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Put that 3D printer in your airplane shop to good use for medical personnel

BTW- anyone willing possibly sketch up a Notre Dame (ND) and possibly University of North Carolina (UNC) one for me? Two of my really good doc friends are graduates of those two respective schools (one at OHSU and one at the VA here locally)

Thanks in advance if this is possible. I can print, but am clueless when it comes to drawing anything up to print.
 
Brought tears from the kindness

OMG! you guys are awesome. My wife and I are starting work at an emergency state run hospital in Los Angeles in a few hours. Those masks kill my ears. We would be grateful for a couple of these!!!

We get our badges and start a quick orientation in the morning. The hospital is opening tomorrow to take the load off the local LA hospitals. If available, I?m sure many of our co workers would be grateful for one also. We are staying in a hotel so I?ll check with them tomorrow if they will accept mail for us!

The paper ones would not be as good since they are very difficult to disinfect. After going in a room, we need to wipe our face shield down and the mask holder also for use in the next room.

My personal email is my username at mac dot com.
 
Design ideas

After thinking about it, flexible is better. Although I haven?t tried the holders I doubt the extra clips would be of any use. The masks fit pretty tight already, and anything tighter than the clips just behind the ears would be too much.

All the N95 masks have the straps that go all the way around, so these would only work for the surgical masks. Many of the hospitals are issuing 1 N95 for a 40 hour week and wearing an ADDITIONAL surgical mask over the top for each patient. I?ll find out about this hospitals policy tomorrow and report back. Would be happy to review and help with design inputs.

We have heard from many friends nationwide and the surgical masks are the norm, even though they provide us minimal protection. Just not enough N95?s to go around. We brought a couple for ourselves just in case!
 
BTW- anyone willing possibly sketch up a Notre Dame (ND) and possibly University of North Carolina (UNC) one for me? Two of my really good doc friends are graduates of those two respective schools (one at OHSU and one at the VA here locally)

Thanks in advance if this is possible. I can print, but am clueless when it comes to drawing anything up to print.

I'm on it! :cool:
 
OMG! you guys are awesome. My wife and I are starting work at an emergency state run hospital in Los Angeles in a few hours. Those masks kill my ears. We would be grateful for a couple of these!!!

We get our badges and start a quick orientation in the morning. The hospital is opening tomorrow to take the load off the local LA hospitals. If available, I’m sure many of our co workers would be grateful for one also. We are staying in a hotel so I’ll check with them tomorrow if they will accept mail for us!

The paper ones would not be as good since they are very difficult to disinfect. After going in a room, we need to wipe our face shield down and the mask holder also for use in the next room.

My personal email is my username at mac dot com.
If you don't get sorted out by tomorrow when I'm up and running I'll send you some USPS overnight
 
Bobby- Sorry! I can't seem to figure out how to get that to a printable file (I did say I was clueless on the design) .

Do you have the .stl files or mind shooting me that so I can toss it in a slicer?

Thanks again!!!!
dan
 
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how are you guys finding facilities to accept these? I can find orgs looking for home made masks, but I haven't found any accepting face shields or these

I could use a few for my staff ... we have to "figure 8" the ear straps in order to
tighten the jaw area which destroys your ears (lower cord to top of ear or one spin on the straps). I believe we are the last outpatient ultrasound imaging
facility operating in El Paso currently and do so to keep the threatened miscarriage, ectopic pregnancies and blood clot to the leg patients (DVT) out of the ERs.

I only need 5 max if anyone can send them, they'd truly be appreciated. Another person on another site is offering us face shields also 3-D printed which I'm not sure we need just yet as El Paso still has a relatively low exposure factor.
 
I could use a few for my staff ... we have to "figure 8" the ear straps in order to
tighten the jaw area which destroys your ears (lower cord to top of ear or one spin on the straps). I believe we are the last outpatient ultrasound imaging
facility operating in El Paso currently and do so to keep the threatened miscarriage, ectopic pregnancies and blood clot to the leg patients (DVT) out of the ERs.

I only need 5 max if anyone can send them, they'd truly be appreciated. Another person on another site is offering us face shields also 3-D printed which I'm not sure we need just yet as El Paso still has a relatively low exposure factor.

send me $8.30 to cover shipping and your address and I will send you a hundred.
 
Thanks!

Bobby thank you very much! I love this community! I've already got the Notre Dame on the printer.

These will be a huge hit with my buddies! I have 150 of the standards to deliver today/tomorrow but I'll get these printed up as a surprise for them too.

I'll make sure to report back here once delivered.

