# 3D Printed Chef's Choice slicer "flap killer" modification



## johnmeyer (Mar 27, 2019)

_[edit] This thread was pulled out and broken off from a similar thread started by Dave Omak after I unintentionally somewhat hijacked his thread. Making this a separate thread was probably a good move by the moderators.

Here is a link to Dave's thread:

Chef's Choice meat slicer modification....

I am adding this introduction to alert any future readers that some of my comments later in this thread may seem a little odd because they were responding to other posts in Dave's thread, and like Dave's initial post, those too were not moved over to this new thread. However, I think you can still follow the idea.

In addition, I have edited this original post from what the moderators copied over from the original thread so that it makes sense on its own. Because this post was initially a response to Dave's post, it makes no sense on its own unless I made these modifications.
[end edit]_

I got a 3D printer from my son for Christmas and have been designing all sorts of replacement parts and gadgets. I just pulled out my slicer and it seems to me that I could easily add a clip to the leading edge of the sliding tray that would close up the gap between the moving bed and the blade which is responsible for creating the hanging flap on the leading edge of the meat which, when it gets big enough, interferes with the meat entering the blade at the bottom, resulting in non-uniform slice thickness. Unlike Dave's design, my idea might let me solve the problem without having to cover any of the existing bed, and without making any permanent modifications that cannot be undone. I don't think the part needs to run for the entire length of the bed, because the problem is at the leading edge.

_[edit]This was a wrong assumption on my part. I was right that closing the gap only at the front of the moving plate will indeed stop the flap from forming, but only if the meat is long enough so that the leading edge of the meat is over or beyond my part. A more universal solution (discussed below) will be to extend this prototype for the entire length of the tray. [end edit]_

I've Photoshopped what it would look like and have attached my proposed design below. There is a ton of space for the clip to fasten to the edge without interfering with the white nylon sliders underneath. It could be removed for cleaning.








I'll post again once I have this designed and printed.


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## johnmeyer (Mar 27, 2019)

_[edit]This post sounds like I am starting all over again because the moderators did not move to this thread some of the responses to the original version of what I wrote above. However, I wrote it the way it stands because I was responding to those people. I have not altered it.[end edit]_

I am an engineer and I really appreciate it when someone invents something new, which Dave Omak has done. Having been a part of countless design teams, we always try to work collaboratively to improve on each other's ideas. In this case, I think Dave identified and fixed a key flaw in the Chef's Choice design, but I want to create something simpler, which won't require adhesive, which won't introduce any potential cleaning issues, and which can easily be removed in order to get you back to your stock slicer.

Below is a 3D sketch of a prototype part I am proposing that might provide the same benefit. If it works as intended, it could be removed for cleaning, just like the part on the other side of the blade that helps push the sliced meat away from the blade, which you have to remove and clean after each use. The challenge with my design will be keeping it from getting pushed downward during operation, yet still be removable for cleaning. I could add a tail that would fit under the white nylon sliders, but if I did that you'd have to unscrew that one slider to fit the tail underneath, and that would make this add-on part semi-permanent.

I'll print it out and see how it works.


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## solman (Mar 27, 2019)

johnmeyer said:


> I'll post again once I have this designed and printed.



if your little gadget is removable and helps to eliminate the tail on room temperature meats, i'd buy one!


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## johnmeyer (Mar 27, 2019)

solman said:


> if your little gadget is removable and helps to eliminate the tail on room temperature meats, i'd buy one!


Well, that's exactly what I'm trying to do. Because the flap is the bane of this design, I'd expect every person who owns one of these slicers would want one. I don't think I'd sell it because, like some of the SFM forum operators who don't want to sell rubs (as one example), I worry about liability. However, I'll certainly make the design available,_ if it works _(it may not).

My first prototype fits perfectly and should stay in place, but I printed it backwards (I'm an idiot) so I can't fully test it. The second one will be finished in a few minutes (3D printing is amazing) and I'll try it for slicing some ham.

What I don't know yet is whether only closing the gap at the front of the bed will stop the flap from forming, or whether you need to close the gap along the entire length of the bed, which is what Dave's design does. The flap only forms at the leading edge, so I'm hoping my little clip will do the job.

