June 22, 2024
Description
I received a package in the mail. And it came bundled with these amazingly-strong straps. It seemed like a shame to waste them and just throw them away. So I made these reusable clamps to upcycle them into zip ties. Except they are stronger than any zip ties I've seen.
Update: These are 5mm PET packing straps. You can get wire buckles for 1/2" packing straps. And they will work, But they are a bit bulky for the job. (Metric ones are hard to find in the US.)
I included .stl files to accommodate 10mm, and 1/2" packing strap material. But I haven't tested those yet since I don't have any that size. If the strapping material turns out to be too thick, I may have to expand the orifices.
Build instructions
Figure 1. Loop pushed through hole at bottom. Ends tucked through hole at top.
Figure 2. Movable locking mechanism in place. Tapered lid has slot facing away from unit.
How I Designed This ===================Original design in Blender. This is iteration three of a design.
Improvements over my first design:
Usage
Pull on lever until it "clicks" into the open position. Tie is now unlocked. It may be pulled and adjusted to fit.
Push on lever until it "clicks" into the closed position. Tie is now locked. The self-tightening mechanism locks tight, no matter how much force is applied.On the ones I tried, the strap broke before it budged at all. And it takes a lot of force to break one of those straps doubled-up. A single, half-inch strap is rated at 780 lbs. each!
License:
Creative Commons — Attribution
Make it Reality
