# 3D Printing > 3D Printer Parts, Filament & Materials >  Are small PETG gears tough enough for setscrews to fasten to shaft?

## TimM

I am just beginning with my Lulzbot Taz 5, using Gearotic (incredible program!) to produce smallish (1-4 in diameter) gears for quite low-load applications.  I want to fasten the gears to metal shafts.  Gearotic lets me produce a collar on the gears.  For various reasons, I use PETG.  I can drill the collar and thread it for a setscrew.  But I wonder if anyone has experience in the long-term life of this arrangement.  Is PETG strong enough that the setscrew won't eventually strip the thread so the gear comes loose?  Thanks for any thoughts!

Tim

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## EagleSeven

I made some gears using PLA, which I drilled and tapped for set-screws
and they worked great !
But you Must have Solid plastic at area of set-screw, (100% infill when printed)
(large diameter set-screws, with large threads, is best)

(Of course those gears are used in a low-speed, low-torque motor application)

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## LambdaFF

Have you considered using threaded inserts ? 
Research metal4plastic on this site.

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## TimM

> Have you considered using threaded inserts ? 
> Research metal4plastic on this site.


No, because I'm not familiar with this method, which sounds perfect. But I will research the site you mentioned.  Thanks!

Tim

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## LambdaFF

You can find some here :
http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.p...-printed-parts

Show us what you do with it.

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## TimM

Thanks for that info!  Because I am in the USA, shipping from that source would be excessive, but I was able to find much the same thing (and many similar parts) on Amazon over here.  You gave me a good idea, and I'm going to order a small assortment and do some experimenting.

Tim

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## curious aardvark

the other thing you can do is simply embed a metal nut.

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## ssayer

All the screws holding the quad together in my orange quad Avatar are screwed into 3d printed PETG.  :Wink:

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## jtice

This thread reminded me that I wanted to get some threaded inserts.
I have alot of M3 screws for my RC hobby, so I got a bunch of M3 inserts from *HERE* just now.
Should be fun to incorporate into printing projects.

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## curious aardvark

easier to just make a hexagonal/octagonal (can't remember) socket for an m3 nut.

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## TimM

> All the screws holding the quad together in my orange quad Avatar are screwed into 3d printed PETG.


Good enough for me!  I'll let you all know how it works out.

Tim

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