Plastic Drum Plug Adapter - Now with floater!

thingiverse

Human: Original design was flawed due to inadequate print settings - it wasn't printed at 100% infill as recommended, and its geometry made it more susceptible to shearing forces compared to a design with more perimeter, such as a square or hexagon. My drums had been left untouched for over two years, and the plugs were extremely difficult to remove (only three out of six removed with the original design, requiring four screws through each part). I took inspiration from PVC plug fittings that have square heads and added pilot holes to insert screws, typically used to screw light fixtures to ceilings. This addition provided more strength to the part. However, I learned a valuable lesson and will print at 100% infill from now on. You can refer to my "make" of the original design for details. I'll post an update once I've managed to remove the remaining three plugs and let everyone know how it went. Enjoy using this tool, and let me know if it meets your requirements! Cheers! *** Update! *** A second version of the original design has been created, incorporating a floater. If you use your barrels as dock floats and need to use the tool in murky waters, you may drop it and lose it forever - it sinks like a rock. This new version is slightly hollowed out, without compromising its mechanical strength, and adds a float as a handle. If you drop it, it floats! Simply add some yellow or orange duct tape on top for added visibility. In theory, the part weighs 36g plus six grams for the four screws, while displacing 45g of water - so it floats by three grams. If your screws are heavier, consider using lighter ones or posting a comment below with your requirements. You can modify the model yourself on OnShape if needed! Note that although the lower part is solid, the floater is only one millimeter thick and should not be torqued, as it will break instantly. A funny fact: despite this tool floating, I didn't end up dropping it because the float doubles as a great handle. I've also updated the "[make](https://www.thingiverse.com/make:644159)" with the floater model.