Dan
 
I could use a few for my staff ... we have to "figure 8" the ear straps in order to
tighten the jaw area which destroys your ears (lower cord to top of ear or one spin on the straps). I believe we are the last outpatient ultrasound imaging
facility operating in El Paso currently and do so to keep the threatened miscarriage, ectopic pregnancies and blood clot to the leg patients (DVT) out of the ERs.

I only need 5 max if anyone can send them, they'd truly be appreciated. Another person on another site is offering us face shields also 3-D printed which I'm not sure we need just yet as El Paso still has a relatively low exposure factor.

Same for you, if Steve doesn't get you sorted out I will tomorrow
 
I am happy to toss some in the mail today if someone closer doesn't get them to you. I am in the Portland, OR area so may take a few days to arrive.
 
send me $8.30 to cover shipping and your address and I will send you a hundred.

Not sure how to do that, I don't have paypal or any of those electronic payment means. I can send cash back to you after it is received and I have your address, you can confirm the physical address and our website below.

Many of the other healthcare workers would be interested outside of my crew, so any extras are appreciated (I have 8 staff total, but am near hundreds across the street from me at both hospitals as well as the nearby sierra hospital). Info is below if this is acceptable:

Hagan Imaging
ATTN Dan Hagan
1800 N. Mesa, Suite 101
El Paso, TX 79902
Website: Haganimaging(dot com) has my phone number as well at the website if you need to go voice.
 
Not sure how to do that, I don't have paypal or any of those electronic payment means. I can send cash back to you after it is received and I have your address, you can confirm the physical address and our website below.

Many of the other healthcare workers would be interested outside of my crew, so any extras are appreciated (I have 8 staff total, but am near hundreds across the street from me at both hospitals as well as the nearby sierra hospital). Info is below if this is acceptable:

Hagan Imaging
ATTN Dan Hagan
1800 N. Mesa, Suite 101
El Paso, TX 79902
Website: Haganimaging(dot com) has my phone number as well at the website if you need to go voice.

they are on the way.

USPS: 9405503699300326007683

give my regard to Lucy's Restaurant. best Taco's around.
 
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Managed to kill my hotend after a couple days of steady printing. It was fine with PLA, but the higher temperature required for PETG did it in. My remaining PLA is too hard and dry to feed properly. I've got parts on order to fix the printer and resume spitting them out.

So far everyone who I've given these to have been very happy to see them... I hope to have them all distributed by tonight.
 
Checked with my local hospital if they could use them and they replied we will take as many as you can make, so I cranked up my prusa today. It seems that with the shortage of commercial masks there are allot of donations pouring in that are making them out of cloth so they may not have elastic bands and need to be tied, so I think this may make things simpler. Anyway, glad to help and put the filament to good use.
 
they are on the way.

USPS: 9405503699300326007683

give my regard to Lucy's Restaurant. best Taco's around.

Thank you Steve, they will be put to good use. I didn't even notice how many medical people's ear's are in bad shape, most complain of the hand chapping from maximum scrubbing. Your efforts will be truly appreciated!

If you love Lucy's and you're in the area, I'll treat you there and then Leo's as both are top notch!

Checked with my local hospital if they could use them and they replied we will take as many as you can make, so I cranked up my prusa today. It seems that with the shortage of commercial masks there are allot of donations pouring in that are making them out of cloth so they may not have elastic bands and need to be tied, so I think this may make things simpler. Anyway, glad to help and put the filament to good use.

If you guys are making these and call someone in the hospitals near you (especially ER and ICU) I guarantee you they'll take them. I read this one post and was elivering reports to some of the offices and ALL the staff have "red ear" syndrome and were interested. This effort will not go unappreciated and it's THIS type of effort that makes a difference.

EDIT: I'm here because I fly an RV-7A, but didn't build it, so generally am just checking things out. I paid dues for most of the years I was flying a Grumman Tiger (74630 - it's in California now with the new owner). I think I owe this year's dues and need to forward to Doug Reeves ...
 
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If you guys are making these and call someone in the hospitals near you (especially ER and ICU) I guarantee you they'll take them.
Ha! Not here. the big hospitals informed the guy who was trying to coordinate an effort locally that they "don't allow their personnel to wear homemade PPE".

No matter. Every single person I've given them to has been appreciative, including the nurses at a small privately run urgent care. I just shipped a box to my sister's ex-husband, who's a rent-a-nurse in Atlanta. My hotend gave up the ghost yesterday, but as soon as the new one arrives this week I'll be back in business. I'm working on some cooling mods to the printer while it's down for parts. It prints PLA just fine all day long, but PETG causes overheating problems.
 
