3D printing follow focus gears

A

aly324

Well-known member
Partly for fun and convenience and partly to save money, I'm looking into 3D-printing my own focus gears. I can't imagine I'm the first to want to do this. Has anyone done this with advice to share? I am looking into using Google Sketchup. Some UPS stores now have 3D printers...

There're a lot of tutorials online, like
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fho686viZZ8
 
Go for it. But beware of the one issue that seems to be hitting everyone so far - the sun's heat.
What's happening is the gears are expanding and getting loose when the get heated up by being out in the sun on daytime shoots.

I don't know if anyone has a good solution for this yet without just using some kind if a shim.
 
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One guy sells them on eBay. From what I understand, there are two issues.

#1 making sure you get the diameter small enough to not slip when it gets in the sun.

#2 is layer delamination and fill.

Should be able to print them smaller and then heat and shrink on the lens like cut gears.
 
DPStewart said:
Go for it. But beware of the one issue that seems to be hitting everyone so far - the suns heat.
what's happening is the gears are expending and getting loose when the get heated up by being out in the sun on daytime shoots.

I don't know if anyone has a good solution for this yet without just using some kind if a shim.
Click to expand...
i brushed a thin coat of liquid electrical tape on the inside of my gear rings and that rubbery layer grips the lens much better. they don't slip in the sun anymore.

Greg_E said:
One guy sells them on eBay. From what I understand, there are two issues.

#1 making sure you get the diameter small enough to not slip when it gets in the sun.

#2 is layer delamination and fill.

Should be able to print them smaller and then heat and shrink on the lens like cut gears.
Click to expand...

I have about six gears from "Helicopter Sean". On my lenses that have a rubber focus ring, they have been perfect in all kinds of weather. I have one lens that had an all metal body and was able to reduce slippage to nothing with the solution described above. Also, Sean is awesome and deserves our business. One of the rings I bought from him for a Tokina 11-16 felt a little loose and he sent me a newly modified, tighter version the next morning. He's also done some custom rings for my anamorphic lenses after I sent him measurements.
 
Thanks guys. I also have bought some FF gears from Helicopter Sean. But I want to be able to experiment and customize the gears more precisely. Also it just seems kind of a fun DIY project.

Zak: good tip about the liquid tape.

One time installating a gear from Sean I was careless and used so much force that I dislodged the helicoid and had to get the lens fixed. Leitax.com's solution uses a cable tie for tightening, avoiding this issue. Seems to work fine: http://www.leitax.com/conversion/leica/Auto-aperture/index.html
 
If they are so tight you can damage a lens, then you should probably heat them before install.

I just finished two more gears for my lenses, but they are milled not printed. Still haven't bought a printer yet and the ones I could afford probably wouldn't have the resolution needed for good gears.
 
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