Magic: The Gathering Life Counter - Multicolor Dials

Printing Options

• STLs of each part if you prefer to work from a blank file of your own.

• 3mf file that contains ready to go plates of:

  • Each end cap paired

  • Each common central gear & ratchet combo

  • Each dial number in batches to align with the common gear + ratchet combos

  • Plates with the base versions of each part for your own plate making combinations

  • Presets for printing with a 0.4mm nozzle

My Printing Specs

I print with a Flashforge Adventurer 5M, and I use their knockoff version of OrcaSlicer (not their other software that has limited settings). So if you are using OrcaSlicer, 99% of the settings in the 3mf file should transfer fine. If you use the 3mf file, obviously fine tune the settings for your environment, filament, and printer. I want to still share things that I observed while doing my prints. You can take them or leave them.

Universal Settings

• Material: Basic PLA (I use Elegoo)

• Nozzle: 0.4mm

• Layer Height: 0.2mm

Ratchets (aka The Dials)

These settings helped me get the first few layers down cleanly because of thin lines, and to ensure the ratchets were strong. You want the interior ring of the ratchets strong; otherwise, you might break the prongs of the ratchet from pushing them into the center ring when pressing the numbers on.

• First Layer Speed

  • First Layer: 25mm/s

  • First Layer Infill: 40mm/s

  • First Layer Travel Speed: 50%

  • Number of Slow Layers: 4

• Wall Loops: 3

• Sparse Infill Density: 20%

• Sparse Infill Pattern: Rectilinear

• Supports: Yes (to support all the prongs that the dial numbers clip onto)

• Support Type: Normal, Snug

End Caps / Dividers

Nothing special here. You could play around with these. You could try printing the divider standing upright, but you might have to print supports in all the open gaps.

• Sparse Infill Density: 10%

• Sparse Infill Pattern: Adaptive Cubic (or whatever)

• Supports: Yes (End Caps: central gap where the gear goes // Dividers: the side of the divider floating)

• Support Type: Normal, Snug

Dial Numbers

Nothing special here. Whatever you do, make sure supports are off. If they are on, you will fill in the cavity that allows these to clip to the ratchets (the dials). I adjusted the first layer speed a bit because the print is small.

• First Layer Speed

  • First Layer: 40mm/s

• Sparse Infill Density: 10%

• Supports: No

Central Gears

You want these to be strong so they can survive lots of rotations. If you are having a hard time fitting the end caps onto these, you can always scale down the X & Y values proportionally to see if that helps. I would only suggest .1mm to .2mm worth of shrinkage. Any more and it may not hold itself together.

• Wall Loops: 3 at least

• Sparse Infill Density: 20%

• Sparse Infill Pattern: Rectilinear

• Supports: No

Assembly

Parts Needed: (2) End Caps, (1) Central Gear, (X) Ratchets, and (X) Sets of Dial Numbers. Dividers optional.
Assembly is pretty easy. There are also pictures that show the steps in the photo section.

1. Print a pair of end caps, a central gear, and the amount of ratchets and dial numbers needed to load up the central gear you printed. A divider is only needed if you wanted to split up dials on your life counter for other things (opponent health, commander dmg, poison counters, turn count, etc).

2. Press all the dial numbers onto the ratchets in whatever order you want (counting up or down. Heck, even out of order if you really want!) It will require some oomf to snap them on. I recommend pushing the ratchet down on the number (see pictures). NOTE: They will not come off once snapped on, so make sure you get them in the right order!

3. Press the central gear into one of the end caps. It should be snug.

4. Slide the ratchets and dividers on as applicable.

5. Press the last end cap on.

The end caps should be snug enough that they don't slide off easily, but could still come off for future customizing. No glue should be necessary.

Sizing

• End Caps - the hole for the central gear is 7.5mm deep each (15mm paired)

• Ratchets / Dividers - 10mm thick each

Example: If you wanted a life counter with 3 digits, you would need 15mm for the end caps, and then 30mm for the columns of dials. (15+ 30 = 45) You would want to print the 45mm long central gear.
Example: If you wanted a life counter with 2 sets of 3 digits, you would need 15mm for the end caps, and then 60mm for the columns of dials and 10mm for 1 divider. (15 + 60 + 10 = 85) You would want to print the 85mm long central gear.

Thanks

I hope you all enjoy printing them! This is something I made for myself and thought I would share out. I am rather new to 3D printing, and this was my first attempt at mechanical parts. I am sure there could be a cleaner way of doing this, but as someone who has to manually change filament for color changes, this was my solution.