Nylon Washer for LEM #5 Grinder

[bbqgeekess]

Mine cracked and need to replace. LEM wants $5.99 for one single replacement washer.

I have a 3D printer and can print one in PLA plastic (which is a harder plastic than PETG/ABS so it isn't really flexible).

I can very easily design the washer in a cad program in about 2 minutes and print in less than 30 mins. And I can print any number I want at about 3 cents a piece.

My question is, would this be a bad idea ? If it is just an issue of durability, even if these lasted like 1/10th as long, it's still less than 1/100th the cost.

What do you think?

 

[Jason TQ]

Is one printed yet?

 

[ssv3]

I'd just buy it. Just saying.

 

[bbqgeekess]

Is one printed yet?

I haven't printed one yet, but I could easily.

Just wanted to get some feedback on what people thought of using the PLA washer instead of Nylon. It's behind the food and doesn't make contact with it.

 

[Bratylten]

I would print one and see how it lasts. Because of its location on the grinder, I personally would not be concerned about using it.

 

[IamMadMan]

I would give it try.

Also you have to remember that sometimes the cost of the item isn't driven just by the material, but the manufacturing costs as well. Some of the parts to the grinder may be made by a third party manufacturer. Add to that the insurance required to protect them from consumer use of the item and the cost rise even more. All these costs are passed on to the consumer in the price of the item.

 

[petard]

My question is, would this be a bad idea ? If it is just an issue of durability, even if these lasted like 1/10th as long, it's still less than 1/100th the cost.

What do you think?

Being in possession of a grinder with a failed washer, you're in a perfect place to evaluate this. Does the failure mode put bigger, more expensive parts at risk?

Since it doesn't come into contact with food, if it were me I'd just give it a try unless it looks like it'll fail in a way that risks destroying something expensive. This sounds like the perfect application for a 3D printer.

 

[bbqgeekess]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I designed it in about 5 minutes using calipers and wrote the following OpenSCAD program (free/opensource) to generate the washer. Basically the difference of two cylinders 6mm thick:

$fn=200;
difference() {
cylinder(6, 36/2, 36/2);
cylinder(6, 22.5/2, 22.5/2);
}

The "/2" is divided by two and it's because the measurements I took are in diameter not radius.

I then printed it.. it's the one on the right -- one on left is Nylon original from LEM:

Comparing them by putting them close side by side and stacking, I think I want to reduce the thickness by 1/4 of a mm and the outer diameter by 1/4mm as well. The inner diameter is perfect.

I haven't yet tried it out.

I printed at 100% infill and took 35 minutes to print at .2 layer height. I printed with $25 per 1kg roll of "transparrent" pla. Total cost for the material was 11 cents.

Thank goodness 3D printers are affordable these days.. the $349 Monoprice Maker Select V2 is an awesome printer that has many community driven printable upgrades (at Thingiverse.com) -- I've printed and installed most of them. I've done about 12 mods total to this printer and it functions like one costing over a grand.

 

[wbzipf]

Cool.

 

[dadsr4]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I designed it in about 5 minutes using calipers and wrote the following OpenSCAD program (free/opensource) to generate the washer. Basically the difference of two cylinders 6mm thick:

$fn=200;
difference() {
cylinder(6, 36/2, 36/2);
cylinder(6, 22.5/2, 22.5/2);
}

The "/2" is divided by two and it's because the measurements I took are in diameter not radius.

I then printed it.. it's the one on the right -- one on left is Nylon original from LEM:

Comparing them by putting them close side by side and stacking, I think I want to reduce the thickness by 1/4 of a mm and the outer diameter by 1/4mm as well. The inner diameter is perfect.

I haven't yet tried it out.

I printed at 100% infill and took 35 minutes to print at .2 layer height. I printed with $25 per 1kg roll of "transparrent" pla. Total cost for the material was 11 cents.

Thank goodness 3D printers are affordable these days.. the $349 Monoprice Maker Select V2 is an awesome printer that has many community driven printable upgrades (at Thingiverse.com) -- I've printed and installed most of them. I've done about 12 mods total to this printer and it functions like one costing over a grand.

And versatile.
http://www.wtsp.com/life/animals/3d-printer-used-to-create-new-feet-for-duck/145437575
It looks like a repair that I would try, if I had the equipment.

 

[bbqgeekess]

And versatile.
http://www.wtsp.com/life/animals/3d-printer-used-to-create-new-feet-for-duck/145437575
It looks like a repair that I would try, if I had the equipment.