Ha! Not here. the big hospitals informed the guy who was trying to coordinate an effort locally that they "don't allow their personnel to wear homemade PPE".

No matter. Every single person I've given them to has been appreciative, including the nurses at a small privately run urgent care. I just shipped a box to my sister's ex-husband, who's a rent-a-nurse in Atlanta. My hotend gave up the ghost yesterday, but as soon as the new one arrives this week I'll be back in business. I'm working on some cooling mods to the printer while it's down for parts. It prints PLA just fine all day long, but PETG causes overheating problems.

I think the key is knowing nurses or doctors who work there and providing them directly with a few to start out.
 
I have printed well over a thousand of these straps. Unit #4 came on-line over the weekend. it was a used unit that needed TLC: new stepper motors, new belts, new bed liner, new Y-axis bushings, new software, realignment, calibration, nozzle, etc. She is purring like a kitten. if you have multiple printers it is beneficial to have identical units.

DSCN2973_zpsvnrsgc0o.png
 
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I have printed well over a thousand of these straps. Unit #4 came on-line over the weekend. it was a used unit that needed TLC: new stepper motors, new belts, new bed liner, new Y-axis bushings, new software, realignment, calibration, nozzle, etc. She is purring like a kitten. if you have multiple printers it is beneficial to have identical units.

Nice! I'm still using the RepRap I built 7 years ago. Maybe one day I'll get a real Prusa.

 
Nice! I'm still using the RepRap I built 7 years ago. Maybe one day I'll get a real Prusa.


You need to see my i2 I've had for many years, it looks like a collection of McMaster Carr parts (which it is LOL). It's so old the all thread has rusted but it still prints great so I've never upgraded.

I'm around the 300 mark so far on the i2, it keeps on churning.
 
Wow... quite a set up. I have a Monoprice knockoff unit of an ultimaker and can only do 6-7 at a time but did about 250 so far including a couple dozen of the UNC and Notre Dame ones Bobby was kind enough to design for me.

They've all been very well received by my doc buddies and all in their hospitals and clinics (5 so far).
 
I have printed well over a thousand of these straps. Unit #4 came on-line over the weekend. it was a used unit that needed TLC: new stepper motors, new belts, new bed liner, new Y-axis bushings, new software, realignment, calibration, nozzle, etc. She is purring like a kitten. if you have multiple printers it is beneficial to have identical units.

DSCN2973_zpsvnrsgc0o.png

Steve, thank you SO much for the clips, they arrived today. One of my girls was practically in tears as she literally has contact wounds behind her ears. The staff upstairs found out about them literally 25 seconds later (thanks to same said employee) so I distributed 15-20 up there as well. This means more to us than you'll ever realize ... thanks again!
 
somehow the USPS has managed to take a delivery that should have been 1-2 days, and made it take at least 5 business days (it seems temporarily lost) so I gave up trying to print any of these. And had them redirect the printer back to the sender.
 
Finally got my printer back up this afternoon. I figured out the root cause, upgraded firmware, made a couple hardware improvements, and the new V6 hotend should arrive tomorrow. The leaner, meaner machine may not print faster, but at least it?s printing again... about 8 per hour while I?m awake and here to scrape them off the print bed. Now if only I could automate that...
 
best design???

Steve, our group redesigned the ear saver to reduce print time to 6 minutes... I can do 7 in 42 minutes or 10 in an hour (depending on the layout, i'm having better success with the 7-item layout) on my Prusa Mk2.5.

Here's the pattern: https://github.com/bccovid-19/printfiles/blob/master/Ear Saver/ear_saver_small_V004.STL

Rob, I knew you'd be on the job!
My son is making a few for my sis at VGH in Victoria, and she had borrowed one from a friend.
?.She liked the OPEN back.... which made it easier to clip and hold in position in her hair, so you might consider that a NUREP!
We're trying to get ours as smooth as possible so it's easier to disinfect, which hasn't been mentioned much here!
( Our Ender 3 is a bit fussy to get nice prints, still learning!)

There are some great minds and people out there, using all different kinds of equipment & materials! Some great ones ..cutting out of milk jugs! (I don't think my plotter at work will do it, but I'm gonna try Monday!)

keep up the great effort gang!
 
