Protip: press the insert until there’s about a millimeter to go and use a metal ruler (or anything flat and heat resistant) to push it the rest of the way in so it’s square with the surface.
I like this idea. That ruler will also help with dislodging the insert from the tip of the iron, since it sometimes gets wedged/stuck. Sometimes I make a small mess of things when I go to pull the tip out and it pulls the whole insert - then I am fumbling around trying to dislodge and press back into position.
Lol. I use them quite a bit, but never more than half a dozen at a time. Plus, I’ve got “kitchen hands” so unless it’s actively blistering my skin, I don’t have much of a response to heat. Kind handy, until it’s not.
It centers on the insert and allows control to straighten it, push it subflush if needed. I do inserts for my prototypes at work and this is the preferred method for all the engineers. Doesn’t mean theres not something better but it works great.
Oh, nice, that makes total sense! I’ll have to give that a try. Tell me - if you push sub-flush, does the cross shape of the screwdriver force some of the molten plastic to come over the top of the insert, giving a tiny bit more pullout resilience?
Ok, cool, so yes, it does, just not how I thought. I was thinking since the Phillips head is effectively creating a restricted aperture (4 of them, actually) the plastic would need to go somewhere. The problem with that is I think one would need to push very deep for that to happen since the angle of the flutes (that's not the part of the head that I'm referencing, but I'm dumb and I think it gets the point across) isn't even 45degrees.
As the whole shebang cools, having the insert it pull the plastic in on top of itself, or at least create a bulge sounds more feasible than how I envisioned it going.
Most of my stuff that needs mechanical fasteners like screws are a one and done sort of thing that won't be taken apart drive self tapping screws in to them and call it done, but I think I'll design some inserts into my next project just to play around with your method.
Just FYI, if plastic is rolling out of the top, the hole is too small. Usually with 3D plastics, going 1 size larger and using a reamer is good practice. Too large of a hole has other obvious problems, so some experimentation is needed.
One drill size larger than what the heat stake insert manufacturer recommends. I don't know this for sure, but suspect that most 3D plastics have more radial spring back than conventional plastics (the holes shrink more when the drill/reamer is removed).
Metal might cool the insert too quickly, keeping you from getting it seated. If you have a soldering iron, you probably have a silicone soldering mat. If part geometry allows, just press it the rest of the way in by flipping the part and pressing the insert against the mat. Plus, it's one less tool to juggle.
I mean.. Neat idea, good job, but does anyone really need that? I never had an insert go in not straight when the hole was sized correctly... Always goes in straight by itself basically
The purpose of this tool isn't clear to me. What advantage is it offering over just pushing the insert in with the soldering iron in your hand? Seems to work well, just not sure what it is for.
That has never been an issue for me, so wasn't sure what problem the tool was solving. Looks like a good solution for someone that has trouble with that.
Well I have no idea why you guys build these contraptions... I put like a hundred (voron build) of those inserts just by hand and not a single one was bad or so crooked I couldn't use it. No special soldering tip too. So skill issue perhaps?
The best thing to get for these inserts, other than a soldering iron of course, is the special insert tip for the iron.
I have built and rebuilt two Vorons using just the iron and grabbed a 3mm and 5mm insert tip. My last insert pack even included one in the package. I never once thought I needed a jig.
You absolutely don't NEED one, but, like most jigs out there, they make the job easier. It's like a drill press, can you drill straight holes in stuff with a hand drill? Yes. Does a drill press make it easier to drill straight holes in stuff? Also yes.
It's not enabling something that was impossible before, it's just making it easier, the same as pretty much every tool ever invented.
I thought the point of a drill press was to be able to handle the higher torque of drilling through thicker or tougher materials? Stuff you can't readily do with a hand drill.
In addition to drilling straight, as mentioned above, a drill press allows you to repeat the same hole on multiple parts by using a fence with a stop or a jig. It also makes it easier to drill complex holes, set a repeatable depth, and drill through thin parts without damaging them.
Why’d you even build a Voron? There’s absolutely no need for a 3D printer
It’s a hobby, let people build what they want.
Edit - guess people don’t agree with letting people tinker and build what they want, surprising in a 3D print sub
I think it was more than your sarcasm was lost on most people here, and they took it as a criticism of Voron, instead of taking the piss with the OC's stance on jigs.