As for being able to get thinner slices, I guess I was somewhat negative in my initial response to Dave's great OP when I wondered whether closing the gap would make any improvement in how thin a slice you can get. I just spent a few minutes studying my model 615's slicing adjustment mechanism, and while I think Dave's design should completely eliminate the flap problem, I'm not sure *any *design is going to overcome the problems inherent in the under-designed Chef's Choice slicer control (I don't think anyone will ever get deli _pancetta _using a 615). If you press on the vertical piece of metal controlled by the slicer thickness dial, it flexes quite a bit with only moderate pressure, and also has a lot of back and forth slop because of the wide tolerance of how the metal bar fits inside of the nylon groove inside of the control knob. Given that, once you get down to really thin slices, the only way I think you can get true, consistent deli thickness is by using quite a bit of skill to keep from flexing this assembly too much while pushing the meat through the slicer.

I'll report back once my part is printed.


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## johnmeyer (Mar 27, 2019)

Progress.

It took a couple of hours and several prototype prints, but I got a version of my design that fits pretty well (the bed is not even close to square, and I'm not going to try to warp my part to fit).

I tried it out just now by doing 35 slices of ham for sandwiches tonight. I sliced them as thin as I could (click on any picture to get a larger version):






When I was finished, I turned over the remaining ham and there was absolutely no flap on the leading edge, and a very small flap on the trailing edge:







I am not quite ready to declare this a success because ham doesn't have as much of a flap problem as does most beef products. I'll have to see how this works with beef, like a tri-tip. I don't think it made any difference in how thin I was able to slice, but I already covered that in an earlier post.

Finally, for those who might not quite understand what I did, here are a few pictures:


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## solman (Mar 27, 2019)

johnmeyer said:


> Progress.



does the piece of meat have to extend up to or past that corner of the tray in order for your part to work?


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## johnmeyer (Mar 27, 2019)

solman said:


> does the piece of meat have to extend up to or past that corner of the tray in order for your part to work?


Good point. Yes it does.

Now that I've proved out the basic concept, the next step will be to design and print out one that goes the entire length of the bed. There is plenty of room on the trailing edge to fit another clip so that the part is supported on both ends.

P.S. I uploaded this design to the 3D printing share site called Thingiverse:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3522779


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## indaswamp (Mar 27, 2019)

This picture...






I thought it was a carving of a pig facing to the right....at first...


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## old sarge (Mar 27, 2019)

indaswamp said:


> This picture...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



You saw that as well?  Good to know I was not alone on the image.


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## johnmeyer (Mar 28, 2019)

indaswamp said:


> This picture...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


OMG, you're right. That is too weird.

BTW, everyone should give Dave points for this idea. My different approach to closing the gap clearly showed, at least to me, that his idea can stop the "flap" from forming. Without that flap disrupting the distance between the meat and the blade, I found this afternoon that you can get much more consistent thickness from slice to slice. I don't think you can achieve slices that are any thinner, but whatever size you can get, you will be able to sustain that thickness without getting half slices when the meat gets pushed away from the blade by the flap.

Also, Dave's approach will work for any size, whereas my prototype only works with large cuts. Making the larger version of my prototype should, in theory, work for any size piece of meat, and be as universal as Dave's design, but without having to alter that main platen, and without having to permanently adhere something to that platen which can never be removed.

I wonder if there is a way to hold down Dave's aluminum without using permanent adhesive?

However, doing the extra work to take my proof-of-concept prototype to the final state is more work than I want to do today. Hopefully, I'll get some time in the next week or two to finish it off. It really does work; it is dirt easy to attach and remove; and it leaves your slicer intact. I think this last point is really important because there has got to be some hidden reason why the designers at Chef's Choice left such a big gap. They've been selling these for a long time and therefore could have easily changed this part of the design a long time ago. I suspect it may have to do with things like small bones getting jammed if the gap is too small. If this turns out to be a big problem, with my design you can just pop off my "flap killer", and you'll immediately be back to your stock slicer.


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## indaswamp (Mar 28, 2019)

johnmeyer said:


> OMG, you're right. That is too weird.


Would make a great Avatar pic......


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## johnmeyer (Mar 28, 2019)

indaswamp said:


> Would make a great Avatar pic......


My avatar is already weird enough.


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## Co4ch D4ve (Mar 29, 2019)

I look forward to seeing the full length version. Thanks to Dave and you for the insight into solving this problem. I will definitely print one with the info you provide!  Like to you and Dave!


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## rob g (Mar 29, 2019)

John,
What keeps your clip from being pushed off due to the down pressure of the meat when the blade is cutting ? Purely press fit?


