+ +[Kyubey's name is a reference to Kyubey from Puella Magi Madoka Magika.](conversation://Mara/hacker) + +Once it was done I ended up with a stand that I could feed [these cables I got from Amazon](https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B09LSF8XL9/) through. The tracker holes worked great, but the controller holes were just barely too small. + +This was kinda frustrating and I almost gave up on the project, but then I remembered that [OpenSCAD](https://openscad.org) existed. OpenSCAD is a weird programming environment / 3D modeling hybrid program that I've seen used on Thingiverse. It works by letting you position platonic solids into a 3d environment, and from there you can create anything you want. + +One of the primitives that OpenSCAD offers is a cylinder. So I wondered if I could use one of those to widen the hole in the index stand and then reprint the part with the wider hole. + +[Wait, you're using a CAD program to fix your 3D print by modifying the model instead of using, I don't know, a drill and 5 minutes to make it fit that way?](conversation://Numa/dismay) + +[There's no doing like overdoing!](conversation://Cadey/enby) + +After some finangling, I managed to get the cylinders in the right place with this OpenSCAD code: + +```scad +//difference() { + color("magenta") translate([0, 0, 0]) import("./assets/ValveTrackerDeckEditedByInugoro.stl"); + // bores for controller holders + color([0, 1, 0]) translate([63, 44, 0]) cylinder(h = 55, r = 4.75); + color([0, 1, 0]) translate([-63, 44, 0]) cylinder(h = 55, r = 4.75); +//} +``` + +Kyuubey is happy pic.twitter.com/atTLN8MSgc
— Xe Iaso (@theprincessxena) March 25, 2022
+ +And when I uncommented out the `difference()` block, it ends up looking good enough: + +Some finagling required pic.twitter.com/7T0R6x1XoP
— Xe Iaso (@theprincessxena) March 28, 2022
— Xe Iaso (@theprincessxena) March 28, 2022+ +So then I took a good solid look at the rest of the 3D printed part to see if I could improve on anything else before I sent it to another round of the printer. The last stand took _14 hours_ to print and used a lot of material. I want to avoid waste. + +Something I noticed is that the front of the print where all the cables come out was a bit too thin. All 5 of the cables wouldn't fit in there (my braided cables must have been thicker than the ones that the original modeler used). So again I grabbed a few platonic solids and managed to make it work out: + +```scad +// widen the paths +color("green") translate([0, -16, 1.3]) rotate([0, 0, 90]) cube([10, 57, 7.8], center = true); +color("green") translate([0, 0, 1.7]) rotate([0, 0, 0]) cube([25, 30, 7], center = true); +``` + +
— Xe Iaso (@theprincessxena) March 28, 2022+ +Then I wanted to add some wedges into the underside of the part to help me get the print off the bed. Most people have a problem with bed adhesion being too little. I have too much bed adhesion. So I added some angled rectangles: + +```scad +// wedges to help get the print off the bed +color([1, 1, 0]) translate([-120, 0, 0]) rotate([15, 0, 90]) cube([10, 11, 2], center = true); // right +color([1, 1, 0]) translate([120, 0, 0]) rotate([-15, 0, 90]) cube([10, 11, 2], center = true); // left +color([1, 1, 0]) translate([0, -85, 0]) rotate([0, 15, 90]) cube([10, 11, 2], center = true); // back +color([1, 1, 0]) translate([60, 56, 1]) rotate([0, -15, 90]) cube([10, 11, 2], center = true); // front left +color([1, 1, 0]) translate([-60, 56, 1]) rotate([0, -15, 90]) cube([10, 11, 2], center = true); // front right +color([1, 1, 0]) translate([32.5, 41, 1]) rotate([0, -15, 130]) cube([10, 11, 2], center = true); // front left inner +color([1, 1, 0]) translate([-32.5, 41, 1]) rotate([0, -15, 60]) cube([10, 11, 2], center = true); // front right inner +``` + +
— Xe Iaso (@theprincessxena) March 28, 2022+ +And then once I spun it around for a bit and thought it was good, I sliced it in PrusaSlicer and sent it off to Kyubey. It was going to take 14 hours, so I went off to do other things, ate dinner and then went to bed while the printer continued. + +
+ +Then when I woke up, Kyubey was done: + +Diligent bean pic.twitter.com/yPgnJA0ZdW
— Xe Iaso (@theprincessxena) March 28, 2022
— Xe Iaso (@theprincessxena) March 28, 2022+ +I was excited and chiseled the print off the bed (the wedges helped a little, but it ended up making the print look kinda weird so I don't know if I will do that again), but the hole for the middle tracker didn't fit perfectly. Everything else did though. + +[If you want to get prints off your printer easier, see this video for the method we're starting to use:
+ +[I really need to get a table or something for this.](conversation://Cadey/facepalm) + +I've uploaded my modified version to [Thingiverse](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5332988). If you want to see the OpenSCAD code, you can check it out on GitHub [here](https://github.com/Xe/3dstuff/blob/main/index_stand_hack.scad). I'm really liking OpenSCAD so far. It's very weird but it lets you do whatever you want by chaining together basic shapes to build up to what you want. I imagine I will be using it a lot in the future, especially once my husband's new sim racing gear comes in. + +Having a 3D printer around is like having a very weird superpower on standby. You can compile matter in your living room, but you need a very pedantic description of what that should look like. You also can have any material you like as long as it's plastic. However when it's useful, it's a lifesaver. You can make something to fit a gap or mend something broken or even add functionality to something that lacked it. The cloud's the limit!Victory! pic.twitter.com/A3aCtQMQt5
— Xe Iaso (@theprincessxena) March 28, 2022