That is really nice! I like how the design really took advantage of the printer’s capabilities. Cutting that shape on any other tool would have taken a lot of setups. 3D printers have become so affordable the only excuse not to have one is they take up space on the bench top.
The Bambulabs printers are awesome. They’re a great value and they’ve really reset the market’s expectations.
I’m still using an old Ender 3 I got in 2019 to do production parts for my side gig. It’s so easy to just hit print and then you have perfect replicas of some part designed once many years ago. Customers on eBay are completely satisfied with the quality given the expectation of a 3D printed part. Once I started selling my parts the printers paid for themselves.
Come to think of it, if you lost that lock knob, others have lost theirs too. You have a product that is easy to manufacture and easy to mail. That lock looks like one used in a civilized zone.
Fixit Log
Re: Fixit Log
Hi bos, very well done! On my DW bicycle that knob is missing too. Can I order one to be sent by mail? You can pm me for my adress and how we can pay for it.
Re: Fixit Log
Fixed a second Waterpik.
Got back from Thanksgiving and my wife’s Waterpik shut down. Flatline. I immediately suspected thermal fuse. It was warm to the touch. Got it torn down. I found some issues.
Fuse was good. Motor was jammed. I disassembled the motor and pump assembly and cleaned it out. Lubed the motor and it ran again. (Food grade grease and mineral oil only). I thought I was done.
Put it all back together. No go. The motor ran but the pump didn’t pump. I tore into it again and found a couple of hairs jammed in the check valve. Wife trims her bangs over the sink. The hairs end up in her Waterpik. Disassembled that and cleaned it up.
No go. The motor made this whirring sound and didn’t pump water. I figured okay, the gear is stripped. Right about here my wife says it’s Black Friday and she’ll just get another. They’re on sale for $50. $50? No, I’m going to fix this.
I slept on it and decided hey why not try a stripped gear repair. The gear was helical so it would be challenging to 3D print. I tore into it this morning. Gears are good. Turns out the motor mount has elliptical mount holes meaning the position of the motor has some adjustability. I thought this was impossible given the manufacturing headache it must create by requiring the assembler to have some mechanical skills. Also it takes longer to put together if the design tolerances need tweaking. But it is what it is. The two motor mount screws set the distance between the gears and this is where the slipping came from. I adjusted and all is good. Basically I caused this issue by just blindly putting it back together last night.
Working Waterpik. This one is about ten years old. It had multiple issues like a jammed motor, hairs on the check valve and my bad assembly skills. Yet it has held up surprisingly well considering it’s age. There is a power resistor in the rectifier board that is all black but it still seems to function. It was full of black algae that I had to wash out. The the piston and gear teeth show almost no wear. It is surprisingly durable inside considering it is mostly plastic. My wife uses this three times a day after meals so it gets a lot of use.
All fixed. Feels good to have kept $50 in my pocket. I was so close to saying “just buy a new one”. I even tossed it in the trash can last night thinking it was done. Time to go out and celebrate.
Got back from Thanksgiving and my wife’s Waterpik shut down. Flatline. I immediately suspected thermal fuse. It was warm to the touch. Got it torn down. I found some issues.
Fuse was good. Motor was jammed. I disassembled the motor and pump assembly and cleaned it out. Lubed the motor and it ran again. (Food grade grease and mineral oil only). I thought I was done.
Put it all back together. No go. The motor ran but the pump didn’t pump. I tore into it again and found a couple of hairs jammed in the check valve. Wife trims her bangs over the sink. The hairs end up in her Waterpik. Disassembled that and cleaned it up.
No go. The motor made this whirring sound and didn’t pump water. I figured okay, the gear is stripped. Right about here my wife says it’s Black Friday and she’ll just get another. They’re on sale for $50. $50? No, I’m going to fix this.
I slept on it and decided hey why not try a stripped gear repair. The gear was helical so it would be challenging to 3D print. I tore into it this morning. Gears are good. Turns out the motor mount has elliptical mount holes meaning the position of the motor has some adjustability. I thought this was impossible given the manufacturing headache it must create by requiring the assembler to have some mechanical skills. Also it takes longer to put together if the design tolerances need tweaking. But it is what it is. The two motor mount screws set the distance between the gears and this is where the slipping came from. I adjusted and all is good. Basically I caused this issue by just blindly putting it back together last night.
Working Waterpik. This one is about ten years old. It had multiple issues like a jammed motor, hairs on the check valve and my bad assembly skills. Yet it has held up surprisingly well considering it’s age. There is a power resistor in the rectifier board that is all black but it still seems to function. It was full of black algae that I had to wash out. The the piston and gear teeth show almost no wear. It is surprisingly durable inside considering it is mostly plastic. My wife uses this three times a day after meals so it gets a lot of use.
All fixed. Feels good to have kept $50 in my pocket. I was so close to saying “just buy a new one”. I even tossed it in the trash can last night thinking it was done. Time to go out and celebrate.