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## johnmeyer (Mar 29, 2019)

rob g said:


> John,
> What keeps your clip from being pushed off due to the down pressure of the meat when the blade is cutting ? Purely press fit?


Yes, but it's a little more. In my first two posts you'll see that I was worried about the exact point you're asking about.

My solution?

If you look closely at my pictures you'll see that the part is about 0.5mm short of being flush with the top of the tray at the edge.







This keeps most of the pressure from the downward cutting force of the blade from being focused on my part, yet still lets my part support the meat enough so it doesn't move un-cut down into the groove and develop a flap. Also, the 3D printer lets me print with absolutely amazing tolerances, so it is a tight fit. Finally, something I hadn't counted on, and this may not be true of every unit out there, but on mine, the two black inner walls on the slicer tray are corrugated slightly instead of being smooth like the top side. The provides additional grip.

When I get around to designing and printing the full-length part I may have a tougher time keeping it from moving down because it will only be supported at the two ends. Even if the two ends don't move the middle might flex, although the PLA plastic I'm using is known for being rigid, and the shape of the part will make it quite stiff in the up/down direction.

I do have an ace in the hole: if your concern turns out to actually be a problem I can add a shoulder to the part that will fit under the nylon runner. I'll have to undo four screws that hold that runner in place in order to insert that flap. If I have to do that, it will negate what I hoped would be a big advantage of my approach, namely quick removal for cleaning.

I won't know until I've built the part and tried it. I think I can make it work simply by first making it non-square so that it fits the crazy geometry of the sliding bed, and then extend it the length of the slicer. If it wasn't for the non-square issue, I could design the big version in less than ten minutes. Like carpentry: square is easy; fitting into an existing non-square space is not.


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## rob g (Mar 29, 2019)

Now that I've seen these mod threads it got me thinking of modifying my 615. I don't have a 3D printer but im thinking of adding a plastic tray over the slide tray. I'm thinking of machining a step out of the center so it doesn't move around. A clamp along the edge catching underneath would secure it plus make it removable for cleaning. When i get a chance I'll model up my ideas


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## johnmeyer (Mar 29, 2019)

rob g said:


> Now that I've seen these mod threads it got me thinking of modifying my 615. I don't have a 3D printer but im thinking of adding a plastic tray over the slide tray. I'm thinking of machining a step out of the center so it doesn't move around. A clamp along the edge catching underneath would secure it plus make it removable for cleaning. When i get a chance I'll model up my ideas


You might actually have the best idea yet. If I understand your idea, it would just be a flat piece of plastic, covering the entire tray (just like Dave's aluminum), but with flaps on three sides, like the top of a shoebox with one flap removed. You could easily hold this in place with nothing more than some clips, like those you use to hold a big ream of paper.

The only issue is how do you fabricate it using plastic? Glue it?

BTW, you got me thinking about a few things so I pulled out my slicer. First, my part actually can't go down much because it is only a fraction of a millimeter above the groove and therefore gets pushed back into place every time the carriage returns. The same will be true of the big part. Also, it will be trivial to add a small flap that slides under the nylon part without having to remove it, if this really becomes a problem.That would completely eliminate any downward movement. 

It sure is neat to have other people suggest ideas and challenge one's thinking. Thank you!!


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## indaswamp (Mar 30, 2019)

I sliced my BBB tonight and what I have found is that if the slabs are cold enough there is no flap formation. The meat is rigid enough to prevent it and you can run through the slices fast without having to flip the slab. About 3.5~4 hours in the freezer was perfect.


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## rob g (Mar 30, 2019)

indaswamp said:


> I sliced my BBB tonight and what I have found is that if the slabs are cold enough there is no flap formation. The meat is rigid enough to prevent it and you can run through the slices fast without having to flip the slab. About 3.5~4 hours in the freezer was perfect.


I find 4 hours in the freezer makes the bacon slicable as well. But I'd still like to fix the root cause. From what I've seen here it seems like a simple fix.


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## johnmeyer (Mar 30, 2019)

Yes near-frozen meat is the easier solution to this problem, and even without a slicer with the flap problem, it is a better way to slice meat. However, sometimes that isn't an option. For instance, I always keep some ham in the fridge because we put it into lots of things. I don't want to have to keep almost freezing and then unfreezing it because multiple freezing degrades it. Also, when the tri-tip comes off the rotisserie, I don't want to wait a couple of hours before I can have a sandwich.


