to show how gears work and the impact of a gearing ratio on ease of use. It uses two gears, one that's half an inch across and another that's two inches across. The design features triangle cutouts to minimize weight while sacrificing little structural strength, allowing it to use minimal plastic and reduce print time. To assemble the jack, start by printing all the parts. Then attach the rectangular base to the upright base; don't worry if they fit tightly - that's how it should be. Next, take the peg for the big gear and the little gear with the shaft through it, and place them together, making sure the gears mesh tightly. This might require some effort at first. After that, put the jack part that moves up and down into the open slot left. You may need to sand the wall that the jack rubs against until it moves easily when pushed up and down. Finally, attach the front cover and then place the handle onto the small gear shaft on the side that protrudes further. The shaft should be a flush fit, so you might need to sand the inside of the circle where the shaft fits to get it right. Be careful not to make the hole too big, or the shaft will just spin around without turning the gears to lift the jack. P.S. The front plate labeled "front of jack 2" is an alternative design that uses less material and shows how the big gear meshes with the toothed jack. Print Settings: Printer Brand: MakerBot Printer: MakerBot Replicator 2 Rafts: Doesn't Matter Supports: Yes Resolution: 0.2mm Infill: 10-15%