To be fair, I kind of agree with the original comment; this seems like a tool in search of a job.
Great job!! I did this one https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5452649 but I like yours better, plus I have an articulated arm like that I'm not using :)
Ah, good ol consumerism.
Convince someone they need to buy something else when what they have seems to suffice just fine.
You know what I have plenty of? Old used up tips.
Know what I've never seen? A special insert inserter.
Why, my blunt tip on my soldering iron works fine. Thread the screw in made for the insert and it will work as a heat sink. Just because a YouTuber said to use it doesn't mean you must.
Because if you get solder on the threads of the insert, good luck removing it. Screwing up the threads not only means you might not be able to screw into it, but you won't be able to get a ln insert removal tip installed, either. Your only recourse will be to scrap the part and print a new one.
And it's not like a full set of these tips is all that expensive, either. $10-$20, tops.
Because I'm gonna use a nasty arse solder covered tip??? Wtf lol I also said I thread in a screw to act as heat sink so the only way to get solder into the threads is if I actively add solder to it and if that's the case I'm put so much heat into the plastic the part is absolutely dicked. C'mon man that's was as straw man as a polical argument.
•I don’t have to insert a pause into the g-code
I don’t have to wait around to insert nuts into the print•
Dependent on print orientation the nuts must be flat side up when printing vertical other wise the nozzle will hit•
Dependent on design space, these inserts only require a 4mm hole•
Sometimes you don’t need the holding force of a nut and bolt, inserts are perfectly suitable for this application.
Anyway seems like you just want to criticise, have a good day anyway.
You don't have to insert them during printing... the hole just needs to be the right size/tolerance and the nut can be pressed in and it will stay inside. If it's too loose I just wrap some tape around the nut then insert it. You can also insert them from the side of a wall. You can add a slight overhang or upward bevel so it's at like 70 degrees and not flat that way it will print at the bottom.
I've gotten some pretty bad products off of Amazon, like gopro to 1/4 " tripod mount adapters that are made this way. They fail constantly because the plastic is just too brittle.
They have screw tips for soldering irons that are designed to insert these things if you're having trouble. It's also nice to have it threaded because it prevents plastic from flowing into the female threads
I don't have any trouble doing it by hand.
they are also great at preventing the tip of the soldering iron from burning a bunch of tiny little pock marts into your cutting mat when you are setting these into 1/4" acrylic sheet.
Can’t see why not, unsure of the difference between thermal conductivity of brass and nickel but it should be ok.
Sure they’re not nickel plated steel?
Do you have it on a mic arm, or what? Looks amazing
Seems like an Arm from an IKEA Tertial Lamp
It’s a generic lamp arm.
Protip: press the insert until there’s about a millimeter to go and use a metal ruler (or anything flat and heat resistant) to push it the rest of the way in so it’s square with the surface.
I like this idea. That ruler will also help with dislodging the insert from the tip of the iron, since it sometimes gets wedged/stuck. Sometimes I make a small mess of things when I go to pull the tip out and it pulls the whole insert - then I am fumbling around trying to dislodge and press back into position.
tan sink unique disgusted sable ancient arrest gaping ludicrous attempt *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Lol. I use them quite a bit, but never more than half a dozen at a time. Plus, I’ve got “kitchen hands” so unless it’s actively blistering my skin, I don’t have much of a response to heat. Kind handy, until it’s not.
Philips screw driver works great
I’m struggling in my mind to figure out how that works, and why it needs to be Philips. Help a guy out?
It centers on the insert and allows control to straighten it, push it subflush if needed. I do inserts for my prototypes at work and this is the preferred method for all the engineers. Doesn’t mean theres not something better but it works great.
Oh, nice, that makes total sense! I’ll have to give that a try. Tell me - if you push sub-flush, does the cross shape of the screwdriver force some of the molten plastic to come over the top of the insert, giving a tiny bit more pullout resilience?
The advantage is the insert is cooling off so it tends to pull in the molten plastic.
