Tap & Die Storage

[mtt.tr]

61 hours for a printed version, 2½ hours for a plywood version (not including glue drying time and any finishing like oiling if I do any):

View attachment 328085

View attachment 328086

Very much a "knocked together quickly" and functional construction rather than a "let's make it pretty" construction. I was lazy and cut the grooves for the shelves with the circular saw. They would have been more accurate in size with a router but I couldn't be bothered to get it out and didn't fancy the noise & dust involved. The bottom ridge of the cut-outs are square and at the same level on each side and that's what matters anyway. The uprights in the top two shelves are hardboard as it was the only thing I had that was thin enough (or close to thin enough - it took a few strokes with a Stanley #4 to get them down from 3.2 mm to 3 mm to fit the slot I'd cut). I'd designed it around 3 mm uprights and the drawer widths dictated that I stick to that.

This would have been my option.


Looks smart sir.

 

[Dr.Al]

This would have been my option.


Looks smart sir.

Thank you!

 

[daedalusminos]

61 hours for a printed version, 2½ hours for a plywood version

But that's 2½ hrs of your time as opposed to machine time. But I agree, for that construction I wouldn't have printed it. You could have had the drawers sliding in runners and got away with some of the flat shelf supports.

 

[Dr.Al]

I'm calling that finished:

I think there must be a bit of swarf or sawdust or something under the left-hand side of the M2/M2.5 drawer as it doesn't look level in that photo whereas it did when I first put it together to check. I'll clean it out later. I was pleased with how the embossed lettering came out. Even the (tiny) writing saying "Gauges" and "Spares" is readable.

 

[Dr.Al]

I didn't particularly think anyone else would be interested in the model for this, but someone on reddit asked me to share it so I've uploaded it (along with versions of the drawers without the debossed text in case anyone wants to print it but change the arrangement of tap types).

https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/119430-drawer-unit-for-threading-taps-of-all-types

STEP files included for easier editing.

 

[zx9]

61 hours for a printed version, 2½ hours for a plywood version (not including glue drying time and any finishing like oiling if I do any):

View attachment 328085

View attachment 328086

Very much a "knocked together quickly" and functional construction rather than a "let's make it pretty" construction. I was lazy and cut the grooves for the shelves with the circular saw. They would have been more accurate in size with a router but I couldn't be bothered to get it out and didn't fancy the noise & dust involved. The bottom ridge of the cut-outs are square and at the same level on each side and that's what matters anyway. The uprights in the top two shelves are hardboard as it was the only thing I had that was thin enough (or close to thin enough - it took a few strokes with a Stanley #4 to get them down from 3.2 mm to 3 mm to fit the slot I'd cut). I'd designed it around 3 mm uprights and the drawer widths dictated that I stick to that.

I rather like the mixed media approach and I know that you wanted to do it all on the printer but realistically given time and material costs / difficulty of doing a 90 hour print your finished version was I think the way to go all along.
I think it looks great and will be well up to the job.
I am interested to know how oil resistant is the print material you used? I know people print change wheels etc. for lathes but I also know what happens if you put oil in a plastic milk bottle, it is quickly not in the PET (?) bottle instead it is soaking your car boot liner.

 

[Dr.Al]

I rather like the mixed media approach and I know that you wanted to do it all on the printer but realistically given time and material costs / difficulty of doing a 90 hour print your finished version was I think the way to go all along.

I agree.

I think it looks great and will be well up to the job.

Thanks!

I am interested to know how oil resistant is the print material you used? I know people print change wheels etc. for lathes but I also know what happens if you put oil in a plastic milk bottle, it is quickly not in the PET (?) bottle instead it is soaking your car boot liner.

The short answer is I don't know how good PETG is, but I'll let you know! Milk bottles are HDPE, so definitely not the same thing. The change wheels I made for my lathe were acetal, but machined rather than printed. I've made quite a few things in PETG so far, but none have got very oily yet.

 

[AndersK]

I think you just showed a very good practice of when to print and not. Print for the more complicated form and traditional fab for large flat objects.
Looks great anyway

When it comes to petg it is very resistant to oil so a good choice for workshop environment. Fairly good impact resistance as well. I have done a fair bit of jigs and similar used in production environment where they get in contact with hydraulic oil. I think the oldest is about 4 years now.

 

[zx9]

I agree.

Thanks!

The short answer is I don't know how good PETG is, but I'll let you know! Milk bottles are HDPE, so definitely not the same thing. The change wheels I made for my lathe were acetal, but machined rather than printed. I've made quite a few things in PETG so far, but none have got very oily yet.

Thank you, it was just one of those questions going through the head of a 3D printer curious person.
I expect that one day I will join the ranks of 3D printer ownership, just not yet.

 

[Dr.Al]

Thank you, it was just one of those questions going through the head of a 3D printer curious person.
I expect that one day I will join the ranks of 3D printer ownership, just not yet.

HDPE has a fairly low melting (about 130°C), so that might be the problem for a milk bottle is filled with oil and left in a car, rather than the oil actually damaging the plastic. The interior of a car wouldn't get to 130C°, but they get very hot and it might cause enough deformation that the thin walls of the milk bottle gave up the ghost. Of course, that's just speculation and it might be that the HDPE is actually damaged by the oil directly.

 

[Dr.Al]

Well isn't that nice - my second "Homemade Tool of the Week"? I didn't expect it to be that popular. It's especially nice since the $25 award covers a sizeable chunk of the filament cost!