Would a 3D printed flat socket work?

[Rock Guy]

Fair warning. I have zero 3D printer experience and I am not an engineer. I spend my days looking at rocks to earn a living.

 

I was wondering if you could 3D print a flat socket to open up a fork's top cap to play around with volume spacers. I know what a regular socket does to top caps (form ill fated personal experience), using a non-metal flat socket feels like it could work, but maybe It's another terrible idea?

 

I am sure it wont work for a shop to go this route, as I'm fairly sure the plastic (or whatever material it should be made of) will wear out pretty quickly, but for a garage tinkerer like myself it could be an option. It just seems like overkill to buy a beautifully made Fox tool if I'm just going to use it maybe 10 times.

[Butterbean]

Fair warning. I have zero 3D printer experience and I am not an engineer. I spend my days looking at rocks to earn a living.

 

I was wondering if you could 3D print a flat socket to open up a fork's top cap to play around with volume spacers. I know what a regular socket does to top caps (form ill fated personal experience), using a non-metal flat socket feels like it could work, but maybe It's another terrible idea?

 

I am sure it wont work for a shop to go this route, as I'm fairly sure the plastic (or whatever material it should be made of) will wear out pretty quickly, but for a garage tinkerer like myself it could be an option. It just seems like overkill to buy a beautifully made Fox tool if I'm just going to use it maybe 10 times.

Yeah at least testing it won't cause any lasting damage...

 

But why not just buy a normal socket and grind the end flat? Although strangely I couldn't find a 26? I think, at builders.... Sold my fox now anyway... Good luck dude!

[TNT1]

 I spend my days looking at rocks to earn a living.

 

 

Professional MTB crasher, are you?

[Rock Guy]

Yeah at least testing it won't cause any lasting damage...

 

But why not just buy a normal socket and grind the end flat? Although strangely I couldn't find a 26? I think, at builders.... Sold my fox now anyway... Good luck dude!

Definitely and option, but I couldn't find a proper Hex 32 (although I'm sure they exist) and I don't have a grinder (although I could probably make a plan). Really I'm just curious.

[Rock Guy]

Professional MTB crasher, are you?

Sadly this is quite close to reality. I exclusively do pro bono work though. I would have been rich man if I had a dollar for every time I have crashed.

[Rock Guy]

No it won't

 

Most take some serious torque to loosen and then their recommend torque is also quite high

 

Best prediction is the tool snaps when you're not even halfway to the force required to loosen it and then you smack your fork or frame with with A socket wrench

 

 

..... Don't do it

 

 

6 flat sockets are expensive but will last forever, the fox ones are crap BTW we stripped one after 6 months of use and went back to good ol steel

Thanks, this sounds like some pretty good advice. Where's a good place acquire a set of these sockets?

[TNT1]

Thanks, this sounds like some pretty good advice. Where's a good place acquire a set of these sockets?

https://www.evobikes.co.za/components/park-tool-skt-6-flat-faced-socket-set-24mm-32mm.html

[Rock Guy]

https://www.evobikes.co.za/components/park-tool-skt-6-flat-faced-socket-set-24mm-32mm.html

 Not even that expensive. Thanks

 

edit: Clearly my Googling skills leave much to be desired.

[Alouette3]

Got a 6 sided socket at Builder for R45 a couple yours ago and just put an angle grinder to it to flatten it out. Didn't even bother firing up the lathe. Works a treat.

 

R750 for the Park Set... eish

[Rigardt@Scott]

Not even that expensive. Thanks

 

edit: Clearly my Googling skills leave much to be desired.

Not that expensive? Eish, 750 for those sockets is a bit heavy considering what you can get the for without the ParkTool branding.

[Amberdrake]

3D Printed plastic might work once or twice, full infill and 6 walls,but its likely to strain fracture. Buy a socket and grind flat sorted id go as far as to check the second hand shops for a old one, sometimes you get lucky and find it but cheaper and then wont be as worried about modifing it.

[Rocket-Boy]

3D Printed plastic might work once or twice, full infill and 6 walls,but its likely to strain fracture. Buy a socket and grind flat sorted id go as far as to check the second hand shops for a old one, sometimes you get lucky and find it but cheaper and then wont be as worried about modifing it.

I was thinking the same thing, even in ABS or nylon it wouldnt be very strong. Definitely 100% infill but even then I doubt I would even try it.

[thebob]

Buy a 6 sided impact wrench one from Force Tools or the like and take it to an engineering shop to have the chamfer removed. Exactly what I did and it works awesome!

[ChrisF]

Rock Guy have a look at post #174 - https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/178320-scott-spark-940-or-what-else/page-11?hl=spark%20940

 

 

I had to hunt around a bit before I could find a hex-socket, but you will get it at a decent auto or engineering shop.

[droo]

No ways you'll get the strength in a 3d print unless you push wall thickness to the point where it's not going to fit anyway.

 

What size do you need? May have a spare knocking around.

[Rock Guy]

No ways you'll get the strength in a 3d print unless you push wall thickness to the point where it's not going to fit anyway.

 

What size do you need? May have a spare knocking around.

Ja, I was thinking that may be the case as well.

 

I'm looking for a 32mm. Just recently got a 170mm Fox 36 27.5 Rhythm (attached to a new bike). After a couple of rides I think it could use a few volume spacers. I'm obviously itching to replace it with a proper Factory 36 (or 38 now I guess), but before I proceed down that spiral of financial disaster, I thought I should at least give the Rhythm a fighting chance. Plus it's not like my riding justifies the top end spec anyway. I was planning to swing by your shop anyway to pick up the spacers if you have stock.