Cosplay Prop Connector Calibration

thingiverse

### Introduction ### This is a set of connector calibration tools for determining the clearance needed when I am printing my cosplay props. What is clearance? It's the gap between two different pieces that fit together that accounts for the error in your 3D printer when it prints. Since I find these useful I wanted to share them with the community. ### How to Use ### You will likely want to print a set of these out for each different material you're printing with. For example, my prints using LW-PLA need a clearance of 0.35mm, but my parts printing with PLA usually need 0.25mm. I also usually start by printing the 0.25mm test first and then figuring out where I need to go from there. Printing all of them at once will take some time. ### The Rest of the Information ### Why these two shapes? Because these are the two types of connectors I use when printing my props. The first one is a dovetail connector and you often see it in wood working. When used in conjunction with an adhesive like epoxy, it makes for incredibly strong bonds between pieces of a prop. The other type of connector is for when I can't use a dovetail due to some other reinforcing mechanism, such as a carbon fiber tube down the length of a sword. While the tube will ensure everything is lined up straight, it doesn't help with rotation, thus the pin assist shape keeps the prop from rotating so that everything stays lined up. More details: 1) The bottoms are chamfered so that the initial layer squish most printers do shouldn't interfere with results 2) The dovetail connector has no sharp corners because sharp corners introduce more error into the printing process. Short explanation: Acceleration and deceleration cause excess material to come out of the print nozzle, which is why if you look closely at sharp corners on most FDM prints, they look a little blobby even after accounting for the size of the print nozzle. 3) Given the above, why are there 90 degree corners at the sides of where the pieces meet? Most cosplay props will meet and then have a sharp corner. By making it so the dovetail joints, etc. don't have sharp corners we minimize the error while simulating the fact that you're often going to still have two sharp edges that will blob out and introduce error. If you need additional clearances let me know and I will add it.