My son is making a few for my sis at VGH in Victoria, and she had borrowed one from a friend.
Let him know about the BCCOVID-19 group. http://bcc3d.ca They are taking requests from health care providers in BC and coordinating collection from printers and distribution to the sites. There's a Slack channel for them as well, with subchannels for each region. http://bccovid-19.slack.com

?.She liked the OPEN back.... which made it easier to clip and hold in position in her hair, so you might consider that a NUREP! We're trying to get ours as smooth as possible so it's easier to disinfect, which hasn't been mentioned much here!
There will be pluses and minuses to every design, but in general the one with the hole in the arm had a lot of sharp corners that trapped particles and grabbed hairs. The first was bad for disinfecting, the second was bad for usability. This one was made as thin and flat as possible, with an offset cutout to go around ponytails. It was also sized for maximum packing on a bed, and lower print time to maximize yield as demand has remained high. Maybe if it's less workable one way up she can try turning it over? As someone who's joined the "cue-ball" club, I don't have any hair anymore to experiment with. :)

There are some great minds and people out there, using all different kinds of equipment & materials! Some great ones ..cutting out of milk jugs! (I don't think my plotter at work will do it, but I'm gonna try Monday!)
The effort (at least here in BC) is going to shift soon, we have an injection moulder coming online who is going to start making the face shield frames. Once they're up and running (2-3 weeks) they'll decimate any production by 3D printing. People have also been trying to laser- and water-jet cut the ear savers, but are finding that they do "too good" a job... The cuts are so smooth that all the edges are sharp.

I'm just about to start experimenting with PETG for making face shield frames, as we need to keep making them until the injection moulder is online. Right now we have an excess of ear savers on Vancouver Island, so it's worth taking the time to learn the new material.
 
I would like to buy a shipment of these from one of you guys who are able to print them. I want to give one or two to my stepson who works at a grocery store and is having issues with his required mask straps. They bother his ears quite a bit. I will bring the rest of them to the local hospital.
 
Impressive group we are hanging out with here!

I am impressed with the guys on this site that are printing what they can to help out those who really need it.

I read in one post that Steve Melton posted saying he had made over 1000 straps. I sent him an email asking if he wanted some help paying for materials or postage. He told me no thanks, he was using money he makes selling the airplane parts he produces to pay for the printing. Wow.

Thanks Steve, AX.O, and all the others doing what they can to help others out.
 
Man, for some reason I have a devil of a time printing these. I can't even explain what it's doing besides messing up ��

The little hooks don't adhere to the bed for some reason and eventually get sort of stringy and catch the nozzle then it's all over. I've tried bed temps from 50 to 80 with pla and it's just not happy. Idk what I'm doing wrong
 
Man, for some reason I have a devil of a time printing these. I can't even explain what it's doing besides messing up ��

The little hooks don't adhere to the bed for some reason and eventually get sort of stringy and catch the nozzle then it's all over. I've tried bed temps from 50 to 80 with pla and it's just not happy. Idk what I'm doing wrong

What bed surface? I'm using BuildTak and it works great. Try moving the nozzle closer to the bed and slowing down on the first layer while using a higher extrusion multiplier. Squish the first layer down hot, fat and slow.

I'm using PLA at 220 degrees and bed at 52.
 
What bed surface? I'm using BuildTak and it works great. Try moving the nozzle closer to the bed and slowing down on the first layer while using a higher extrusion multiplier. Squish the first layer down hot, fat and slow.

I'm using PLA at 220 degrees and bed at 52.

It's some kind of carbon glass, with a slight dimple to it for adhesion. I'm running the extruder at 200 to 210 with a volcano nozzle and pla. I normally (for the whole 24 hours I've had it) don't use anything for adhesion, on larger stuff it adheres so well it's hard to remove the part sometimes. I'll adjust the multiplier, thanks for the tip
 
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I highly recommend the BuildTak magnetic flexplate system. Might be the best 3D printing purchase I've made.

If you're still having issues post a close-up pic of just your first layer.

The bead should look rectangular, flat, not rounded.
 
Was having the same issues. I slowed the first layer down to 60% print speed. That took care of it. Now the prints are perfect.
 
Was having the same issues. I slowed the first layer down to 60% print speed. That took care of it. Now the prints are perfect.

that's a good idea too. I'll try that when I'm done with this 24 hour print and see how it does. I just sliced it at 12mm/s instead of 20 on the first 2 layers.
 
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I highly recommend the BuildTak magnetic flexplate system. Might be the best 3D printing purchase I've made.

If you're still having issues post a close-up pic of just your first layer.

The bead should look rectangular, flat, not rounded.

that's a neat system, I'll get one in coming weeks. I've got a spiral vase thing printing (beautifully too, I just jinxed it probably) I'll try it with the other suggestions and post pics tomorrow if it fails. Basically it looks like this:

https://i.imgur.com/A9U6o83.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/672uBpH.jpg

decent print on medium settings, looks better in person

https://i.imgur.com/TSl16Wj.jpg
 
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