Brick Weight in a 3D-Printed Enclosure – New at Our Etsy Store
Over past years I’ve been using lots of different things as weights while making books. You name it: books, larger books, dumbbells, weight plates, handmade soft weights, proper weights, anything else that was near my workbench. I have also used bricks. However, since the first use, I wanted to make some encasements.
I really like brick weights sold by University Products. I have even bought a sheet of Plexiglas to try making something similar. The other option was to make a wooden encasement. Also quite possible, since I have a woodworking workshop. However, all other affairs kept me from finally making something.
Everything changed after I’ve got my second 3D-printer. Printing volume is something like 21 cm × 21 cm × 24 cm. You literally can put a brick inside this printing volume (ok, only if diagonally).
So, I’ve made a two-piece 3d-printed encasement for a brick. As usual, the first design was far from good. It also appears that bricks (at least Russian bricks I have on hand) have pretty loose tolerances. Like two or three millimeters loose tolerances. That’s a huge difference in size that should be compensated somehow if you don’t want your brick to waggle inside the box. And you don’t want that mass to be unstable.
The current version of the box has a joint to stabilize the whole structure:
A set of filling materials of different thickness to compensate for brick size difference (if needed).
It is almost seamless!
I’ve just added current version of this brick weight in a 3d-printed enclosure to our Etsy store. And it is amazing. I’m already using them all around my apartment. Not only as a bookbinding weight but also as a balcony door stopper, kitchen weight, web camera rest. You get it =)
There are several options available:
- Brick weight with PLA encasement (cheaper);
- Brick weight with PETG encasement (archival safe).
You can also choose the shell thickness:
- 2 mm;
- 4 mm;
- 6 mm.
And, finally, you may decide to order only the shell and save on shipping of the 3.5 kg brick. In that case please add some info on the brick size you plan to use for your weight, so we can print the encasement that fits.
Here are some reviews from buyers of our 3d-printed corner cutting jigs. Not all of them, but all the reviews up to date are highly positive =)
PS Here is a link to brick weights sold by University Products: https://www.universityproducts.com/brick-and-lead-weights.html
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