May 27, 2025
Description
This simple design has a female end that receives the standard male hose end. I designed it so that there is no need for printed supports, and so that the print flow increases the strength of the printed model. There is also additional material designed in to form a flat base and to provide additional gluing surface.
You print three of the same adapter, lightly sand any rough spots or unwanted printing goop, and make sure the inside is smooth so that the hose end fits in nicely.Then glue the three pieces together -- I used super glue gel, make sure that the pieces are pushed together straight.
Background: I wanted a y-adapter that fit my standard 2.5" Ridgid shop vac hose, so that I could split the suction into two hoses to pick up sawdust from two different locations on my saw. There are various adapters available, but none of them are reported to have the correct dimensions. I saw various online videos about people making these adapters by heating 2" PVC pipes and then molding them to the correct dimensions by placing the hot PVC over the vacuum hose end. This works, but it can cause the hose end to shrink some when the heat is transferred from the hot PVC (I have a couple of hose ends that are proof of this -- they still work, but the seals are not quite as good). Also, the finished PVC adapter was huge and clunky (see photo).
Printer Brand:
Creality
Printer:
Ender 5
Rafts:
No
Supports:
No
Resolution:
0.2mm
Infill:
35%
Filament: 3D Solutech PETG See Through Yellow
Notes:
I don't know what material would be best for this model. It seems like one could use various types (PLA, PETG, ABS, etc.). I printed with a brim to help the model adhere to the build plate, but there may be no need for any additional adhesion techniques. Each of the three identical pieces needed for the complete connector will use 50-60 grams of filament and will likely take 6-8 hours to print, depending on your settings and printer.
Post Printing Tips
Sanding: Each of the three pieces may require some light sanding to soften sharp edges, to remove printing aberrations, to flatten/level the bases (especially the edges), to smooth the glue surfaces, and most importantly, to make sure the inside of the connector is smooth so that the vacuum hose slides in nicely and there is a good friction fit.
Gluing: If you 'dry fit' the pieces and see what it takes to hold them together straight, it will give you a better idea about what will be required for the gluing process. I found that the pieces fit together nicely, if you apply downward and inward force. The down force helps keep them flat on their bases, and the inward force pushes them together. It is possible to inadvertently orient them somewhat crooked, so be careful. I glued together the pieces with super glue (cyanoacrylate glue), but you can use what ever glue works best for the filament material that you use. I first glued two pieces together, making sure that they were straight. Then I carefully glued on the third piece. The gel glue gave me a little bit of time to make a quick adjustment, but not not much of one. A slower drying epoxy would help with getting the pieces aligned perfectly, but it would be a challenge to clamp/hold them in the correct position long enough for the epoxy to sufficiently harden.Manual Reinforcement: I think the finished connector should be plenty strong for inserting and removing hoses (I would hold onto the arm of the connector in which the connected hose is to be removed, that will reduce the chance of breaking the glue job). However, I don't know how this finished connector will stand up to shop use (namely, dropping it on a hard floor or stepping on it). I am considering wrapping each of the three receiving ends with duct tape, just to act as a bit of protective impact armor. : )
I use TinkerCad. I wish I had knowledge and skill to use a more flexible and precise 3D design app, but I can usually make what I need with Tinkercad, so I just use it.
License:
Creative Commons — Attribution — Noncommercial
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SteveJohnsen
