3D printing parts

[find_bruce]

I have been inspired by Quang's efforts on bar plugs, tube stem cap & stem caps, I was thinking about what other hard to find parts are amenable to 3d printing.

I have picked up a trashy paid of 105SC brake levers - the scratches were reasonably easily removed, with enough elbow grease they will polish up nicely. Its a good opportunity to practice my sanding polishing skills (there is a pair of 1055 brakes in similar condition)

What won't polish up however are the plastic bracket caps (item 3 on the exploded view) - one is missing and the other is badly scratched. The side with the missing cap is also missing the small plastic washers on either side of the wire hook unit (item 4 on the EV)

The hoods were also perished, however they are available new as shimano still make these levers as BL-R400 and so the hoods can be had for €4.19 + shipping so I will throw a pair in with my next order. Yes I could just but BL-400 levers for €24.33, but where's the fun in that.

Any comments on whether these can be 3d printed & how I would go about designing & printing them?

[QuangVuong]

Probably can be printed, although it may not work out so well. The part is quite thin and will need to be clipped onto the rectangular lug sticking out from the lever body, so there's a good chance that the part will crack.

Nothing stopping you from trying though. Onshape, TinkerCad and plenty of other online CAD programs are available along with lots of tutorials on Youtube.

[Clydesdale Scot]

exciting opportunities with printing at
https://www.shapeways.com/creator

The design phase is more challenging for 3D parts.

I might look at doing a reproduction headbadge for the Blue Riband. Whilst it is detailed, it can be designed in a 2D space (Photoshop) and then interpreted in Shapeways 3D app for printing. Would be printed, then cast in brass.

[DynoMan]

We use 3D printed parts at work for a number of applications. It is a marvelous process. The parts themselves vary enormously in type and mechanical strength depending on material and process used. The more commonly found laser sintered parts are layered (like plywood) and this is their weakness particularly a item such as this one. The shape of it is such that it would be difficult to set the layers at such an angle to avoid them being short and leading to mechanical failure. Taking the wood analogy again you do not see a chair leg with the grain running across it, it should always go vertically.

It was probably injection moulded to start with and that would be at least 50% to 100% stronger than laser sintered "nylon" material. If there is a need for a batch of them it may turn out that CNC machined replacement is the best value.

[find_bruce]

Thanks for the explanation DynoMan - I am familiar with wood so the analogy made sense. I had taken Quang's advice, but its nice to understand why.

[GaryF]

I'm finding that my old brain just doesn't easily recognise that replacement of components, such os this, is possible even though I do 'understand' what you guys are attempting. I am still in the 'damn it's buggered' mindset.

find_bruce, I really hope you can conjure up a way of reproducing this 105 brake component.