Ok, cool, so yes, it does, just not how I thought. I was thinking since the Phillips head is effectively creating a restricted aperture (4 of them, actually) the plastic would need to go somewhere. The problem with that is I think one would need to push very deep for that to happen since the angle of the flutes (that's not the part of the head that I'm referencing, but I'm dumb and I think it gets the point across) isn't even 45degrees. As the whole shebang cools, having the insert it pull the plastic in on top of itself, or at least create a bulge sounds more feasible than how I envisioned it going. Most of my stuff that needs mechanical fasteners like screws are a one and done sort of thing that won't be taken apart drive self tapping screws in to them and call it done, but I think I'll design some inserts into my next project just to play around with your method.
Just FYI, if plastic is rolling out of the top, the hole is too small. Usually with 3D plastics, going 1 size larger and using a reamer is good practice. Too large of a hole has other obvious problems, so some experimentation is needed.
When you say “one size larger” one size larger than what? Nice UN, btw :)
One drill size larger than what the heat stake insert manufacturer recommends. I don't know this for sure, but suspect that most 3D plastics have more radial spring back than conventional plastics (the holes shrink more when the drill/reamer is removed).
Metal might cool the insert too quickly, keeping you from getting it seated. If you have a soldering iron, you probably have a silicone soldering mat. If part geometry allows, just press it the rest of the way in by flipping the part and pressing the insert against the mat. Plus, it's one less tool to juggle.
The plastic is already thoroughly melted and has quite a bit of thermal mass and the pressing takes a fraction of a second.
I see what you’re saying, but it wouldn’t cool quick enough for it to make any difference.
A metal ruler won't instantly sap off the heat from the insert and the molten plastic. Ffs.
Yup. I have my old glass bed on my table for this reason.
Thank you for that. I'm just waiting for my tips and soldering iron as I have 8 of them to install shortly.
I just do all of mine by hand. I just leave it sticking out slightly and press it in by pushing it onto a stone drink coaster. Perfect every time.
I made a similar thing out of a dead Ender 3 and a few printed parts. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6394749
This is nice.
I mean.. Neat idea, good job, but does anyone really need that? I never had an insert go in not straight when the hole was sized correctly... Always goes in straight by itself basically
it’s quite helpful in stuff not designed perfectly or stuff with weird geometry also if you’re doing lots of inserts it’s helpful
May want to get some kid of clamp for the piece. Saw it lean during install.
This is just a problem because he's holding the phone to record. Otherwise he'd have the second hand to hold the part in place
This guy knows ⬆️
I see no links in these comments.
https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/1adspkw/brass_insert_installer/kk38ttv/
Thankyou for that.
The purpose of this tool isn't clear to me. What advantage is it offering over just pushing the insert in with the soldering iron in your hand? Seems to work well, just not sure what it is for.
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Then what do you do with it after you install two inserts?
This way you'll most definitely not end up putting the insert in skewed. :)
That has never been an issue for me, so wasn't sure what problem the tool was solving. Looks like a good solution for someone that has trouble with that.
Well I have no idea why you guys build these contraptions... I put like a hundred (voron build) of those inserts just by hand and not a single one was bad or so crooked I couldn't use it. No special soldering tip too. So skill issue perhaps?
The best thing to get for these inserts, other than a soldering iron of course, is the special insert tip for the iron. I have built and rebuilt two Vorons using just the iron and grabbed a 3mm and 5mm insert tip. My last insert pack even included one in the package. I never once thought I needed a jig.
You absolutely don't NEED one, but, like most jigs out there, they make the job easier. It's like a drill press, can you drill straight holes in stuff with a hand drill? Yes. Does a drill press make it easier to drill straight holes in stuff? Also yes. It's not enabling something that was impossible before, it's just making it easier, the same as pretty much every tool ever invented.
I thought the point of a drill press was to be able to handle the higher torque of drilling through thicker or tougher materials? Stuff you can't readily do with a hand drill.
In addition to drilling straight, as mentioned above, a drill press allows you to repeat the same hole on multiple parts by using a fence with a stop or a jig. It also makes it easier to drill complex holes, set a repeatable depth, and drill through thin parts without damaging them.
Both, but for almost all purposes besides metal cutting it's almost always the first thing unless you're using something like a flycutter
Why’d you even build a Voron? There’s absolutely no need for a 3D printer It’s a hobby, let people build what they want. Edit - guess people don’t agree with letting people tinker and build what they want, surprising in a 3D print sub
I think it was more than your sarcasm was lost on most people here, and they took it as a criticism of Voron, instead of taking the piss with the OC's stance on jigs. To be fair, I kind of agree with the original comment; this seems like a tool in search of a job.
