Pointlessly complex gear device

cults3d

I was determined to find something that would truly impress my brother-in-law for Christmas. He always seemed to get an incredible kick out of the gear systems I had given him in the past, so I was on the lookout for something even more elaborate this time around. The asymmetric planetary gears by faggahz caught my eye, as did the eccentrically cycloidal drive model by otvinta3d - but neither quite seemed to hit the mark. So it made perfect sense to connect them together and see what I could come up with. I put the customizable involute spur gear from artanian to good use, and I must say that I'm rather proud of how everything turned out. I designed the transmission and support structure, both of which I thought came out pretty well. Since I was planning on printing this on my machine, I made sure it would work with its unique specifications. However, if you're not using the same printer, you may need to adjust a few components - Ring 2a, Hold 5, and all the axles are good candidates for this. It uses six #4 x 0.5 inch flat head bolts with nuts to secure the supports to the base. If you want to be able to take it apart if needed, you can always glue them in place, but that's not necessary. Assembly tips: Make sure to adjust the contact layer to spread as little as possible while maintaining a good bond - this can be a bit of a pain to clean off gears. Print one copy of most parts, but two each of "Support5," "Clip4," and "2_peg" (so four pegs total). First, print the planetary gears - these will fit together best and give you an idea if you need to adjust sizes. They should all snap into place at once. The gears should be able to rotate without the square support (Hold5). There are several ways they can be inserted, but only one way where the support lines up with all the holes (the side of the support against the build surface goes away from the gears). The pegs join all the gears to the support except for "Planet 7" (the small one). To make the transmission, insert "Small_axle_ext" through the 10 tooth gear (pliers may be necessary). Insert the washer on one end and then the same end through "Hold5" into "Planet7." Insert the plain end of "Bottom axle 1" into the 27 tooth gear (I glued it, but that might not be necessary). Engage the 27 and 10 tooth gear, drop "Brace 2a" over both axles (it should snap onto the smaller one). Place "Spacer1" on the larger axle. Place "Wheel2" between the two "Support5's" (the washer-like bearings go on the inside). Place this assembly over "Bottom_axle1" and secure with "Clip4." The full assembly can then be attached to the base with the 6 nuts and bolts. Insert the plain end of "Top axle 1" into "Spinner 3," glue if desired. Engage "Pinion2" to "Wheel2" and pass the axle through it. Secure the axle with the other clip. Place "Bridge3" over the protruding struts of the supports and ring gear (should be a good friction fit). And that's it, you should be done. http://youtu.be/3UGVun5kG5w