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3-D Plastic Printing New Handles For The Hoffman #7 Steam Radiator Valve

Gordo
Gordo Member Posts: 856
3-D printing in plastic is still largely a solution looking for a problem... for now.
But it seems that for re-creating obsolete parts that make 1920s steam vapor valve restorations complete, its just the ticket!

We're taking orders! How many do you need? Let us know.
(We've also printed out Warren Webster type W valve handles and Kreibel valve handles, too.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjOBBxVKjRw
All Steamed Up, Inc.
"Reducing our country's energy consumption, one system at a time"
Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
Oil & Gas Burner Service
Baltimore, MD (USA) and consulting anywhere.
https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/all-steamed-up-inc

Comments

  • How wonderful, and please tell us about the Voo-Doo doll beside the printer.
    I suspect it is against all steam knuckleheads. Are you boiling it, or using pins?—NBC
  • Gordo
    Gordo Member Posts: 856
    It is a manikin articulated for artists as an aide for drawing. Nothing to do with vodun or "voo-doo" ;-).
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    "Reducing our country's energy consumption, one system at a time"
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Baltimore, MD (USA) and consulting anywhere.
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/all-steamed-up-inc
  • Fantastic!
    New England SteamWorks
    Service, Installation, & Restoration of Steam Heating Systems
    newenglandsteamworks.com
  • Sailah
    Sailah Member Posts: 826
    I love/hate my 3D printer. Right now I'm hating it. It seems they will grow an antipathy towards you with disuse. I fired mine up recently after a few months off and nothing would work right.

    I have about 10 more years before my son is ready to take over IT details at my house!!

    Those handles look cool.
    Peter Owens
    SteamIQ
    Gordo
  • Mike Cascio
    Mike Cascio Member Posts: 143
    The work looks great! Nice to see replacement parts for devices that are over 80 years old.
    Gordo
  • gerry gill
    gerry gill Member Posts: 3,078
    Great job Gordo
    gwgillplumbingandheating.com
    Serving Cleveland's eastern suburbs from Cleveland Heights down to Cuyahoga Falls.

    Gordo
  • Gordo
    Gordo Member Posts: 856
    Thank you all for your comments!

    @Sailah : Ayuh, these things are still too glitchy for prime time. The one shown above, the Luzbot, is reviewed as being the most "plug and play" ready of the current models in its price-point (self-leveling bed, self-cleaning nozzle, etc) and it still fiddly and prone to seemingly random failures on top of the steep learning curve.

    But...

    Oh, the power to make your own stuff that you couldn't before...

    So cool!
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    "Reducing our country's energy consumption, one system at a time"
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Baltimore, MD (USA) and consulting anywhere.
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/all-steamed-up-inc
  • KC_Jones
    KC_Jones Member Posts: 5,722
    The 3D printing technology is evolving rapidly. Company I work for has 4. One is high end roughly $180k yearly service contract proprietary material, but the prints are incredibly accurate. It will also print useable (short term) molds and machine parts for prototyping. It all depends what you want to do and how much you want to spend.

    Some of these companies are basically selling prototypes for customers to test. The competition is fierce and they are trying to get equipment out there. My knowledge is limited, one of my guys is the real expert on our equipment.

    One of ours is primarily used to make "trinkets" for the marketing department because it's so low end compared to the newer ones we have.

    The tech is awesome and the things they can do, even metal. That's our next target is a metal 3D printer. At least a year out until the companies get the tech worked out a little better.
    2014 Weil Mclain EG-40
    EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
    Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
    Gordo
  • Gordo
    Gordo Member Posts: 856
    @KC_Jones : Oh yeah! When the metal 3-D printing comes down to the "tinkerer" level costs, I'll print injection molds for the plastic handles and anything else my tiny brain can think of! ;-)
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    "Reducing our country's energy consumption, one system at a time"
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Baltimore, MD (USA) and consulting anywhere.
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/all-steamed-up-inc
  • Phil53
    Phil53 Member Posts: 73
    Gordo - probably more amazing than 3-D printing is your dedication and passion in helping to preserve these simple, elegant, relatively efficient, and historic heating systems.
    GordoSailah
  • KC_Jones
    KC_Jones Member Posts: 5,722
    The porousity of 3D printing probably precludes it from being used for injection molding. Plus the injection molding machines aren't cheap.

    Better off just getting a better 3 D printer as the prices come down. They are already marketing production machines to use in mass production, just very $$$
    2014 Weil Mclain EG-40
    EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
    Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
  • ratio
    ratio Member Posts: 3,615
    The powdered-metal printers are something to see. I got to watch a herd of machines making jet engine parts. The demo pieces they had laying around were amazing. Tedious to watch after the first few minutes though!
  • Erin Holohan Haskell
    Erin Holohan Haskell Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 2,276
    Phil53 said:

    Gordo - probably more amazing than 3-D printing is your dedication and passion in helping to preserve these simple, elegant, relatively efficient, and historic heating systems.

    Yes! Nice work, @Gordo. Such a clever solution.
    President
    HeatingHelp.com
    Gordo