Do you have an animal with missing limb(s) ? THere are all sorts of 3D printable stuff to help on thingiverse.com .. like doggie wheelchairs for example.

If you need anything printed for an animal I'm willing to help by printing it and help with design if I can.

 

[bbqgeekess]

Adjusted the dimensions slightly and re-printed -- they seem to be perfect now.

I'll be testing this washer out and letting you all know how it works.

Here's the program I'm using now:

/* LEM Nylon Washer Replacement                 */
/* for models: #5, 8 & 12 Big Bite Grinders     */
/* Replaces: LEM Item # 01023008                */
/* by Jennifer on 4/23/2016                     */

/* Food safety is only concern but it doesn't   */
/* come in contact with the meat, so            */
/* I am assuming it's okay -- use at your own   */
/* risk.                                        */

/* I printed in PLA and will be testing it out  */
/* I am sure it won't last as long as the       */
/* nylon washer from LEM, but at 11 cents vs.   */
/* $5.99 a pop, it's worth a try!               */

/* Compared the printed washer to the original  */
/* and the dimensions seem to be right on --    */
/* but tweak if you like.                       */

$fn=200;                    // for smoothing circle surfaces

thickness = 5.75;           // in millimeters
outer_diameter = 35.75;     // in millimeters
inner_diameter = 22.5;      // in millimeters

difference() {
cylinder(thickness, outer_diameter/2, outer_diameter/2);
cylinder(thickness, inner_diameter/2, inner_diameter/2);
}

If you like you can download this program along with the generated STL file for free from Thingiverse.com:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1514782

 

[bbqgeekess]

Did a dry test run and it seems fine. Some very fine particulate broke off of it at first as it was breaking in but after that I didn't see any more come off.

 

[Norm]

Very cool! Which printer are you using?

 

[bbqgeekess]

Very cool! Which printer are you using?

Monoprice Maker Select V2 ($349):
http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=13860

With many of these community driven (almost free) mods:
http://3dprinterwiki.info/wiki/wanhao-duplicator-i3/
http://www.thingiverse.com/JenniferG/collections/wanhao-duplicator-i3/page:1

Prints like a machine costing three times as much now.

I also document / photograph my upgrades to this printer starting at this thread post link:
http://dmscraft.proboards.com/post/52165/thread

 

[Norm]

Thank you! At work we run into parts that are no longer made and are nothing but hard plastic. Will these do a toothed gear?

On edit I noticed you had already given the printer model... sorry.

 

[bbqgeekess]

There are many toothed gears people are printing on 3D printers yep

 

[bbqgeekess]

Well I just emailed LEM and they said the shipping on the $5.99 nylon washer would be an additional $5.99. What a joke! It cost them less than a quarter for the washer and they can't throw in a $1 USPS envelope for $5.99 total?

So they want $12 for one little nylon washer, including shipping. Versus the 11 cents it cost me to print this one. And this one is working great by the way. Wow, this printer is going to pay for itself in NO TIME. Heck, just last night one of my vertical blinds broke up top and I printed out a repair piece for it for like 3 cents and hot glued it on and it's as good as new. Guessing those repair kits are like $9 at home depot. Yep Yep, love this printer.

Here is the link to the verical blind repair piece I am referring to. Took 12 minutes to print out:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:822010

 

[Bob C Cue]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I designed it in about 5 minutes using calipers and wrote the following OpenSCAD program (free/opensource) to generate the washer. Basically the difference of two cylinders 6mm thick:

$fn=200;
difference() {
cylinder(6, 36/2, 36/2);
cylinder(6, 22.5/2, 22.5/2);
}

The "/2" is divided by two and it's because the measurements I took are in diameter not radius.

I then printed it.. it's the one on the right -- one on left is Nylon original from LEM:

Comparing them by putting them close side by side and stacking, I think I want to reduce the thickness by 1/4 of a mm and the outer diameter by 1/4mm as well. The inner diameter is perfect.

I haven't yet tried it out.

I printed at 100% infill and took 35 minutes to print at .2 layer height. I printed with $25 per 1kg roll of "transparrent" pla. Total cost for the material was 11 cents.

Thank goodness 3D printers are affordable these days.. the $349 Monoprice Maker Select V2 is an awesome printer that has many community driven printable upgrades (at Thingiverse.com) -- I've printed and installed most of them. I've done about 12 mods total to this printer and it functions like one costing over a grand.

Looks nice but where's the smoke ring?

 

[bbqgeekess]

Looks nice but where's the smoke ring?

Hrm maybe I'lll grind up some pork butt with it and smoke a fatty