Making the 3d Brackets¶

I was not sure how well the finger joints would hold the CFT system together, especially since the system may contain a quite a bit of weight. So, I decided to make some support brackets.

Reference¶

After looking through different types of brackets for inspiration I started 3d modeling.

3D modeling¶

Although it is possible to get smooth beveled models in Tinkercad it does not offer a great deal of control for beveling but Tinkercad is good for quick blockout modeling.

Top/Bottom Corner Brackets¶

I logged into Tinkercad to blockout the models.

CFT corner bracket Tinkercad — CFT corner bracket blockout in Tinkercad

I wanted the brackets to look and feel smooth so I brought the Tinkercad models into Blender for some bevels.

CFT corner bracket Blender — CFT corner bracket beveled in Blender

90 degree Brackets¶

CFT 90 degree bracket Tinkercad — CFT 90 degree bracket blockout in Tinkercad

CFT 90 degree bracket Blender — CFT 90 degree bracket beveled in Blender

3D printing¶

I imported both models into PrusaSlicer and brought the original models from Tinkercad just to compare.

Comparing Tinkercad vs Blender models¶

Comparing models — Comparing Tinkercad vs Blender models in PrusaSlicer

The models from Blender with the bevels definitely look better than the blockout models from Tinkercad. I´m glad I spent the time in Blender smoothing the edges.

Printing¶

I sliced each model individually in PrusaSlicer.

Top/Bottom Corner Brackets¶

Printing top bottom brackets — Preparing to 3d print top/bottom corner brackets in PrusaSlicer

One leg bracket can be 3d printed in about 120 minutes.

90 degree Brackets¶

One 90° bracket can be 3d printed in about 80 minutes.

Download leg corner bracket 3d model .stl file

Download top corner bracket 3d model .stl file