Carbon-Fiber Handle for Printrbot Simple (update)

Summary

The Printrbot Simple is a great little 3D printer that is easy to carry around (as long as you have something to hold onto). The new ones have a handle, but The Carbon-Fiber Handle meets the requirement for the original. 

The parts for the Carbon-Fiber Handle were among the first things I printed after getting the Simple up and going. The handle can also be made with an oak dowel, but the carbon-fiber tube is much stronger than wood, and it feels more secure when carrying the printer.The design has been updated (on 5 August 2013). The original design fit the Beta Test version of the Simple.

Instructions

• Print the handle parts (grouped into part 1 and part 2 to accommodate the size of the Simple printing bed).
• Cut the 0.210 inch carbon-fiber tube into 3 pieces (2) 8.5 inch long and (1) 4.25 inch long.
• Put 2 O-rings on each carbon-fiber tubes.
• Insert the tubes into the printed parts.
• Drill 1/32 inch holes through printed-parts-with-tubes for pinning the tubes with nails.
• Cut nails to .5 inch (if necessary) and push them through printed-parts-with-tubes using pliers
• Cover the nails with O-rings to keep them in place (and to complete handle assembly).
• Locate the handle on the Printrbot Simple and drill holes for the screws.
• Attach the handle with screws

Enjoy!

Materials

• (4) Printed parts
• (4) O-rings (ID = 7/16 inch)
• (6) #2 x .5 inch brass screws
• (6) #19 x .5 inch wire nails (or cut longer nails)
• (1) 0.210 inch carbon fiber tube from Amazon.com cut into (2) 8.5 inch pieces and (1) 4.25 inch piece

Note:

• Sometimes printed parts split along the grain, and the O-rings alleviate this worry.

Confession:

I printed my Carbon-Fiber Handle parts in ABS on my Printrbot LC because I wanted to safely handle my Simple from the beginning.