Impact Sprinkler Mark 1

Hello World,
The last couple of days my life has mostly been revolving around Impact Sprinklers! I think that Impact Sprinklers might be the coolest things since sliced bread. They are also most certainly printable. And, given enough work, probably actually useful.

My fascination started when I saw: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:10127
I have never been in close contact with an actual Impact Sprinkler, but believe me when I tell you that I have seen many YouTube-clips of them in action. I still can’t figure everything* out thou. I have not yet fully understood the concept of how you get the sprinkler to reverse the cycle so this is a 360 degree sprinkler.

This is my first thingiverse upload – it’s a scetchup file of mainly 2 parts: a sprinkler head and a spoon-arm (or whatever the technical term is). In addition to these parts you would need a rubber band** and a bolt. The bolt in order to get the two parts to stick together. And the rubber band to force the spoon-arm against the head (thats what the nob on the arm is for). You will also need the tubing to connect the head to your water.

I do not own a printer yet – so there is no way for me to try printing this. It’s just a raw sketchup file and I imagine that there are lots of tweeks to be done in order to print this – if that is even possible (?) - I have not learned that part yet. Sorry.

On a sidenote – I don’t have a lawn either.

My hope is that someone out there finds this helpful and all comments are welcome!

Links to cool stuff and inspiration:
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:10189
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:9596

Closeup-Slowmo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6g7OSvI5GQ&NR=1

Commercial 3D Printed Impact Sprinkler in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suHpg082Tc0
(Please note, this is not my design, only a link to someone who have successfully printed a Impact Sprinkler)

*not entirely sure that I have understood anything..
**Strong I imagine. (or a spring)

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Updates:
Some stuff you learn the hard way: http://www.makerbot.com/blog/2011/07/22/google-sketchup-design-tip-fix-flipped-faces/

So, I have reverced the facets and touched up the head and arm and cleand off that other stuff and saved to two separet files (they still dont render - here on thingiverse - dont know if they are supposed to - being sketchup files.

Anyone concidering printing probebly want to redsign the neck before doing so.

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Mark 2 in progress.
Realising now that im not going to have time to finish it anytime soon. so here is a flat image for your inspiration! See attached preview.

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