3DP flashlight holder clamp for mag stand

[petertha]

I've done very little 3D printing because I don't have one & local services have been kind of hit & miss for me. Either quality or cost or unavailable material type. I decided to give Shapeways a try with this doo-dad, more out of morbid curiosity.

I wanted something to hold an LED flashlight on a standard machinist indicator mag stand to shed light on things in a quick setup/knockdown manner. It works well when you don't have a 3rd hand or dark nooks & crannies like lathe boring, ID threading... that sort of thing. So point the light where best required & lock the arm position, done. The clamp is one of those PITA shapes to make from metal. I decided to make the ID a standard 1.0" because flashlight body OD's vary all over the map. I'll just turn an adapter ring to suit. I also made a recess to embed a standard hex nut which engages a tightening bolt or thumbscrew.

Well, it arrived the other day & turned out not bad. Showing it here with my biggest flashlight which somewhat fits, but you get the general idea. The material is just a tad softer than stock nylon, so maybe I guessed correct with a post vs. a dovetail. The texture is kind of a matt sugary but pleasing, nowhere near the striations I experienced before. Accuracy was quite good. Well, this has opened the door to some other gadgets I'd like to print (and maybe saved me some others I now think wont be suitable).