Rat Trap Slim - Refined

thingiverse

I really loved mackesdan's design. Nevertheless, I like to tweak things a bit, so I thought there might be some changes that would improve printing and add extra support where needed. Using his files, I oriented them for optimal printing, significantly strengthened several areas, and gave the entire thing a thorough tune-up. For instance, to make assembly easier, I replaced the "bolt" with a printed "cotter pin," which is now included in the arm print. This way, they belong together. The arm is now stronger at the trigger point. To improve printability, I redid the trigger so it can be printed on its back rather than vertically, which was riskier. The choke has been slightly strengthened, and the printed teeth have been made sharper and stronger. However, you still need to use a nail or two drywall screws (additional holes were added in the body) for proper rat handling. The body got the most significant overhaul. I did extensive work to strengthen areas that needed it and make all of the holes print cleaner – basically, you'll see numerous "touches" to the body. Take a look; you might prefer these modifications over the original files... Happy hunting. Update 3-Jul-19: I further refined the trigger to make it even stronger based on mackesdan's comments. I also included the axel in the same file to reduce the number of files. I added an end to the axel that keeps it in place better and provides a fingernail hold for prying it out if maintenance is needed. Print this one at 100% infill. Update 23-Sep-19: I updated the "body" and "arm" files to make them stronger, and I also updated the "trigger" so that it prints in two pieces with the latch section laid flat to address mackesdan's concerns. The trigger now snaps together; if you want, you can add a touch of glue at the joint. It has a key feature, so be sure to put it together correctly.