3rd-gen iPod NanoSpool
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Published on January 26, 2012
Description
I wanted a wire manager for my iPod Nano 3G that would: (1) allow the wire to be coiled up for storage; (2) be attached to the iPod; (3) allow full use of the Nano, including access to all controls and ports, without disassembly -- this precluded wrapping the cord around the face of the iPod; (4) allow partial or full uncoiling with lockdown of the cord.
I didn't care if it bulked up the iPod somewhat. In the end, it's still comfortable in a shirt pocket, either fully coiled or partly uncoiled for listening. However, if the reason you stopped smoking was that the cigarette pack was too uncomfortable in your pocket, you might not like this device.
I didn't care if it bulked up the iPod somewhat. In the end, it's still comfortable in a shirt pocket, either fully coiled or partly uncoiled for listening. However, if the reason you stopped smoking was that the cigarette pack was too uncomfortable in your pocket, you might not like this device.
Instructions
The photos show a PLA print made on a Prusa Mendel Reprap. This is a 3rd-gen object not only because its' for a 3rd-geniPod Nano, but also because it is the 3rd iteration of the design; the first one was just for practice; the second was printed and in fact, the large image of the assembly (the one that looks like a flying saucer) depicts the 2nd-gen model. Going to the 3rd-gen, which the other files and photos show, I deepened the spool to hold more wire, lengthened the pins from 1mm to 2 mm, and created additional slots (8 instead of the 2nd-gen four) for greater convenience of wrapping and holding the wire down. The earbud cords press-fit into the slots. The slots are in several widths, and so should accommodate several brands of earbuds, but you can always file them out for greater width.
The stl for the spool came out 10x actual size; I don't know why it came out that way. The parts were designed in Sketchup. Since Sketchup cannot handle sub-millimeter dimensions (how brain-dead is that?), the holder is at the meter scale. I did the spool at the cm scale. In both cases, I used the skp-to-dxf plugin to produce the stls. In both cases. I specified 1mm scale, so go figger.
Neither stl could be printed at the start. This is almost certainly due to subtle flaws in the .skp files. You can see them at large magnification if you look hard for them. However, both stls could be fixed using cloud.netfabb.com and the fixed stls are the ones shown here. These .stl's also have the right dimensions.
Xendi (http://www.thingiverse.com/Xendi) printed the pieces. He used slic3r to generate the Gcode. He also helped produce the .stl's.
Some post-printing work needs to be done to assemble the device:
1. The pins on the spool should match the holes in the holder, but might be off a bit, depending on the calibration of your printer; so you might have to use a file to shave down the pins or enlarge the holes.
2. The slots, when printed, had wisps of PLA in them. They take some patience to clean out. Useful tools: mini files, sandpaper, single-edged razor blade, even a fingernail file.
3. To do the assembly, I heat-bonded the two pieces. After I got a good fit to the pins, I held a piece of aluminum foil in a forceps over a pin where it protruded through the holder, then melted the pin down with a soldering iron on the foil (to keep from fouling the iron). I did this for the four pins. Superglue should also work for PLA and acetone for ABS.
Go to wiki.hackmanhattan.com if you want to read the long and rather boring log of the trials and tribulations along the way. Getting there was half the fun for me but probably not for you.
The stl for the spool came out 10x actual size; I don't know why it came out that way. The parts were designed in Sketchup. Since Sketchup cannot handle sub-millimeter dimensions (how brain-dead is that?), the holder is at the meter scale. I did the spool at the cm scale. In both cases, I used the skp-to-dxf plugin to produce the stls. In both cases. I specified 1mm scale, so go figger.
Neither stl could be printed at the start. This is almost certainly due to subtle flaws in the .skp files. You can see them at large magnification if you look hard for them. However, both stls could be fixed using cloud.netfabb.com and the fixed stls are the ones shown here. These .stl's also have the right dimensions.
Xendi (http://www.thingiverse.com/Xendi) printed the pieces. He used slic3r to generate the Gcode. He also helped produce the .stl's.
Some post-printing work needs to be done to assemble the device:
1. The pins on the spool should match the holes in the holder, but might be off a bit, depending on the calibration of your printer; so you might have to use a file to shave down the pins or enlarge the holes.
2. The slots, when printed, had wisps of PLA in them. They take some patience to clean out. Useful tools: mini files, sandpaper, single-edged razor blade, even a fingernail file.
3. To do the assembly, I heat-bonded the two pieces. After I got a good fit to the pins, I held a piece of aluminum foil in a forceps over a pin where it protruded through the holder, then melted the pin down with a soldering iron on the foil (to keep from fouling the iron). I did this for the four pins. Superglue should also work for PLA and acetone for ABS.
Go to wiki.hackmanhattan.com if you want to read the long and rather boring log of the trials and tribulations along the way. Getting there was half the fun for me but probably not for you.
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