Roller Shade LIft Cord System DIY

thingiverse

More photos and instructions are coming soon, once I finish the first Roller Shade installation this week. The design objective was to create a Universal Roller Blind Pulley System with simple parts that can be used to make DIY Roller Blinds for widths up to 10 feet or as narrow as desired. The same pulley assembly can be used multiple times across the blind width, and it can also route draw cords to either side of the blind. The Universal Roller Blind Pulley Assembly uses a 5 x 23mm piece of shaft or tubing as the pulley axle. Optionally, two M3 or self-tapping screws can be used to hold the assembly together before mounting on top shade rod. The lift cord can pass straight through the pulley assembly or wrap around it and exit at 90 or 180 degrees. The upper shade rod should be flat-sided wood, preferably a 2 x 2 or 2 x 4 ripped down the middle. Note that there are two types of Upper Rod end mounts: one for a 2 x 2 piece of lumber and another for a slightly wider ripped 2 x 4. Wind the shade material around this wood piece with double-sided tape, apply staples on non-visible sides (usually three sides), and mount Universal Pulleys on the front visible side using wood screws. The lower rolling rod is a low-cost piece of schedule 40 1-1/4" PVC pipe. Paint a couple of inches at each end to cover any exposed areas. Insert the 3D printed end caps, applying some force if necessary. Fill the PVC pipe with sand or alternative material for added weight before inserting the second end cap. If your caps fit snugly or loosely, add glue. Note that the filler weight in the PVC pipe helps the shade roll tightly and straight, resisting wind outdoors. Attach the lower rolling rod to the shade using double-sided tape on the bottom 4-6 inches of shade material that remains rolled onto this lower rod. Ensure both rods are positioned squarely when attaching them with double-sided tape. The design of the lift cord anchors allows looping the cord around an internal boss, tying off the cord securely (using a square knot). This greatly increases the strength of the lift cord attachment over simply knotting up the cord to resist pulling through the anchor hole. This is a cleaner-looking solution compared to eyelet screws used by most DIYers. Once the roller shade is set at the desired position, fix it in place by tying off the lift cords to an appropriate cleat (many are available on Thingiverse). If your shade is long, use two cleats per shade, spaced vertically apart. The very long cord can be wound between the two cleats and then wrapped off on one. For finishing lift cord ends, consider using a traditionally styled cord end pull (available on Thingiverse). There are many other styles to choose from. Example Roller Blind Build: A 60" wide x 7' tall Canvas blind for an outdoor Gazebo. Three Universal Roller Blind pulley assemblies were used. The total cost of the blind assembly was approximately $24, making it a cost-effective option compared to commercial units with limited fabric type and color options.