Need a reprap-able funnel design made

Hello,

My partner and I want to build a modified version of a hydroponic windowfarm. For our system we would like to build shelves and have planters sit on the shelves. Yet, not directly on the shelves themselves, but on a funnel that will drain water down to the planter below and ultimately back to the water tank. For this purpose, we need a customized funnel made and see this as an excellent opportunity to create useful reprap object available to many people.

I have no experience with 3d modelling, and frankly don't envision being able to find the time to learn adequately. I am writing to ask if someone would create this design for us, and share it on thingiverse. In return, we would like to submit our modified windowfarm plans which would reference this reprap funnel design. For ourselves, we can have the design printed here in Seattle at a local hacker space.

Our planter containers are 6 inches wide. The shelf would have a hole cut in to let the funnel sit into almost flush with the base of the shelf, except for a lip that would prevent the funnel from falling through the hole. Also the lip would have to support the planter container. Therefore, I roughly guess the funnel opening at its top could be 5 1/2 inches wide. The drain hole on the opposite end of the funnel could be something like 1/4 inch.

Please respond if you are interested in creating this design.

Thanks,
Marcus

I'm willing to give it a shot. I have zero experience with 3D printing, just discovered it all only a couple days ago but I've beeen using Blender for a few months. I hope to gather up the parts for a printer or at least a little laser engraver in the coming months and get something put together.

Here's my first attempt which took about 5 minutes, the shape and proportions can be tweaked to your desire:



I put a lip on the upper edge to hold the container, it's shape and size can be tweaked.

Feel free to suggest any changes, this is a learning experience to prepare myself for making my own models when I get my own printer made. I attached the stl file if you want to check that out. I did not give a measurement scale in the file, so I don't know how it will scale out for you. I have no idea how good Blender is for this, other than the fact that a few people use it for 3D printing.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/25/2012 07:35PM by kenearlg.

Thank you kenearlg! Sorry for not getting back sooner.

I emailed it over to our 3d print shop and spoke with them. The guy couldn't determine the dimensions of the file. Could you respond with those dimensions, or explain how to determine that using Blender?

The guy told me he thinks the object is too big for their currently working 3d printer. Their repraps are under repair at the time.

The funnel looks great! Thanks again!

hi, sorry I didn't enable email notifications to this topic.
I had read somewhere on this forum that Blender units are 1 mm (I think that's what it was, sorry just woke up and still kinda foggy) so I made the model to be in the range of 150 mm max dia. with a hole size of 12 mm. Going from memory here, I haven't opened the file yet but will do that in a bit after I wake up
I can scale it for you to what ever you need, just let me know but I don't understand why the file I put out can't be scaled?
Anyway, I have notify enabled so it won't be another two weeks for a reply from me

An STL file (object(s)) can ALWAYS be scaled!

---

Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

Thank you Bob for that info, good news.

OK, a bit more awake now and remembered I had made a completely new design which I think you might like. It's more of a tray shape with a broad, shallow funnel inside the tray which is about 1" (25 mm) deep. The tray is ribbed radially to stiffen it.
With this design, you only need a small hole through the shelf which can be drilled instead of having to saw a large hole for the first design.
Hopefully this picture will explain it better than I can describe it:



My intention is for the model to be approximately 6" diameter, 1" deep, with a 1/16" cross-section, and a tube that will fit into a 1/2" drilled hole without binding. I'm still tweaking the model trying to figure out the scale but here's a stl file you can try if you are still with me. Once I get it optimized with some feedback from at least one person, maybe I can put it up on Thingaverse, not sure if that's possible without having a real print of the model first?
And having no printing experience, I'm not even sure how easy or difficult this would be to print! Feedback, criticism is welcome.
STL file attached.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/13/2012 10:15AM by kenearlg.