A Twist-Activated Pringles Dispenser! Is it a necessary invention? Absolutely not. Is it a fun use of gears and helical spindles? heck yes! don't let anyone call your dreams "a huge waste of time!!!"
If the below instructions are unclear or you need help with assembly, feel free to message me here or on instagram where I'm more active!
Instructions:
- Download and 3D print all parts in PETG (since it's food-safe), or in whatever material if you're just printing this for fun. If you are a lefty like me, go for the lefty version of the "spindle" and "float plate", otherwise if you're a righty go for the righty version and ignore the others. lefty version: clockwise brings up chips, righty version: counterclockwise brings up chips. whichever you choose, print two copies of "spindle" and two copies of "small gear."
UPDATE: print spindles flat on the print bed (will fit on an ender 3 one at a time diagonally!), use a brim and like a 10deg support overhang angle, this will group all the tiny supports into one connected structure to prevent the tiny structures breaking off from the bed in the early layers.
- buy the 6-32 x 1/2 machine screws and nuts (see 3rd picture) from any hardware store or buy online (apologies for English units, my ace hardware didn't have the metric version of the nut/bolt combo. maybe next version wont have any fasteners).
- grab a phillips head screwdriver.
- buy any can of pringles, orient upside down, and use a can opener to remove the bottom of the pringles can.
Now for the assembly!
- take "botcap," use your thumb to pressfit one metal nut into each of the three hexagonal recesses. set botcap aside.
- put "center gear" down on a flat surface, with the N (for north) facing the top/north position. insert the two "small gears" at the east and west position, meshed with the center gear. West (left) position, the small gear will have one tooth facing the center of the center gear. East (right) position, the small gear will have two teeth facing the center of the center gear.
- carefully place "base" on top of center gear, aligning the two holes with the small gears, being careful not to move them.
- grab the lefty or righty "spindles," and if needed, sand the bottom edges of the square-shaped rods. Carefully but fully insert the square-shaped rod side of the spindles through the base holes into the square hole in the small gears.
- holding the base and center gear tightly together, place "botcap" in the opening in "base," aligned with the 3 holes in "center gear." using a Phillip's head screwdriver, screw 3 bolts from the bottom into the 3 now-captive nuts.
- Place the lefty or righty "float plate" between the spindles, close to the bottom of the spindles as possible.
- The pringles can should be upside down with its bottom removed with a can opener. slide the assembly into the can. the chips are saddle-shaped and the can is cylindrical, so there should be a perfect gap for the spindles to slide into the can on either side of the stack of chips. slide the assembly in until you can pressfit the can into the matching mating feature on the "base" part.
- flip the can over and open the can. insert the "topcap", aligning the holes with the cylindrical rods at the top of the spindles.
- spin the bottom of the device, raise the chips up, eat all of the chips
- when finished with the chips, remove the topcap, slide the can off, grab the new can, remove the bottom with a can opener, slide in the assembly, flip back over, and return the topcap to the spindles. eat all of the chips.
See the post on IG!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CSzXEQel2bb/?utm_medium=share_sheet
dylanmandelbaum
