Modeler needed - pro bono

Discussion in '3D Design Requests' started by 754052_deleted, Apr 21, 2015.

  1. Greetings! I'm looking for assistance creating a mouthpiece for a fife (a primitive flute) using 3-D printing.

    Before we go any further, I need someone who is willing to work pro bono (that is, "for the public good" or "free"). My goal is to supply these at cost as a public service to the music community.

    So, if you're doing this as a hobby, looking for experience, or would be willing to help for only a small return, then please read on. This would be a low turnover item.

    They made pewter mouthpieces in the 19th century called "cheaters" that you could clamp onto a fife (see picture). For many years, there has been only one source for reproduction cheaters in the world, and he has stopped making them. However, as a musician in a fife and drum corps, I have been asked by numerous people where they can get one. I have a pewter one that could be scanned for the 3-D model.

    Thank you for your consideration. If you're interested, I look forward to hearing from you. Adults only, please.

    cheater 2.PNG
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2015
  2. Pedr0Kaz
    Pedr0Kaz Member
    Hey Cjb106, im a good 3d modeller and would be happy to help you make this object.
    In this case im not looking for experience because i have it already, but seemed to me a good project.
    Do you have detailed schematics of this , or good reference pictures with measures, thanks!
    Im 35 years old.
    Also send me an email to pedro.valdrez@gmail.com so we can talk over there.


    Hope to hear from you.
    Best Regards, Pedro

    My Portfolio: http://s222.photobucket.com/user/pedrokas9/library/PortFolio ?sort=3&page=1
    My 3D Printed Parts: http://s222.photobucket.com/user/pedrokas9/library/PortFolio /Printed%20Parts?sort=3&page=1#/user/pedrokas9/library/P ortFolio/Printed%20Parts?sort=3&page=1&_suid=1425601 76384309670283003588652
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2015
  3. Roolz
    Roolz Well-Known Member
    Looks like a fun project.

    However there are some technical (and musical) challenges which might require some trial and error :
    Tightening mechanism: a thread this size will be extremely difficult to obtain directly. You might need to rework the part (i.e. use a tap to form the thread), or use a different tightening system (just add a nut, for example).
    Material: pewter is quite flexible. 3D-printed brass or bronze much less. So it will fit a narrower fife diameter range.
    Surface finish: the inside of the mouthpiece won't be as smooth as the original casted pewter part. The air flow (and sound) might be different.

    Cheers
     
  4. Thanks to all for the many suggestions and offers of assistance!

    Clearly there are a lot of talented, insightful and creative people involved in 3-D printing. I'm working with a modeler now and will keep everyone informed as to our progress.

    I can appreciate how this may be a challenging project, but look forward to seeing the end result.

    If we can pull it off, it will benefit numerous people attempting to learn this instrument, as well as those who may need help playing it, since those are the two groups that typically use this device.


     
  5. Update: I had originally hoped to use this “Open Source” model for designing, creating and procuring the fife mouthpiece, aka “cheater.” The idea was to get 3D modelers to contribute their efforts to this project in return for promoting their expertise, and then make the resulting 3D model available online free of charge to those who wanted to have one made. Those who wanted one could download the 3D model, send it to a third-party 3D printing service like Shapeways and order the mouthpiece for themselves.

    Unfortunately, after more than a year, the “Open Source” approach hasn’t proved to be viable option for several reasons—it was taking too long and proving too expensive on my part to develop a workable prototype. Also, none of the major third-party 3D services could offer a safe and affordable material for something that people would have in their mouths for prolonged periods of time. Although such material is available, most 3D printing services aren’t willing to reconfigure their equipment for one-off orders. As a result, even if a workable model had been developed, which it hasn't, there wasn’t a source for them using safe, inexpensive biocompatible materials, as was the original plan.

    (After considerable research into this area, I would caution anyone who sees any kind of musical instrument mouthpiece made by 3D printing for any instrument to verify that the materials used to create it are "food safe" and "biocompatible" before putting it in your mouth!)


    So, I was faced with a choice—either abandon recreating the mouthpiece altogether or take another approach. Since there is still no source for these mouthpieces, I decided to shut down the “Open Source” project and take a more commercial route. I paid a company to use their industrial-strength 3D scanner to make a 3D model of the mouthpiece. I then paid their in‑house engineer to make the necessary adjustments to the model. After paying for a series of revisions and prototypes, they created a workable 3D model. I then found a 3D printing service that is willing to produce the mouthpiece using food safe, biocompatible material. However, they will not accommodate one-off orders either, so I have to pay a substantial amount to place a bulk order.

    The resulting mouthpiece was not created from work that anyone donated to the “Open Source” project. The mouthpieces will be made from the 3D scan that I paid for and the subsequent 3D model and design work and prototypes that I also had to pay for.

    This has all cost me a lot more than I ever imagined, but in the end, it was the only way to make it happen. Even if I manage to sell the first batch, it won’t begin to recover my investment. Nevertheless, since there is no other source for them, and I had already invested all this time and effort, I wanted to see it through to the end.

    I regret that the "Open Source" approach just wasn’t a viable option for designing and producing the fife mouthpiece, mostly due to its highly specialized design and the unique requirements of the materials required to produce a safe product. However, as a result of my investment in developing a workable 3D model and finding a safe, biocompatible material, there is now a fife mouthpiece available for those who need it.
     
  6. NoahLI
    NoahLI Well-Known Member
    got pics of the end result? What material did you end up using? Seems like this would have worked in silver or brass/bronze print, though not very cheap... or even heavily lacquered nylon plastic, less durable. I don't know if 2015 was before SW offered cast metals or not.

    Care to detail little more about the open source failings?
     
  7. mkroeker
    mkroeker Well-Known Member
    Nothing wrong with using brass either... or for that matter getting a mold made for pewter casting I guess... I have a feeling that direct 3d printing may just have been not the right tool for the task