HPA/CO2 valve ring

thingiverse

I recently acquired an "inline shutoff valve" for high pressure air or CO2 tanks/regulators used in paintball applications. As it turned out, the cheap Chinese product looked nice but its functionality was lacking. The fit, finish, and overall usability of the valve fell short of expectations due to a rough feel when turning the nut that opens and closes it. To identify the source of this issue, I disassembled the valve and discovered that a hardened steel pin was rubbing against the anodized aluminum nut, causing the grinding sensation. I designed and 3D printed a ring to serve as a low friction washer between the pin and the nut, which successfully resolved the problem.