The Perfect Buckle

cults3d

The buckle of my fanny pack shattered after plummeting from a third-floor window, giving me the perfect excuse to design something to 3D print. After scanning buckles on Thingiverse and reading comments sections, I set specific objectives for the project:\n\nIt must be printed without supports,\nThe buckle needs to resemble the one it's replacing,\nit has to be as robust as the original,\nopening and closing should work like the original (without jamming),\ncan be used with pre-stitched webbing,\nthere is a double loop on one side for strap adjustment.\nAfter many revisions, I came up with a very solid and practical replacement. I have been using it for about two weeks and it performs as well as the original part.\n\nI was looking for a name for this thing with more charm than "replacement buckle" and while showing it to a friend she mentioned "it turned out perfect!", therefore "The Perfect Buckle".\n\nThis buckle is designed for a strap 36mm / 1.42inch wide. You should be able to scale it up or down to fit other widths, but I haven't tried it myself yet. Expect some more friction if you scale it down though, since the gap between the parts will also decrease.\n\nHow to print\n\nPrint without supports. Use PETG filament for best results. ABS works well too but it may warp a bit, making insertion and release less smooth. I haven't tried PLA because I'm not sure it will be strong enough for this application (but if you try please share your results!).\n\nThe buckles shown in the photos have been printed on a PRUSA i3 MK3 using 0.2mm layers, 3 perimeters and 30% infill. Black and red parts are PETG and blue and yellow parts are ABS.\n\nWhat files to print\n\nIf you're in a hurry (but still managed to read up to this point, thanks) print thePerfectBuckle.stl file, which includes everything you need in one convenient package.\n\nI did some experiments adding decorations to the female part of the buckle, which is tricky since it has to be printed vertically. I tried a few designs until I settled for the one in the photos, inspired by DANGER EJECTION SEAT stickers found in aircraft. If you want the decorated version use the buckleFemale--decorated.stl file.\n\nMuch nicer decorations would be possible if the female part of the buckle was printed horizontally, which would of course require some sort of support. In this configuration the bridging capability of the printer can be exploited, meaning supports are only needed at the side openings, so I decided to add some detachable supports there. To print this version go for the experimental--buckleFemale_decorated_with_supports.stl file and print it without supports since they are already included in the file. After printing detach the side supports and that's it.\n\nPrinting this horizontal version using filaments of different colors makes for a very nice looking buckle, but keep in mind that insertion and release may not be as smooth as in the vertically printed version (because the bridges will hang down a little, increasing friction).\n\nBTW, if you come up with a nicer decoration for the buckle please share your make! I uploaded the Fusion360 files for you to play with them; the decoration is in Sketch14.\n\nHow to assemble the parts\n\nIf your webbing is already stitched in place like mine, pass the male pin through its strap and then set it in place in the male part of the buckle. Do the same for the female part.\n\nIf your webbing is not yet stitched, set the male pin in place and then pass the webbing through the loops. The female part requires its strap to be stitched anyway, so you can add the pin and then sew the strap or the other way around.\n\nEnjoy!