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## smokingohiobutcher (Mar 30, 2019)

Sooo What kind of 3D printer do you have?


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## johnmeyer (Mar 30, 2019)

smokingohiobutcher said:


> Sooo What kind of 3D printer do you have?


Ender-3 Pro. My son gave it to me for Christmas. The non-pro version, which is almost identical, is under $200. It absolutely amazing what you can do with it. I've repaired dozens of things that have broken parts, including a broken knob on my old Wollensak tape recorder which my dad bought for the family back in 1960. That knob has been broken since 1970.

Here's a link to some of the things I've printed:

https://www.thingiverse.com/johnmeyer/designs

I'm a total noob, and had to teach myself how to use a CAD program. My designs are grade-school stuff, but despite that are really useful.


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## old sarge (Mar 31, 2019)

Thanks for the link.  Nice work.


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## pc farmer (Mar 31, 2019)

Wow.   I need to learn this printer stuff.


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## rob g (Mar 31, 2019)

johnmeyer said:


> Ender-3 Pro. My son gave it to me for Christmas. The non-pro version, which is almost identical, is under $200. It absolutely amazing what you can do with it. I've repaired dozens of things that have broken parts, including a broken knob on my old Wollensak tape recorder which my dad bought for the family back in 1960. That knob has been broken since 1970.
> Here's a link to some of the things I've printed:
> 
> https://www.thingiverse.com/johnmeyer/designs
> ...



If you need a hand modelling stuff let me know. I would just need a sketch with dimensions. I do machine design for a living and use Solidworks.


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## indaswamp (Mar 31, 2019)

johnmeyer said:


> Yes near-frozen meat is the easier solution to this problem, and even without a slicer with the flap problem, it is a better way to slice meat. However, sometimes that isn't an option. For instance, I always keep some ham in the fridge because we put it into lots of things. I don't want to have to keep almost freezing and then unfreezing it because multiple freezing degrades it. Also, when the tri-tip comes off the rotisserie, I don't want to wait a couple of hours before I can have a sandwich.


Gotcha.... very true.


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## johnmeyer (Apr 1, 2019)

rob g said:


> If you need a hand modelling stuff let me know. I would just need a sketch with dimensions. I do machine design for a living and use Solidworks.


That's mighty nice of you. I wish you were closer so I could look over your shoulder. I've had to figure this out without any help, and it has been a challenge at times.

The biggest challenge was learning the CAD program I chose, Fusion 360. Even though I've spent a lifetime in the computer business and was around when we were designing the first drawing programs, the Fusion UI is like nothing I've ever used before and it took me several eight-hour days of watching videos and following tutorials before I could do useful things. My designs are crude, but functional.

This flap part is trivial, but I got sidetracked with other things and haven't had the time to deal with the 3-5 degree non-square angle that comes into play when the part gets extended for the entire length of the bed. I think I'll start the design from scratch and only have the clip fasten on the inside and outside edge that is parallel to the blade, and eliminate the end piece. This takes the angle out of the equation. Since I will have a clip on each end of the part, I think I'll have enough grip to support it. Actually, if you look at the 615 slicer bed, there are all sorts of options to fasten the part, and various ways to improve grip, should I have any issues with it moving out of place during use. I think that simply having it be 0.5 mm below the main bed is all that is required to remove most downward pressure, so I think the simpler version should work.

By making it simpler, I think it will only take twenty minutes to sketch. However, it will be a much bigger part so even at prototype resolution it will take 2-3 hours to print instead of twenty minutes.


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## solman (Apr 2, 2019)

i had some pork belly in the freezer for 4 hours to slice them into bacon, and i was still getting the tail or flap. it was so annoying. that gap is so big it baffles me why the manufacturer made it that way. it's great that you guys are coming up with potential solutions.


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## johnmeyer (Apr 2, 2019)

solman said:


> ... that gap is so big it baffles me why the manufacturer made it that way.


I wondered the same thing, and speculated earlier in this thread that it may be to keep things from getting wedged into a tiny gap, especially given the relatively weak motor (compared to a Hobart commercial slicer). Anything that gets wedged could cause a stall, and you only have a few seconds to kill the motor once that happens, or you burn out the motor.

They've been selling this basic design for years, must know about the problem, and could have easily re-engineered this. The fact that they didn't means that there probably is a reason for having that "too large" gap. We'll find out.

