Weather Vane Connector

thingiverse

Beginning of March in Chicago we had strong winds gusting as high as 40mph. Our weather vane could not withstand the forceful blows of mother nature, and for the first time in sixteen years it blew off its stand. A new connector needed to be designed to securely connect the Vane to the directionals. Using AutoCAD Mechanical 2017 I created a new connector piece from scratch. The model was exported to STL format, and G-Code was generated using Simplify3D software. The new connector was expertly printed on my 3D printer FlashForge Creator Pro. Exotic filament Stainless Steel PLA supplied by ProtoPasta was used for the print job. The 3D model was printed at an extruder temperature of 230C and a platform temperature of 60C, taking exactly six hours and four minutes to complete. The results are outstanding, with the connector fitting perfectly into place. The Stainless Steel filament turned out exceptionally well, giving it the feel and weight of genuine steel. I used 220 grit sandpaper to expertly polish the stainless steel connector, revealing a beautiful finish. This was an exciting project for me, as it allowed me to design, model, and create a replacement part using my 3D printer FlashForge Creator Pro. The finished product has given new life to our weather vane, ensuring it can withstand many more years of harsh winds and extreme weather conditions. A bottom connector will also require my attention in the near future, as I need to design something that connects securely to the mast. Once this design is completed, I'll share detailed pictures and videos of the assembly process with you all, probably when warmer weather arrives and I can give the mast a fresh coat of paint, giving it a brand new look!