Vase Mode Helical Gear Cups

thingiverse

UPDATE 7-2-2020 - After playing around with the plug version, I decided it was a bit too wobbly for my taste, so I tweaked the bottom rung to make it sit closer to the base. The revised filename is Plug-Thinner-bottom-Final.stl. It works better in my opinion, but the original still holds up just fine. I'm considering incorporating the bearing into the plug next, but that would require a perfect print or else it would be tough to get the bearings rolling. I doubt it'll happen, though. UPDATE 1-25-2020 - I thought about it some more and came up with a new version without the big insert. Instead, I created a plug that fits inside the cup holes, making them bigger in the process. You'll need to use the new cups for the plugs if you want this version, but I haven't printed the plug in vase mode yet due to its fragility. Be gentle when inserting the bearing and the plug into the cup - they're a tight fit. If needed, add some super glue around the edge of the plug to secure it without interfering with the bearing. Keep in mind that the cups will wobble a bit more due to the raised lip holding them off the base. You can cut the hole larger on the original cups if you don't want to print new ones - about 23.4mm should make for a snug fit. Both designs work fine, it's just a matter of personal preference (or so I'm told). I made this design available as an update for everyone to get on board with the new version. As someone who's always looking to save money on filament, I decided to try printing these in vase mode. It worked out pretty well - mostly. The main issue was a hole at the bottom where the bearing would stick out, so I created a small insert that spins down inside to cover it up. Easy peasy! I used parts from various sources to make this design work, and I've included all the STL files I used for everyone's convenience. Hopefully, that's okay - if not, let me know and I'll delete yours from the post. To print these cups, just use vase mode with whatever settings you like. I used 0.2mm with two bottom layers and ran them at 100mms on my Ender 5. Then, print the inserts using the same settings - I included a reverse version for those who might need it. When done, simply turn them over so the open side is down and let them twirl to the bottom of the cup to cover the bearing. The base still needs to be printed normally. In Cura, the normal cup would take 105 grams of filament and 11+ hours to print at 0.2mm, while vase mode takes 23 grams and 1 hour 45 minutes. The inserts are a mere 2 grams and take 13 minutes each - you can print four of them in vase mode with inserts for the same (or even less) filament.