It is this line of reasoning that leads me to believe that any solution has got to be easily reversible, back to the original design so that when cutting something with gristle or bones -- or whatever might cause a problem when there is less gap -- you can switch back to the big gap and get the job done.

With my prototype part, it takes less than ten seconds to slide the bed off, push the part off, put the bed back on the slicer, and resume slicing.


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## johnmeyer (Apr 2, 2019)

Making progress (click on picture to make it bigger):







Changes from prototype:

1. The part is now the full length of bed, so it will stop the flap for any sized piece of meat, and should keep the flap on the trailing edge from developing.

2. I removed the outside wall on front of my part (far left in the picture above) so I don't have to deal with the non-square bed end. That will slightly reduce the surface area to which the part will grip, so I added #3, below.

3. I added little "nibs" on inside of each clip, designed to "pop" under the end of the nylon runner, in order to even more securely fasten the part in place. In the closeup below, the nib is that little bump in the far right of the upper part of the clip.






I'm sure I'll have to tweak a few things after I print rev. 1 (like the size of the nibs), but based on the success of the little clip I made late last week that only fit over the front of the bed, I have high hopes that this will work. I don't know yet if the part will flex in the middle, where it is not supported, and even if it does, whether that will interfere with its function.

More to come ...


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## rob g (Apr 2, 2019)

I had a look under my slide table and the screws holding the plastic way are pretty fine. If they are screwed into a plastic boss I'm not sure I would want to remove them. Drilling a small hole into the upper part of the side of the slide table would give you a place for a small clip to catch in to


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## johnmeyer (Apr 2, 2019)

rob g said:


> I had a look under my slide table and the screws holding the plastic way are pretty fine. If they are screwed into a plastic boss I'm not sure I would want to remove them. Drilling a small hole into the upper part of the side of the slide table would give you a place for a small clip to catch in to


I totally agree: I do not want to remove those screws. So the idea is to add nibs that are small enough that they can go over the end of the white nylon slider, relying on the flex in my plastic part, but large enough that once they are on the top side of that nylon, they'll resist downward pressure and help keep the part in place. 

Because the bottom of the part is only about 0.5 mm above the groove in the slicer (that groove between the bed and the blade where all the drippings and meat tidbits collect), I think that may be sufficient to keep the part in place, but I thought I'd have a go at adding this feature, just to see what happens.

The first attempt at this part should be finished printing in five minutes.


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## johnmeyer (Apr 2, 2019)

OK, the nibs were a total failure. I had to file them off. I'll need to make a few adjustments because the height of the inside walls on the two clips is wrong. I also may make the clips a little tighter. Other than that, it looks like is is going to work just fine. See pictures below (click on any picture to make it larger).


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## old sarge (Apr 2, 2019)

Looking good.  As for the gap, I cannot speak authoritatively on the CC since I have not had it long but on the Rival, over time the slide tray developed some play due to wear of the plastic and it was not uncommon for it to hit the blade if I was forcing something thru the slicer.  So the gap might be there to prevent that from happening.  That is my guess.


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## johnmeyer (Apr 3, 2019)

old sarge said:


> Looking good.  As for the gap, I cannot speak authoritatively on the CC since I have not had it long but on the Rival, over time the slide tray developed some play due to wear of the plastic and it was not uncommon for it to hit the blade if I was forcing something thru the slicer.  So the gap might be there to prevent that from happening.  That is my guess.


That's probably a very good guess. I don't know the Rival slicer, but this popular 615 model, which I think is great for the price, will win no awards for heavy duty build quality and, more importantly, for tolerances. There is a lot of play in almost every part.


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## ponzLL (May 8, 2019)

Fun thread to read, thanks! I'm a fellow 3d printing enthusiast and have a bunch of things I've designed and printed for other hobbies of mine. That's what it's all about!


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## johnmeyer (May 8, 2019)

> I'm a fellow 3d printing enthusiast and have a bunch of things I've designed and printed for other hobbies of mine.



What printer do you have, and how long have you been using it?

I did finally "perfect" the design, and my latest version can be found on the Thingiverse link I gave earlier in the thread.

I'm about to slice a lot of turkey breast for club sandwiches which will be tonight's dinner (along with some bacon). I'm really looking forward to using this tonight.


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## ponzLL (May 8, 2019)

I have a pair of fully modded out Maker Select V2's. I've had one for 2 years and one for a few months. I also use SLA machines and more industrial 3d printers at work.


