Letterpress Quoin

A Fully 3D Printable Letterpress Quoin

Note: This is a work in progress, first iteration item! Any feedback would be appreciated, but please bear in mind this fact.

A letterpress quoin is a vital part of the printing process, used to lock the pieces of type into place before running through the press.

While not as strong as a steel original, the 3D printed quoin can still function well with wood type, smaller metal type lockups, and 3D printed type.

Printing Instructions:

The quoin is made up of three pieces - the main body, the nut, and the bolt.

The main body has two halves, held together by print-in-place pins. This should be printed at 25% infill at 0.1mm layer resolution, and with no supports. Once printed, the pins may need some freeing up by squeezing the two halves of the quoin together, and then prizing gently apart. Repeat this until the motion is free and easy.

The nut should be printed with the same settings as the main body - 25% infill, 0.1mm layer resolution, no supports. The thread is M8, so should you have access to a thread-cutting tap, this can be used to clean the nut up prior to use to make life easier.

The bolt is the weakest part of this piece, so should be printed vertically at 100% infill, 0.1mm layer resolution, and no supports. Print this with the threads pointing UP (I have tried to invert this before uploading, but it done not seem to have worked)

You will need a special Quoin Key to use this quoin, which can also be downloaded and printed here: https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/146161-letterpress-quoin-key

This quoin has been developed as part of the Press Print Project, a final year university project. See more of the project here: https://www.artsthread.com/portfolios/the-press-print-project/

Print Settings

Printer Brand:

Anycubic

Printer: 

Kossel

Rafts:

Doesn't Matter

Supports: 

No

Resolution:

0.1

Infill: 

25% (except Bolt, 100%)

Post-Printing

The quoin body has print-in-place features. After first printing, these may be stuck, and require some movement to loosen up. Make sure that the halves can move smoothly and cleanly before assembling the nut and bolt into place.

Category: Art Tools