3D Printed Case Openers

[GuiltyGear]

Hi all. I've been thinking of designing and 3D printing case openers for screw down case backs, mostly focused on the different watches I own. Right now I don't own a 3D printer to run tests with, something which will change in the future, but asking the collective mind if you have any experience with it. Wondering if basic PLA will survive more than one use, or if Nylon and the different composites (like carbon fiber infused PLA) will provide more longevity. I have done my fair share of printing, but not in any situations where sheer strength and non deformity are key.

This is a handle and an opener I designed just to get the idea started. The openers are meant to be interchangeable, so they can be swapped out if damaged or used for different watches. They can be press fit into the handle, which should be doable even with loose tolerances. I'm also aware that the handle joint will not be the strongest, but it's just an idea that may change a lot in later revisions.

 

[Bernhard J]

Great idea. At least this would safely avoid the common scratches from metal openers. I tend to believe that at least in case of vintage watches, wherein the back is not srewed in too tight, this might work out.

Cheers, Bernhard

 

[X350 XJR]

Cool idea. Keep us updated.

 

[SydR]

The interface between the handle and the opener looks nice and solid. The weak point is going to be at the interface between the opener and the watch as there is not much material there. You may be able to play around with materials and different directions of the layer lines to get the strength you require.

PLA is easiest to print with but more exotic variants such as carbon fibre mix would really require a full metal hotend and stainless nozzles as it eats up the usual brass ones.

A lot of other materials require a heated chamber to prevent warping so it’s best to research requirements for each directly with the filament supplier.

 

[rendo]

I wonder if a design where the handle is just a scaled up version of the opener would work better. You would fit it in your palm and apply a more even force around the handle when opening or closing compared to your current design. I think I'm describing something similar to a gas cap:

 

[Scarecrow Boat]

rendo

You would fit it in your palm and apply a more even force around the handle when opening or closing compared to your current design. I think I'm describing something similar to a gas cap:

Or something like this 😉 and it fits a plethora or watches as is 👍

https://omegaforums.net/threads/pah...die-caseback-opener-highly-recommended.39120/

Made of solid brass. Comes with a rubber grip and optional bar

 

[GuiltyGear]

SydR

The interface between the handle and the opener looks nice and solid. The weak point is going to be at the interface between the opener and the watch as there is not much material there. You may be able to play around with materials and different directions of the layer lines to get the strength you require.

PLA is easiest to print with but more exotic variants such as carbon fibre mix would really require a full metal hotend and stainless nozzles as it eats up the usual brass ones.

A lot of other materials require a heated chamber to prevent warping so it’s best to research requirements for each directly with the filament supplier.

I'm thinking of getting an Ender 3 V3 KE. Quite inexpensive and compact for what it is, with a 300°C hotend and 100°C bed. Just an upgrade of the nozzle to a steel one and it should be good to go for most composite materials.

Scarecrow Boat

Or something like this 😉 and it fits a plethora or watches as is 👍

That's a fantastic tool and I'll probably end up ordering one if they're still being made. It has it's limitations though, especially for the older and smaller watches. Plus it's a fun project, so why not.

 

[Scarecrow Boat]

GuiltyGear

That's a fantastic tool and I'll probably end up ordering one if they're still being made. It has it's limitations though, especially for the older and smaller watches. Plus it's a fun project, so why not.

Oh no, I’m not at all suggesting you don’t go through with your plan. I think it’s a cool idea and can serve others well 👍 I was just being cheeky and acknowledging the shape the other member was describing. And yes, @Pahawi still takes orders 😀

 

[Pahawi]

I (and others) have played with a 3D printed version of the brass one showed above and it works until a certain force and then it'll try to "crawl up" of the caseback grooves or the printed teeth snaps. But again, it will work to certain point and why not have the fun - good luck 👍

 

[GuiltyGear]

Pahawi

I (and others) have played with a 3D printed version of the brass one showed above and it works until a certain force and then it'll try to "crawl up" of the caseback grooves or the printed teeth snaps. But again, it will work to certain point and why not have the fun - good luck 👍

I was hoping for your insight. Any tips on materials or print settings you may have tried that resulted in better results than others? As others have said in previous posts, the very small extrusions that interface with the caseback are the week point, being small and not enough space for that many perimeters.

 

[sheepdoll]

I have been playing with the laser cutter at the makerspace. It cuts acrylic quite nice. I accidentally ran some polycarbinate last weeks which just burned.

The laser can cut different depths into the material. I did make a test framework for some 8mm cine film. At the moment I have access to a fiber laser, but that only removes sub millimeter materials from metal.

At the moment I am using lightburn with simple circles. Programming the files in the CAD program seems to take time as things need to be precisely measured. I have a LOT of project in the queue. One idea is to possibly insert some pins into a block of acrylic. Have not really had a need for a custom case opener. The lens opener compasses I got for camera lenses work fine. Most cases seem to open with the rubber Bergeon ball.

Snap cases are in a class by themselves.

I do have access to all sorts of regular CNC. So I could simply mill an opener like the one shown above. Does take PROGRAMMING the machine. More so DEBUGGING the scripts.

