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Post by dudleydrulert on May 18, 2014 21:33:42 GMT -5
For my Panosh Place-style Vehicle Team Voltron, I want to make some 3D-printable ratcheting joints for Voltron's shoulders and hips. Does anyone have suggestions? Have designs for such things been published online? I'll Google for this info myself shortly, but I'm interested in people's first-hand experiences with specific designs. Thanks in advance! |
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Post by magengar on Jul 26, 2014 3:48:17 GMT -5
Here's an idea for ratchet joints... Transformers Cybertron Starscream figure...
 This figure stands roughly 13" inches tall, and its ratchet joints are very strong as you can see how they support this huge bulky figure when it's posed in various battle stances. The ratchets click really loud, hopefully you'll tolerate the loud clicking... ...but it's also a sure sign of a good ratchet joint system that will hold and lock a pose in place. This figure is available at TRU, BBTS, and ToyArena... brand new for $99. Yeah, "Ouch" is right. Search for it in used condition on eBay and shop for price. Also: check your local thrift store, in the kids toys section. That's where I found mine and I paid $20 for it As Is (missing its keys, and vertical dorsal tail wings). You can get him from a thrift store, take him apart, and use the ratchet joints on other heavy figures as long as they'll fit... ...or, you can copy the design in a CAD modeler to create your own ratchet joint for 3D printing. zozo-mag |
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Post by dudleydrulert on Jul 26, 2014 19:58:55 GMT -5
Thanks for the suggestion! I actually wound up modeling my own in Blender, based on an image that I saw online. It works pretty well -- not as well as a traditionally manufactured ratcheting joint, but it works well enough for what I need at this point.  |
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Post by magengar on Aug 14, 2014 3:59:38 GMT -5
Excellent! Hopefully it will also be strong enough to support the weight of the articulated parts as they are posed once the ratchets 'lock' in place. Good luck with your project and keep us posted!  ------------- Late edit: I googled " ratchet joint assembly" and found this... www.toyteardown.co.uk/?p=130...it's a toy teardown of a Transformer figure. There's a passage in this article that explains and shows the ratchet joint assembly in the leg and knee areas. Stuff like this is good reference to know for those of us who would like to design our own articulated joints for custom action figure robot toys. ------------------------ Late LATE edit: I googled for "toy ratchet joint assembly" and stumbled across a page showing a list of patents for toy designs and articulation joint assemblies by toy manufacturers. This page shows the inside of an action figure joint assembly. But if you also browse down the page further you'll see a list of other design patents, click their patent numbers to view their designs as well....... www.google.com/patents/US8308524This stuff is a MUST-KNOW for all toy customizers! zozo-mag |
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Post by dudleydrulert on Aug 14, 2014 21:21:19 GMT -5
Very cool. Thanks!!!
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Post by magengar on Aug 15, 2014 0:22:52 GMT -5
you're welcome, bro! zozo-mag |
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Post by coldiron on Aug 18, 2014 19:55:58 GMT -5
I wonder the life span of a 3d printed ratchet joint. They are subject to friction and tension. I imagine you need to pose slowly and gently to make them last longer. There is a type of rather joint that uses a gear inside and the opposing part just has a flap of plastic that it clicks against. Its pretty simple. I am not sure what toy I have that has it, but I would consider a plastic for the flap that has some flex to it where the gear part could be printed.
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