Dropper Caps for Extract Bottles

Two of the four droppers I bought from KAF

 I got a four-pack of dropper lids for my citrus oils, because they are so strong you measure them in drops. Unfortunately, they only fit on the amber bottles, like the butterscotch bottle in the photo below.

Not being in a mood to be denied, I decided to pull the dropper out of the original cap, and make a cap to fit the clear, small mouth bottles. Using Alibre and calipers, it was easier than I had hoped, and also fit the McCormic bottles from the grocery store! Hurrah!

Orange oil with dropper, and three more caps I printed.

I went back and added some texture details to make the cap easier to turn, and more attractive. I decided to offer the model for free at Thingiverse, and the caps for sale on Shapeways at my store's kitchen section. They are more expensive than I would like, but perhaps worth a splurge if you frequently use extracts or oils in this kind of bottle. Either way, you'll need to purchase the droppers.

While Shapeways says that the plastic is not food safe, the cap doesn't touch the extracts. The black rubber on the dropper acts as a gasket/seal, and serves as a barrier between the cap and the bottle. If this makes you uncomfortable, then I suggest not getting them. Personally, I am comfortable that it is safe.

Variety of bottles with and without droppers.

McCormic bottle with and without dropper.

Filament Guide

The feed motor on my Up! printer failed a while back, and I have been living with a duck tape repair. Catching my breath after Christmas festivities, I decided it was high time to make a proper fix.

The feed motor is not needed, as the nozzle feed is strong enough to pull the filament from the spool unassisted. After first trying to modify someone else's model in Sketchup, and getting frustrated with the lack of associativity, I used Alibre instead. I sure wish I could find a way to import an stl for free, so I could trace off of the existing model, but instead I grabbed my calipers and started measuring.

It's pretty simple. Slip the filament in through the end, no need to pull it out of the nozzle, and the guide keeps the filament in check as it comes off the spool. While lacking frills, it works and looks better than tape. Model available at Thingiverse.

Harmonic paint job

Ah, finally! After base coats, sanding, and feeling afraid of messing up, the paint job is complete! Thanks go to my husband for helping, and for the photography.

Here's how it looks from the back. 

And here it is back-lit by a lamp, to illuminate the layers. It's hard to capture the details in a single photo.

Scale matters

Also for Father's Day, my hubby wanted a work bench on casters. So obviously I made him one. I discovered that I could print these tiny casters with axle and wheel all at once. Some careful knife work, and the support material comes out, leaving free-turning wheels. Then just push the caster pegs into the table, and there you have it! The wheels turned out unfortunately not really round, but that didn't seem like a big deal.
















He was surprised with his work bench; I think he wanted a larger one. So we'll go get a bigger one later at the store. One of the casters fell out and was lost. On the re-print, the wheel wouldn't break free and spin. I think it may be because I didn't pre-heat the platform. That was unexpected; I didn't think it would matter on such a small part.

Terrible Trio

What could be better than a greeting card for Dad on Father's Day? How about home-made, 3d printed Minecraft monsters, hand-painted by the kids? I thought it would also be a nice way to start the kids on their 3d modeling ventures. They look perfect to me. :)

Why decorate the back?

It seems odd to put decorative details on the back of a printed part.

The bezel has patterns all over it. While I do think it looks cool that way, there was a more practical reason.

Large, flat parts printed on my machine tend to weld themselves to the support structure in at least a couple of spots. This results in a long, frustrating cleanup process, and usually several gouges in the part. I found that adding 1/32" x 45° v-grooves in the bottom, and chamfers around the edges, makes the process easier. If it does stick, it's usually only between one pair of grooves, and is more easily dealt with.

I've also discovered that the support material separates more easily during marathon printing sessions. The only explanation I have is the heat. I will take more care in the future to heat my printing platform before printing large parts.

Make!

Make Magazine

Awesome! I made the cut on Make!