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## johnmeyer (May 8, 2019)

ponzLL said:


> I have a pair of fully modded out Maker Select V2's. I've had one for 2 years and one for a few months. I also use SLA machines and more industrial 3d printers at work.


Your _Maker Select_ looks somewhat similar to my Ender-3 Pro.

Have you printed any of your own designs on both the Maker Select and also the SLA machines at work? I'm curious about how much better the SLA prints turn out. I love my Ender-3 (it was a gift from my son), and find myself printing out a LOT of parts (I print mostly functional parts, like this "flap killer"), but even though I am incredibly happy with the results, I would love a printer that could give me smoother surfaces; would let me print with at least PETG or, better yet, nylon; would let me print with flexible filament; and would print a little faster (I keep mine going slow in order to get the best results).

As for my flap killer, I just sliced 9 oz. of turkey for the dinner tonight, and it worked perfectly. The clip was just a little loose, so when I was finished I put it under hot water from my instant hot water dispenser (near boiling) and then closed up the clip a bit. It now fits much more tightly.

I am so glad I designed this in a way that doesn't permanently alter or mess up the slicer. I can always go back if something isn't working because of my modification.

I also used the shim I created which fits under the thickness control and keeps it from creeping. Between the flap killer and shim, the slicer has a much more professional feel, and easily creates "deli slices" that are pretty much indistinguishable from what you'd get from an actual deli.


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## ponzLL (May 8, 2019)

SLA and FDM printing are wildly different. Parts on an SLA machine can end up with completely smooth surfaces and virtually no visible layer lines because they can get down to insanely high resolution. The issue with SLA is that the parts are usually pretty brittle, and the resin is expensive. I have printed the same parts on both on occasion and the SLA always wins over my printer, visually. 

That said, both our printers are capable of almost perfectly matching prints from some of the higher end printers, but they require tweaked slicer settings and mods to stabilize the frame, tweaked jerk and acceleration settings, proper calibration of your extruder, tweaked belt tension, perfectly trammed frame, and things like that. 

That was a good idea heating it up to get a better fit!


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## johnmeyer (May 9, 2019)

ponzLL said:


> SLA and FDM printing are wildly different. Parts on an SLA machine can end up with completely smooth surfaces and virtually no visible layer lines because they can get down to insanely high resolution. The issue with SLA is that the parts are usually pretty brittle, and the resin is expensive. I have printed the same parts on both on occasion and the SLA always wins over my printer, visually.
> 
> That said, both our printers are capable of almost perfectly matching prints from some of the higher end printers, but they require tweaked slicer settings and mods to stabilize the frame, tweaked jerk and acceleration settings, proper calibration of your extruder, tweaked belt tension, perfectly trammed frame, and things like that.
> 
> That was a good idea heating it up to get a better fit!


I don't print decorative items, but only do functional parts, so if SLA isn't as strong, then I wouldn't be inetested.

I taught myself Fusion 360 (a major struggle, at my age, but I finally "got it") and have designed all sorts of stupid parts for fixing things around the house, including some items that have been partially broken since the 1970s. Here's a link to some of the parts I've designed:

https://www.thingiverse.com/johnmeyer/designs


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## ponzLL (May 9, 2019)

Heck yeah I browsed your stuff earlier, pretty impressive designs, you've done really well with Fusion 360! I know a lot of people try that out and get overwhelmed and quit learning. I've never personally used it but I hear a lot of good things about how powerful it is. 

Thought it was really funny that you had a mod of the airpod keychain thing, but I also remixed it a while back. Weird coincidence! Here's mine! I have a lot of other stuff I no longer put on there or took off because people kept ignoring my licences and selling the prints, competing with my sales lol

https://www.thingiverse.com/PonzLL/designs


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## johnmeyer (May 9, 2019)

ponzLL said:


> Heck yeah I browsed your stuff earlier, pretty impressive designs, you've done really well with Fusion 360! I know a lot of people try that out and get overwhelmed and quit learning. I've never personally used it but I hear a lot of good things about how powerful it is.
> 
> Thought it was really funny that you had a mod of the airpod keychain thing, but I also remixed it a while back. Weird coincidence! Here's mine! I have a lot of other stuff I no longer put on there or took off because people kept ignoring my licences and selling the prints, competing with my sales lol
> 
> https://www.thingiverse.com/PonzLL/designs


I don't own these and instead did the design for my daughter's father-in-law. I didn't know there was a reset button on the outside. Yikes! I'd better re-do my design.

