Please help! Need part for log splitter.

[Drewintoledo]

Hi guys. I have only had my Ender 3 for one day and I believe that I have found a use for it. My log splitter "ate" the recoil starter cord which jammed the cooling fan and ruined the cam shape lobe in the middle.
is anyone up to creating a file for me? If so, I will measure the old fan inner and outer diameter and measure the protruding cam on the flywheel for design consideration. i just don't know how to use the software yet.
The old looked like this: https://www.ereplacementparts.com/fa...p-2570365.html
it's cheap enough and I can order one at a low cost, but it would be more fun to print one. I'm just not sure my Ender could handle the width of it, so I guess I need to tear it down and measure the diameter.

[fred_dot_u]

You'll have an interesting experiment on your hands with a 3D printed fan as presented in the images. If printed horizontally, which is optimum, the individual vanes will have fairly narrow layers. This orientation is the weakest for such a design, but there's no real practical work-around for most hobbyist printers.

That fan design may print well and be strong enough in SLS (nylon) but that could cost more than the aftermarket item and would require a third party service.

I'm willing to give a shot at building the model.

Can you provide better photographs than those shown in the link? They are very poor from a reverse engineering standpoint.

Outside diameter, hub diameter, lobe diameter, lobe offset, vane thickness, vane height, vane edge inside diameter, vane edge outside diameter, thickness at points of change as well as diameter of the thickness changes.
Unusual features such as pins or holes? It appears there are pins on the underside, but it's difficult to determine. If there are pins, precise location reference is needed, including diameter of pins or holes, location (angular displacement, diameter of reference circle) and any other useful information.

Overall it's not a particular difficult item to design (I hope) but the printing part will be more of a test or experiment, I believe. I have the ability to print FFF in nylon, now that I have a high-temperature capable printer, so it may not be completely hopeless.

[curious aardvark]

shame about those mounting lugs - without those it would be a really simple print.
I think I'd be inclined to have holes there are use a metal fixing for the 'lugs/legs'.
Mind you I guess they'd be pretty simple supports.

As far as nyllon goes taulman nylon 230 prints at 230c and is pretty easy to use - compared to most nylon.
So that's not an issue.
pet-g would also work well. But nylon has a lot more 'give'.

Depends what it does I suppose.
Hell pla would probably do the job too.

Fred's a nice guy and probably won't charge you :-)

I'm poor and self employed and would have to :-)

[fred_dot_u]

I'm not so sure about the "won't charge you" part, but I'm probably less costly than our Super Moderator. I'm also self-unemployed, semi-retired and possibly have less pressing matters/more time to futz around with projects.

On a practical note, holes in the plate where the pins are located means one could use cut-off bolts to provide shear strength and location services. That makes the job that much easier.

[Drewintoledo]

Hi guys. thank you kindly for your replies. I ended up purchasing a package deal which includes other parts that were destoryed (recoil, shroud, etc) so I am no longer in need.
If anyone wants this information for a project I will measure and supply dimensions if not I am going to split wood again!

Thanks again.