Tool-free drawer key - Replacement Bow/Handle/Head

Have you got a drawer key where the head has broken off and no way to easily fix it? Do you want a tool-free solution? No problem!

This solution doesn't require you to remove the locking pin nor does it require any bolts, screws, nuts, tape, or other fastenings. It does not require any tools besides the 3D printer. The idea is to allow you to slot the key into the inner core, and slide the core into the outer shell.

This print consists of 2 parts - the outer shell, and the inner core. It has also been designed to print without supports, but a large brim is recommended for the outer shell part.

To remove the inner core from the outer shell, gently lift up the 'leveraged area' on the outer shell and then pull the inner core out.

Recommendations:

• For the outer shell, print vertically with the ‘key hole’ at the top, and use a large brim to secure it to the print bed.
• For the inner core, one of the larger sides is completely flat, and this is the side that should be printed first. This negates the need for any supports
• To ensure the key doesn't break when turning in the lock, I recommend using 20% or more infill in an adaptive-cubic pattern
• Print using PETG - the tool-free securing mechanism is a lever, so using a material which offers a little flexibility, such as PETG, is recommended.
• The inner core part has small ‘fangs’ which are overhangs. These may droop slightly at the extremities during printing but tolerance for this has been built into the model, allowing the lockpin from the key to still fit even without support printing.

I have tested this print with 0.28mm layer height on a Bambulab X1 Carbon, but I use a profile which is tuned for quieter operation in OrcaSlicer.