Re: Fixit Log
I agree! That said, I think having some handyman projects or DIY needs in your life is essential to really make a 3D printer worthwhile—along with a bit of the ERE mindset. From what I’ve seen online, many people primarily use their printers to churn out toys or decorative items with limited functionality. On the other hand, for highly functional items that are widely used (like a hook), mass-produced versions are often cheaper and more efficient. I think 3D printers really shine in that sweet spot between custom solutions and mid-to-low-market items.Sclass wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2024 5:32 pmThat is really nice! I like how the design really took advantage of the printer’s capabilities. Cutting that shape on any other tool would have taken a lot of setups. 3D printers have become so affordable the only excuse not to have one is they take up space on the bench top.
Hey @J_ ! Thank you for your interest. Around Christmas, I’ll be in the Netherlands, so I’d be happy to deliver it personally in exchange for a cup of tea. If you’re out of the country, I can, of course, send it to you instead. I’ll send you a PM
Re: Fixit Log
That’s a great Christmas present, especially the (possible) meeting with you again. I pm my adress and timing.
Thanks!
Re: Fixit Log
@Sclass: Wow. I would have given up so much sooner. It's cool that you got it fixed.
I don't have pictures but I learned how to replace outlets this week...The majority of them in my house had quit working and I called maintenance, One of them showed me how to replace an outlet, and they left me with a bag of new ones. I did a little more Google research and replaced a bunch, was super proud of myself haha, particularly when it worked and I started getting power back around the house. Also found two...burned the hell up...outlets in the bedroom, which was sketch. I hadn't used those in months because I usually charge my stuff in the living room, but they were pretty sketchy.
I haven't finished putting covers back on the outlets for now, waiting for maintenance to come back and check to see if I did them right before doing that.
But....Super satisfying to do and have it work. And also that I didn't accidentally electrocute myself or set my house on fire (at least thus far).
I don't have pictures but I learned how to replace outlets this week...The majority of them in my house had quit working and I called maintenance, One of them showed me how to replace an outlet, and they left me with a bag of new ones. I did a little more Google research and replaced a bunch, was super proud of myself haha, particularly when it worked and I started getting power back around the house. Also found two...burned the hell up...outlets in the bedroom, which was sketch. I hadn't used those in months because I usually charge my stuff in the living room, but they were pretty sketchy.
I haven't finished putting covers back on the outlets for now, waiting for maintenance to come back and check to see if I did them right before doing that.
But....Super satisfying to do and have it work. And also that I didn't accidentally electrocute myself or set my house on fire (at least thus far).
Re: Fixit Log
@Violets:
Good for you for taking initiative! However, multiple outlets not functioning, inclusive of a couple visibly "fried", is quite possibly indicative of a problem that may not be resolved simply by replacing the receptacles. The fried receptacles are indicative of arcing which may lead to a fire. Your landlord should hire a licensed electrician, not just some guy working maintenance, to take a look at your system.
Good for you for taking initiative! However, multiple outlets not functioning, inclusive of a couple visibly "fried", is quite possibly indicative of a problem that may not be resolved simply by replacing the receptacles. The fried receptacles are indicative of arcing which may lead to a fire. Your landlord should hire a licensed electrician, not just some guy working maintenance, to take a look at your system.
Re: Fixit Log
Yeah. Like I warn in all these fixits involving mains voltage. “Don’t electrocute yourself.”
Turn off the power at the fuse box. I’m actually pretty shocked that the maintenance guy just gave you outlets and said it was ok to mess with the wiring. That’s really bad property management practice. It could create some really big legal problems.
That being said I change sockets and light switches all the time on my own. We have these Decora switches that just fall apart after a few years. When I’m too lazy to turn off the power I wear thick rubber gloves and I’m very careful about tool placement. My old screwdrivers have some nice arc welds to remind me of what happens when you short the wires.
ETA - forgot to mention eye protection is a necessity when working with mains wiring. A good arc can throw tiny bits of molten metal flying in your face. Jacob always mentions the use of a non contact voltage detector pen. This is cheap insurance to quickly check if the wires are not hot before you go mucking about in there.
Turn off the power at the fuse box. I’m actually pretty shocked that the maintenance guy just gave you outlets and said it was ok to mess with the wiring. That’s really bad property management practice. It could create some really big legal problems.
That being said I change sockets and light switches all the time on my own. We have these Decora switches that just fall apart after a few years. When I’m too lazy to turn off the power I wear thick rubber gloves and I’m very careful about tool placement. My old screwdrivers have some nice arc welds to remind me of what happens when you short the wires.
ETA - forgot to mention eye protection is a necessity when working with mains wiring. A good arc can throw tiny bits of molten metal flying in your face. Jacob always mentions the use of a non contact voltage detector pen. This is cheap insurance to quickly check if the wires are not hot before you go mucking about in there.