Some of this goes back 30 years ago. Recently I found where the EDM machine got stashed in the maker space. At the moment eBay parts are to seductive. One simply has to wait for the wrong part to arrive.

I do have a 25 or so year old program that was used to design watches like the Tissot PR100 auto quartz. So these projects have been a lifetime in the making. I really should make some models of the Landeron and Valjoux base calibers. I loved seeing the acrylic teaching models in the Swiss schoolrooms. Henry wanted me to make a virtual model of a Tourbilon. When he died, there was no need for it.

I also got caught up using the software to model the Jaquet-Droz automaton and the Babbage Analytical computer.

Not that any of this relates to case openers. More that making things with 3D printing is a skill, what some are good at with the proper time management.

On the other hand if there was a way to share the STL files. Then others could benifit. G-code and gerber tapes though tend to only work with a specific machine. With specfic tools. I used to find it fustrating when I would send stuff out and they always had to redraw the DXF files to their 'standards' Even thought I wrote a g-code editor when in college.

I look forward to seeing what others can indeed come up with. That see the forest without counting the rings in the individual trees.

 

[Pahawi]

GuiltyGear

I was hoping for your insight. Any tips on materials or print settings you may have tried that resulted in better results than others? As others have said in previous posts, the very small extrusions that interface with the caseback are the week point, being small and not enough space for that many perimeters.

I don't have a high end printer (it's a Prusa) and no super printer skills, so not much to offer here. It's a while ago, so I can't remember the exact type of filements I tried, but not much different result. You can probably do it better than me, but to my knowledge all printers build layer on layer and it'll always be a little weak where the layers meet and as the teeth obviously have to be small to fit the casebacks, there's not much contact on each teeth layer, so... 😀 My English sucks, so hope it makes sense...😟😀

 

[GuiltyGear]

rendo

I wonder if a design where the handle is just a scaled up version of the opener would work better. You would fit it in your palm and apply a more even force around the handle when opening or closing compared to your current design.

I do agree that my original design was too cumbersome. So tried making a "knob" design; just a tapered cylinder with some grooves for grip and a through-hole for inserting a screwdriver or anything that could provide some leverage. The whole height can probably be cut down.

 

[GuiltyGear]

Pahawi

I don't have a high end printer (it's a Prusa) and no super printer skills, so not much to offer here. It's a while ago, so I can't remember the exact type of filements I tried, but not much different result. You can probably do it better than me, but to my knowledge all printers build layer on layer and it'll always be a little weak where the layers meet and as the teeth obviously have to be small to fit the casebacks, there's not much contact on each teeth layer, so... 😀 My English sucks, so hope it makes sense...😟😀

Any insight helps, and your English's great. Those little teeth are the main problem. Guess I'll have to gain access to a 3D printer and experiment with a few filament types.

 

[repoman]

In my limited experience printing with PLA, my assumption would be the teeth will be the problem and are likely to break off when dealing with stubborn casebacks. That's where the weight and strength of the brass opener linked to earlier in this thread really shines. I would suggest printing with PETG at a minimum. It's a little more finicky to print with but once you get it dialed in, it prints well. I have an Ender3 V3 SE and its been flawless so far for a low end unit, printing in both PLA and PETG.

 

[GuiltyGear]

repoman

In my limited experience printing with PLA, my assumption would be the teeth will be the problem and are likely to break off when dealing with stubborn casebacks. That's where the weight and strength of the brass opener linked to earlier in this thread really shines. I would suggest printing with PETG at a minimum. It's a little more finicky to print with but once you get it dialed in, it prints well. I have an Ender3 V3 SE and its been flawless so far for a low end unit, printing in both PLA and PETG.

I've had an Ender 3 V2 in the past with a few upgrades (extruder, bed springs, tube, etc). These newer generations are cheaper while packed with features and that's great.

From what I understand, PETG is slightly more flexible which would allow the teeth to deform more, and I'm not sure if it's a plus in this case. I have no practical experience with the material though.

Someone thinks that a .2 nozzle and a small layer height like .08 may help in strength? It may be a pain to print, but it will create double the perimeters from the default .4 nozzle.

 

[repoman]

GuiltyGear

I've had an Ender 3 V2 in the past with a few upgrades (extruder, bed springs, tube, etc). These newer generations are cheaper while packed with features and that's great.

Yeah, the V3 has just been flawless since I took it out the of the box, self level and off you go, it just prints everything. I did have to try a couple different filament feeding variations before finding something bulletproof, but that's it.

From what I understand, PETG is slightly more flexible which would allow the teeth to deform more, and I'm not sure if it's a plus in this case. I have no practical experience with the material though.

Hard to say I agree, I'm thinking the PLA teeth would be more prone to just snap off, whereas the PETG teeth may bend under tension but would be more resilient and ultimately stronger. Would be fun to test both.

 

[Kwijibo]

I also began to work on one too. My idea was to make something adaptable to existing tools for tightly screwed casebacks. the goal was to be able to adapt a 6 sides wrench, a click wrench an also a round metal bar to the length desired in order to have more torque. Ideally it woulld be good to have it produced in metal.
my second idea was to make a two parts opener. one for opening, one for maintening the case in order to open the watch like face cream pot by twisting.

 

[chicane]

sweet