3D printing the viewer

All the components for the thin section viewer can easily be printed on an entry level 3D printer. Three of the components require supports: the two ‘follow brackets’ and the ‘main drive bracket’.

Although is my first foray into 3D printing, if you run into any problems printing the parts, I might be able to help you troubleshoot them.

Download the .STL files

Here are all the 3D printed parts you will need to build the slide viewer.

Ring gear (x2)

Ring gear (x2)

Turn gear

Turn gear

Main drive bracket

Main drive bracket

Main drive gear

Main drive gear

Follow bracket (x2)

Follow bracket (x2)

Follow gear (x2)

Follow gear (x2)

Central follow gear holder (x2)

Central follow gear holder (x2)

Central follow gear

Central follow gear

Support post (x2)

Support post (x2)

Connector post (x2)

Connector post (2)

Polariser ring (x2)

Polariser ring (x2)

Grub screw (x2)

Grub screw (x2)

In addition to these parts, you will also find 2 tools, a drive gear with a hex bit hole and a template to cut out the polarisers:

Image 1

Hex drive gear

Image 2

Polariser template

Once you’ve printed everything, all that remains is to assemble the viewer!