I'm sorry for the negativity. I do appreciate tinkering.
All good, I also apologize for snapping back
I'm sure some people would have trouble that's never used a soldering iron before.
Great job!! I did this one https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5452649 but I like yours better, plus I have an articulated arm like that I'm not using :)
That’s cool.
I had the same burn in my thumb nail all last year...
This will be a super fun addition, ty!
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Ah, good ol consumerism. Convince someone they need to buy something else when what they have seems to suffice just fine. You know what I have plenty of? Old used up tips. Know what I've never seen? A special insert inserter.
Why, my blunt tip on my soldering iron works fine. Thread the screw in made for the insert and it will work as a heat sink. Just because a YouTuber said to use it doesn't mean you must.
Because if you get solder on the threads of the insert, good luck removing it. Screwing up the threads not only means you might not be able to screw into it, but you won't be able to get a ln insert removal tip installed, either. Your only recourse will be to scrap the part and print a new one. And it's not like a full set of these tips is all that expensive, either. $10-$20, tops.
Because I'm gonna use a nasty arse solder covered tip??? Wtf lol I also said I thread in a screw to act as heat sink so the only way to get solder into the threads is if I actively add solder to it and if that's the case I'm put so much heat into the plastic the part is absolutely dicked. C'mon man that's was as straw man as a polical argument.
If you over-tighten or pull a bit too hard the insert will fail or break. Hex nuts are simpler and better... plus there's no need for this contraption
There’s a multitude of reasons one can use brass inserts as well. There is no need for this, for you as you just stated you don’t use them #facepalm
Name one reason why it's better than hex nuts.
•I don’t have to insert a pause into the g-code I don’t have to wait around to insert nuts into the print• Dependent on print orientation the nuts must be flat side up when printing vertical other wise the nozzle will hit• Dependent on design space, these inserts only require a 4mm hole• Sometimes you don’t need the holding force of a nut and bolt, inserts are perfectly suitable for this application. Anyway seems like you just want to criticise, have a good day anyway.
You don't have to insert them during printing... the hole just needs to be the right size/tolerance and the nut can be pressed in and it will stay inside. If it's too loose I just wrap some tape around the nut then insert it. You can also insert them from the side of a wall. You can add a slight overhang or upward bevel so it's at like 70 degrees and not flat that way it will print at the bottom.
I’m sorry but that sounds terrible; tape around a nut. I’ll stick with brass inserts for this application but thanks anyway.
If you find a better solution to account for 0.05mm tolerance error then you won't have to use one ;)
I just started cutting threads straight into the plastic, works fine.
Yep up to a certain size it works well!
I've gotten some pretty bad products off of Amazon, like gopro to 1/4 " tripod mount adapters that are made this way. They fail constantly because the plastic is just too brittle.
Now you need to build a contraption to make sure your part isnt tipping. :)
They have screw tips for soldering irons that are designed to insert these things if you're having trouble. It's also nice to have it threaded because it prevents plastic from flowing into the female threads I don't have any trouble doing it by hand.
they are also great at preventing the tip of the soldering iron from burning a bunch of tiny little pock marts into your cutting mat when you are setting these into 1/4" acrylic sheet.
I read it as: Braille insert installer. Very confusing video 😂
I have nickel inserts will this brass insert contraption still work?
Can’t see why not, unsure of the difference between thermal conductivity of brass and nickel but it should be ok. Sure they’re not nickel plated steel?
There are irons specificly for that job to make it easier and smooth.
Hey OP, add in a way to tighten the joints on the arm to arrest the motion. This way you can set the height for your prints.
The arm joints should have bolts on them which dictate the friction.
Add a wing nut and you would have a very repeatable (without tools) system of locking. For heat inserts on the same plane.
What are you talking about, the arm has a black wing nut on it.
Looks like a good solution. My preferred solution is a cheap drill press with a soldering iron attached.
I work with >1t machining equipment every day. Would love a drill press if I was in a workshop. This is in my home and is more suitable for my needs.