Inexpensive ball studs for magnetic zero-backlash ball and socket joints...

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posted in Community by haydn

I have steel ball studs available for building inexpensive ball and socket joints.
They're $1 each, and US air mail shipping is $4 for any quantity. Contact me if you need a shipping quote for outside the US.

Here are a few photos:
http://www.kosselplus.com/images/ball-studs/carriage-balls.jpg
http://www.kosselplus.com/images/ball-studs/carriage-shadow.jpg
http://www.kosselplus.com/images/ball-studs/carriage-side.jpg
http://www.kosselplus.com/images/ball-studs/effector.jpg

If you'd like, I also have extremely powerful magnets for $2 and 247mm strong walled carbon fiber tubes for $2.

If you'd like them already built and calibrated, I produce rods which are 288mm from the center of one ball to the center of the other. In a single set of six rods there is guaranteed to be a maximum of 0.05 (50 microns) of variation. The rods are marked with their lengths, which makes automatic calibration using Rich Cattell's Marlin very quick and easy. A set of six is $60 plus $4 US postage. Contact me if you need a quote for postage outside the US.

9 years, 4 months ago

elpulpo - Mmm! Nice! I'd put that little lot in my shop if I were you.

I ordered a Deltatrix some months ago. Loved the whole design, with the sole exception of the ball joints on the end effector so I'd be quite interested to see if it would be possible to modify it using your rods and joints. No idea about the rod length though....

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1142241325/deltatrix-3d-printer/description

9 years, 4 months ago

haydn - Hi El Pulpo,

I just took a quick look at the photos on the link you posted.
It looks like the size of your Deltrix's rods is probably very close to, if not the same at the standard 288mm. You should try using a *ruler* to measure yours.

Having the rods be a particular length isn't that important. After calibrating for the new length, 280 would probably be about as good as 295 or 300mm.

Are the design files for your printer public? If so, then you could redesign your carriage and effector to use zero backlash magnetic rods and ball studs.

Here is a link to my carriage design:
https://youmagine.com/designs/kossel-plus-magnetic-carriage--2

And my effector design:
https://youmagine.com/designs/kossel-plus-magnetic-effector

9 years, 4 months ago

elpulpo - Cool! Thanks for the info. I'll probably add magnetic rods to the printer once I've got to know it well - still haven't taken delivery. Production is being held up by a problem with......the rod ends. Perhaps you could get in touch! :-D

9 years, 4 months ago

elpulpo - One other point. Think I've seen someone using magnetic ball joints from an RC car. Traxxas Revo, I think. Have you heard about this?

9 years, 4 months ago