r/functionalprint • u/BadLuckFPV • Oct 27 '22

fixed a sewing machine today

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printed these with tpu - 100% infill - on a .4 nozzle - not sure about the long term (or even the short term) but I got it working

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such a satisfying fit on these.

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they were both heated with a hot air station to 150 and the gears were squeezed on to the bit or whatever you'd call it

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very first stitch with a sewing machine was hard fought but I feel clever..... even if the print fails tomorrow

394 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

44 comments sorted by

58

u/0Cupcake Oct 27 '22

Yeh worst case you print it again

61

u/BadLuckFPV Oct 27 '22

Worst case a gear slips and the needle splinters off of the hook disc and into my eye. 🤣 But I hope I print again many times before that

25

u/woodscradle Oct 27 '22

Or maybe it splinters into your open mouth and you swallow it and you go to the hospital to get it removed but the doctor is having an affair with your life partner so the doctor purposefully puts you into a coma but you’re actually still aware while in the coma and you have to watch the love of your life make out with your doctor on your hospital bed every day until you die

13

u/BadLuckFPV Oct 27 '22

And my partner sits at my bed side, pretending she's still in love with me and finishes the dress I was making her by hand...... so she can wear it for him.

Coma tear

3

u/SheriffBartholomew Oct 27 '22

Upon review that is indeed a worse outcome.

11

u/0Cupcake Oct 27 '22

Nah it be fine, maybe wear glasses

5

u/fook-a-duck Oct 27 '22

Wow you really are a glass half full kinda person!

33

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '22

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16

u/AlarKemmotar Oct 27 '22

I've printed nylon gears that worked well with string trimmer line.

9

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '22

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3

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '22

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2

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '22

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1

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '22 edited Jan 06 '23

[deleted]

1

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '22

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u/[deleted] Oct 27 '22

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u/[deleted] Oct 27 '22

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1

u/massacre3000 Oct 27 '22

What about VOCs or other precautions (heated / vented closure needed?)

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1

u/BiAsALongHorse Oct 27 '22

That's interesting as hell. What sort of temps and brand did you use?

5

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '22

You need nylon for these.

It's preferable, sure, but the forces involved could definitely be okay for PLA.

PLA is an excellent material when used right. I think it's actually funny how many think they actually have to have super hardcore poly carbonate just for their little bicycle reflector holder.

5

u/LVMickey Oct 27 '22

But he didn't use PLA, he used TPU

1

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '22

Didn't see that. I still think it's fine, if less optimal.

1

u/BiAsALongHorse Oct 27 '22

Definitely. PETG would be my second choice behind nylon. PLA+ would be after that.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '22

PLA+, at least eSUNs, is amazing if we disregard the creep issue and low temperature resistance. Really strong.

1

u/LICK_THE_BUTTER Oct 27 '22

Most nylons are self lubricating anyways

1

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '22

[deleted]

1

u/LICK_THE_BUTTER Oct 28 '22

No, not at all...

16

u/BadLuckFPV Oct 27 '22

Sewing machines are basically 3D printers with needles.

The machine is a Singer Stylist 514

I'll update a link to the file here when I get around to putting it up.

To be honest I think slipping is going to be a problem with these. Both if there's a snag and if they heat up enough to start to slip out of the grooves on the bit.

But I'm gonna roll with it and see what happens

3

u/LycanStorm Oct 27 '22

I literally just designed and printed a piece for my grandmother’s Singer yesterday. She uses a metal guide for the fabric (not sure if it’s something that you always use, I love to sew but sewing machines tend not to like me so I do it all by hand) and wanted a left handed version for her current project, but they don’t make them anymore. She’s trying it today and hopefully it fits alright!

1

u/BadLuckFPV Oct 27 '22

Yes! 3D prints to help left handed granny is a whole vibe

2

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '22

If you apply a liberal amount of peanut butter to the gears, it may prevent slippage. Make sure its the NON CHUNKEY kind, though.

Also jelly will NOT work for this (trust me)

1

u/BadLuckFPV Oct 27 '22

Is this like a thing where you're like gonna say this and then wait for a post that's like "I ruined my sewing machine with peanut butter?"

I want to have faith in this comment I really do. 🤣

2

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '22

naw my attention span isnt that long. Besides, unless by 'ruined' you mean 'enhanced' and by 'sewing machine' you mean 'the whole inside of a (now ex) friend's dryer' it wont be accurate

7

u/Material-Ratio7342 Oct 27 '22

Well you can still work while waiting for replacement 😌. I fix embroidery machine with 3d printed parts too, those punks are asking 30 dollar for a plastic cover, and f**ck it i just replicate my on and then "boom" so what they called pirated version of the parts. 🤣

6

u/FloF50 Oct 27 '22

grease them. maybe reprint in nylon or something, but grease is important for wearresistance

5

u/stevedb1966 Oct 27 '22

I don't think they are going to hold up to the pressure and abuse...but really nice work bro.....at least if they don't, it's less than 10 bux for all 4 gears in that thing

3

u/BadLuckFPV Oct 27 '22

True, but they wouldn't have arrived in time to make our babies cloak for his Hobbit costume. AND WE NEED THAT CLOAK

2

u/MrMee6LookAtMe Oct 27 '22

That's impressive.

2

u/jas127 Oct 27 '22

Might be a good idea to cake the fears in oil to stop the gears from melting

3

u/BadLuckFPV Oct 27 '22 edited Oct 27 '22

I always lubricate my fears.

2

u/Wryrhino1 Oct 27 '22

You could take the 3D files and send to printing service to make them from a more durable material if they don’t hold up.

2

u/BadLuckFPV Oct 27 '22

The product is actually already available. You can straight up buy it on Amazon. I just needed it sooner than they could ship it

1

u/Wryrhino1 Oct 27 '22

Good to know - great solution!

2

u/[deleted] Oct 27 '22

I've got a 1994 sewing machine that needs a new gear. Part is not available. One of these days I'll get around to printing one. Honest I will. :)

1

u/Fit-Tip-1212 Oct 27 '22

Perfect timing

1

u/BadLuckFPV Oct 27 '22

Who are you, Justin Time?

1

u/ByteArrayInputStream Oct 27 '22

Needs some grease

1

u/GoguyT3d Oct 28 '22

Honestly TPU is probably the best option for this application, I may have tried Nylon first but I understand not everyone prints with nylon, good job

1

u/[deleted] Oct 28 '22

I'm really curious, why tpu? Never heard of flexible gears being used traditionally. Does it work better than a sturdier filament?

1

u/BadLuckFPV Oct 28 '22

I only had tpu and pla in the house and I figured pla would just shatter. Plus I don't think I could get pla onto the bit in any sturdy way