Plastic Fantastic

So, I have an invention. I wanted to get a prototype made from my sketches and got a quote of $250 to have a one 3D printed. I thought that was pretty good and I was all set to commission the work. Then I got talking to a friend who is a designer and mentioned the prototype and the cost. He said he’d just bought a 3D printer for $300. Well that was enough to send me off in a totally different direction.

I purchased an entry level-3D printer and quickly got down to experimenting. The learning curve was quite steep (still is some days) but I was soon able to print things reliably. I made a mock-up of my design in a simple 3D program and printed it. It showed that I had a long way to go design-wise. So I engaged a designer to make it pretty, and it was a total success. And the cost? The printer was $300 and I printed dozens of models as I fine-tuned the design … so maybe $40 worth of plastic filament. Pretty good deal, I'd say.

In my research to learn more about 3D printing and prototyping, I came across a lot of websites with reams of 3D projects available free for the downloading. I discovered lots of drum oriented projects: drum keys, wing nuts, stick holders, and more. There are also replacement parts -- for all kinds of things, not just drums. I broke a fitting on my electronic set and was able to download and print a very effective replacement.

With my very modest skills on the CAD software, I decided I could make a spacer-slash-adapter to fit a new snare release to an old drum. It worked great and the drum looks like it was made that way. When I decided I needed my toms a bit closer than the tom holder would allow, I made colour-matching spacers to go between the drum and the tom bracket. These actually improved the tone of the drum as well!

I suppose you could call me a 3D hobbyist. It’s fun to create things and I often download and print toys and nick-knacks for family members (my favourite is a bunny that dispenses chocolate Easter eggs). But my most rewarding projects have been the custom parts and solutions I’ve been able to design and make for my drums.

Things I’ve created

• Bracket adapters and extenders
• Snare release adapters
• Hi-hat adjustment wheel
• Snare rash bumper
• Snare basket adapter
• Lug locks

Places to download

There are lots of web sites that offer downloadable printer-ready files. Many are free and there are paid services as well. Here are a few to get you started.

https://www.thingiverse.com/ 
https://cults3d.com/
https://www.myminifactory.com/   
https://www.printables.com/