May 14, 2025
Description
This is a simple light string standoff. From the pics, you can see, I have a string of lights next to some yard bricks and every janky previous method I used would eventually fail, so I figured I would try designing my own standoffs and print them.
Pretty simple hook design. The gap is 2 mm. The cross section is a simple L so it prints flat and fairly fast.
I printed on my Qidi Plus4. I used Oveture PETG. First one printed easily, second two gave me all kinds of headaches probably because this PETG wasn't dry. I was able to print two of these at about 30 minutes.
Total height is shown in picture (just under 29 cm, so about 11 3/8ths in Freedom units). I don't know if that will fit so well on a small bed printer - you'd have to rotate it diagonally - or shrink in the long direction only.
I had a little lift and curl at the sharp pointed tip, but a little brim right there would help.
With the PETG, this felt a little “bendy”, but I was able to stab it into the ground enough. Maybe some ABS or ASA would work better(?). I would avoid PLA because this is meant to be outside under the heat of the sun (I worry that even the PETG will droop a little).
License:
Creative Commons — Attribution