No Support Kobold D-Ring and Belt Hook

This is superficially accurate Kobold D-ring for ESB Luke or ROTJ Vader lightsabers. I designed it to not require supports and mount better to a flat surface, unlike the real Kobold design which has a curved mounting surface and unsupported top edges.

I cut about 4.25mm out of the ends of the D-ring to give it the correct look, then paused the print about .4mm from the end of the D-ring hole, snapped the ring in place, then finished the print. Flexing the D-ring to fit into the hole after printing might work too, but this seemed easier to me. A printed D-ring would be much easier to slip on after, but I'd be worried about it being strong enough to not break or pull free.

I also made a hanger. If you want it really wide with the hook in the middle, I also made a "hanger edge" that doesn't have a hook. After using it for a while, I realized that the lightsaber needs to hang on the left side, where my belt has the trailing edge (this is for Halloween, not 501st, so I'm not making a new belt). I've therefore uploaded a new double gap hanger. While I was doing that I also made a double gap hanger with 3mm bolt hole and a side piece with same. I don't know how much that will wreck the strength of the hanger. If it breaks on you, let me know and I'll make a stronger one.

Print Settings

Printer:

Folger Tech Kossel revB

Rafts:

Doesn't Matter

Supports:

No

Resolution:

0.2mm

Infill:

It's not that big. 4 perimeters is basically solid.

Notes:

With Simplify3D I printed the first part to 4.6mm, snapped in the ring, then finished the print. Your settings may work better with a different number. Basically I did it at the point where there were only 2 more 0.2mm layers to print, then the top. This kept my nozzle from colliding with the ring, but I also have more than a 0.5mm hop on my prints. Without that hop the first layer would probably strike the ring. It took some force to snap it into the groove, but not so much that it damaged the print.

The hanger prints on its side so each layer is the same as every other.

How I Designed This

1. Find a schematic of questionable value.

Using a schematic that I have no specific knowledge of the accuracy I did a model that would hold a 3mm diameter D-ring (1-1/8 inch Zinc Plated) from a home improvement store.

The schematic is - I believe - from someone going by the name "Darth Saber" arrived at via therpf.com forum. I'm not trying to besmirch his honor by saying they are of questionable value; I just don't know how many of the numbers are extrapolations and guesses. So I'm taking them at face value because I'm certainly not finding better numbers anywhere else after hours of searching.

7mm channel in the top down view, 14mm outside edge, 30mm long, 6mm high.

Screw heads of 5mm.

D-Ring 3mm diameter (check) and overall length of 26 (off by only a 4 mm, so not bad).

2. Take the numbers you can and make up what you don't know.

Bottom layer of the mount is 2mm thick. Middle section is 3mm high to accommodate the 3mm ring. Top layer is 1mm thick (for a total of 6mm high). Cut a 3.1mm hole in the side (which means it grazes the top and bottom layers a little - I hadn't thought it through perfectly when I started).

Two screw holes are 8mm apart, center to center. First screw hole center is 6mm from the edge. It looked about right, so I went for it. The actual holes are 4mm in diameter, with a 5mm countersink cutout at the top. I beveled the edge from the 5mm cutout down to the 4mm one because I thought it would help the screws sit correctly. Mostly I thought it looked better.

3. Supports are for suckers. Or: Holding the lightsaber is better than dropping it on the ground.

The strongest way to print it is probably on the side (D-ring holes vertical) but that would need lost of support and would prevent printing the D-ring into position. Next best is on the back, but the normal clip would require supports all along the length to hold up the lip. Rather than go on to printing it on the front where it would require no supports but be weak on all holes, I just fudged it until version 2 worked.

Added a bevel from the floor to the rim to allow for a gradual supported overhang. It looks the same from the top as the correct version, but isn't. Bonus side effect: more plastic holding the top layers on the bottom layers, meaning less chance of the D-ring pulling the top off the clip.

4. Supports are still for suckers.

The only belt hanger I found involved supports - a large belt clip part, and a small round, centered hook.

I made a new one that is only 12mm wide so it fits inside the D-ring perfectly. Print it on its side, and it just prints the same layer over and over until it is done. If you want one that is thicker (16mm would still fit the D-ring admirably) just scale the Z. If you want one that is way thicker, print two hanger edges, one hanger, then glue them together so you have one hook in the center. It's designed for a 5mm thick and 36mm tall belt. Beveled inside edges to keep from damaging the belt and add a tiny bit of strength. Top and bottom edges are flat to allow for chaining and secure printing, so maybe file them down a little to round them off.

Category: Props