UPDATE: This model is my most-downloaded Thing on Thingiverse as of July 2024. Thanks to all who liked it, downloaded it, and to anyone who shared it!
This morning I was about to go online to A***** and buy something made of plastic, and after a cup of coffee I realized this was philosophically-evil. So I broke out Tinkercad and designed this clamping zipper pull for 550 paracord. It is not hinged, but it clamps using a screw-on cap for compression. The version I printed was made from the TPU I had loaded in my printer so it looks a little sketchy (I don't have direct feed on my Ender 3v2). The flexibility of the TPU material is actually a big plus in the final use of the Thing.
However, I did just print the YELLOW PLA version, and it's just as awesome. The first tensioning of the screw-on cap is tight. You might actually need tools to tension the cap and enclosure the first time. If you work it slowly you can get it ready to use. I have printed about a dozen of these now trying to refine the finished look of the cap, and in assembling them I am finding that a dot of PTFE lubricant in the treads makes a HUGE difference in assembling them and overcoming the high friction in the first attempt at assembly.
After some more fiddling with the exterior design today, I have a second version I am adding to this Thing that is called the "shell-style" design. It looks like a cartoon rendering of some sort of canon shell, but that's because it has that hex-shaped bottom that assists in tensioning the assembly and just looks more interesting. It prints flat. I have added pictures of this version in MILITARY GREEN for the sake of showing what it looks like for real.
Probably worth mentioning: print at HIGHEST QUALITY and 100% fill for best results. lower quality tends to make the threads unworkable. Hollow infill makes the parts brittle and it breaks easily.
The inner cavity of the clamps has teeth to hold the paracord in place. The compression seems to be suitable for zipper-pull use. Print at 100% fill to make sure it is durable enough to last. Don't tie knots in paracord. Use this for your zipper pulls.
I'd be ecstatic to get feedback on this design to improve it. Enjoy!
TheFrankTurk
