Parametric Straw Connectors (OpenSCAD)

thingiverse

These Straw Connectors can be used to link together straws into big structures. For fun with kids, but also as a frame to wrap in rice-paper and use as lamp-shade, or any other application that needs a light-weight structure. The files contain a few sample STL files for some possible connectors, but the main source is the OpenSCAD file, which makes it easy to create any size and type you want. See _Parameters_ for details. The sample files and default parameters are tweaked for use with the big IKEA straws (Sötvatten). Other brands of straws might work just fine. Because the connectors require a press-fit and straws don't stretch much, an exact size of the connector is quite critical. Different straws and different printers and printer settings may lead to slightly different fit. Print a single XYZ connector first to test-fit, before printing a grid of multiples connectors. Full disclosure: This is not my own original idea. The concept exists (or has existed) commercially, and there are plenty people tinkering with this on Thingiverse. See my collection of related things here: https://www.thingiverse.com/erie/collections/straw-connectors. I created my own version, because I wanted to be able to easily tweak the sizes and shapes, and create new types when needed. Also, I discovered that not all straws are created equal. Even the straws from IKEA that I use (Sötvatten), have slightly different diameters for each color straw. This creates the need for very fine tuned sizing, for one connector to work with all color straws. You probably need a whole lot of connectors to make an interesting structure. To reduce the post-processing time, the model aims to require no support structures and no build plate adhesion (brim/raft/etc). See _Print Settings_ for details.