Interesting drain rack for all your aquarium test kit vials. When I used to keep fish, I just stuffed them back in their box, with the bottles. They did get a little crusty over time.


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## ponzLL (May 9, 2019)

I actually have a bunch of different types of aquarium stuff I sell elsewhere, drains, storage racks, testing stations, plant holders, gravel vac stuff. Basically anything I thought would make my life easier I designed. Pays for all my other hobbies! You should consider doing the same, you clearly have the skills to design whatever you can imagine!


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## johnmeyer (May 9, 2019)

ponzLL said:


> I actually have a bunch of different types of aquarium stuff I sell elsewhere, drains, storage racks, testing stations, plant holders, gravel vac stuff. Basically anything I thought would make my life easier I designed. Pays for all my other hobbies! You should consider doing the same, you clearly have the skills to design whatever you can imagine!


I had as many as four aquariums when I was young. All freshwater. I still have one that I got back in 1965. I resurrected it twenty-five years ago when the kids were young, but they never had any interest in it, and didn't want to come close to it when it was time to clean it. 

Perhaps, as I approach my dotage, I'll get it back out and start over again.


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## johnmeyer (Jul 17, 2019)

After almost eighteen iterations, I finally have a part which works exactly as I'd hoped. Here's a link to the 3D print and description:

"Flap Killer"

Several people asked if the part would stay in place based only on friction, and while it initially did, it eventually would start to come loose. I originally tried to solve this by adding two "nibs" that fit under the nylon runner, but couldn't install the part. After having the part come loose, I re-visted this idea, but only put a nib on one side. This solved the problem.

Yesterday I sliced a ham into dozens of paper-thin slices and did not get any flap whatsoever, and did not have to re-seat the part. Also, using a shim which I 3D printed, which fits under the knob, I no longer have to keep re-adjusting the slice thickness, another weakness of the Chef's Choice design.

The slicer now works perfectly.

Oh yes, I purchased some PETG filament, so the part is now made out of the same plastic used for water bottles and therefore totally food safe.


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## old sarge (Jul 17, 2019)

Well done sir.


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## 6GRILLZNTN (Jul 17, 2019)

johnmeyer said:


> After almost eighteen iterations, I finally have a part which works exactly as I'd hoped. Here's a link to the 3D print and description:
> 
> "Flap Killer"
> 
> ...



Hey John, that's pretty damn slick.  Flap has been my biggest complaint with my slicer.  Let me know if you ever decide to make, and sell these.


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## old sarge (Jul 17, 2019)

It's not on Amazon yet


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## ponzLL (Jul 18, 2019)

Nice work! The reason 3d printed objects aren't considered food safe regardless of the plastic used is because the small gaps between layers trap bacteria and bits of food and can't be cleaned properly. 

That said, I still use my own printed parts for food contact at times as well. Hasn't killed me yet!


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## johnmeyer (Jul 18, 2019)

ponzLL said:


> Nice work! The reason 3d printed objects aren't considered food safe regardless of the plastic used is because the small gaps between layers trap bacteria and bits of food and can't be cleaned properly.
> 
> That said, I still use my own printed parts for food contact at times as well. Hasn't killed me yet!


Yeah, I read about the "gap" problem. When I switched to PETG I did get underextrusion until I calibrated my printer for the new material, and that underextrusion meant that the lines between layers were a little larger. With either this problem, or with the wrong slicer settings, you can get pretty lousy adhesion between layers, and I can see how stuff could get in there. However, with a proper print and strong layers, I think that is pretty unlikely to cause a problem, and is really no different than gaps and holes in plastic parts created with injection molding or other conventional methods.

I too am not worried.


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## bregent (Oct 1, 2019)

In case anyone else wants one of these, you can have John's design printed from one of the print vendors linked to Thingiverse. I used Print A Thing.  The total item cost was $15, which breaks down to $5 for the item, $5 for setup, and $5 for shipping. The item was delivered 5 days after ordering. The entire ordering process is super easy. 

Unfortunately for me, I have a model 630 slicer, which has a different sled than the 615, so the part won't work for me. If anyone wants the one I have, and wants to pay for shipping + a few $$ let me know. I had it printed in PLA Clear.


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## Ariene (Nov 19, 2020)

Wow. I thought that the 3D printer makes some small details. But I didn't think they made such big details. I thought 3D printers couldn't do that. Why didn't anyone tell me this before?


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