Project:Altendorf Hood Expansion
| ProjectInfoBox Wide Hood Adapters for Altendorf F 45 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Status: | photos coming soon! |
| Release Date: | April-June 2025 |
| Initiator: | who maintains it? |
| Team: | Sebastian, Lukas |
| Materials Used: | scrap wood, 3D printed plastic |
| Tools Used: | scroll saw, scanner, 3D printer |
| Software Used: | Autodesk Fusion |
| Approx. Cost: | <10 € |
When faced with the decision to pay serious money for a wide hood or get by without miter cuts on our then-new Altendorf F 45 sliding table saw, we decided to make the missing part ourselves.
Goals were:
- keep the original parts intact
- re-use as many of the original parts as possible
- document the methods to inspire further creative "repairs"!
Wooden Prototype
The first proof of concept was thrown together from some scrap wood and clear adhesive tape. These materials were of course not meant to last forever, but allowed Lukas to make modifications on the spot as some "hidden" requirements became clearer during assembly.
3D Print
After the wooden version broke at its thinnest section, Sebastian designed a much nicer 3D printable part.
Design Strategy
When repairing or re-designing parts that attach to existing components, the main challenge is often to take exact measurements of the mounting points.
You can use a flatbed scanner to get a 2D picture of the part. In a CAD system like Autodesk Fusion, you can then calibrate the size of the image and draw the key mounting holes and geometries on top of the image.
(If you decide to take a picture of the part instead, use maximum zoom on your camera and position the camera perfectly parallel to the part’s surface to avoid distortions)
The scanned image is inserted and then calibrated. Simply find a distance that is easy to measure, right click the image and select „calibrate“. Then draw the distance on the image and enter the measured value.
Now you can create a sketch on top of the image and it will be to-scale. Extrude your sketch and you have a starting point for the detail modifications.
General tips:
- First focus on the function. Which holes are necessary? Which part of the design is holding its weight, transmits a force, etc.
- Next, focus on other constraints. What cutouts are needed to avoid collision with other parts?
- Double check if things that look symmetrical are really symmetrical - or double your print experience ;-)
In the slicing of this part, a modifier box was used to increase number of walls and infill on the „hook“ that broke off earlier when the part was made out of wood. The rest of the design only seals off the air and holds little force, so walls and infill could be lower.
