Laser cut dividers

Not quite as sexy looking but a sturdy design that just makes sense. Genius stuff.

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Your comment reminds me of this post I saw a while back:

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In theory you should be able to take the dividing sword now and curve into a fanciful shape the swinging arms as long as the 3 critical points( tip, joint and attachment to the slot) all align the same as the straight versions, if you want to bring back sexy.

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Totally! The dividing sword shape is really simple, and as long as the three points of the leg remain constant, any shape around them could work.

Hi folks!

This is my first post here. I joined Glowforge on St. Patrick’s Day, and I’ve been wonderfully busy since.
I’ve been really inspired by the work and discussion here on the forum on the divider design!
I stayed late for Laser Thursday last night, and figured I’d make the dividers on a Glowforge. I used @Hirudin’s .AI file, but I had to join the paths on the curved pieces first (actually, @Shell did it for me; thanks!). I scaled it to 160%, figuring that I could fit 4-40 screws with a bit of heat shrink as bushings.


Here’s the fixed file:
Dividers 06.AI (70.0KB).
I cut a couple, and gave this one to @madebynick. They look cool, but at least at this size I found the curved parts to be pretty flexy, especially at the slots and tips. I’ll see if I can widen them a bit in Inkscape (I’m not much of an Adobe Illustrator user yet).

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Hello Ned! Welcome.
Cool project huh? Nice work!

Given the time, hook us up with some pictures @ show & Tell of some of your handwork! :sunglasses:

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Thanks @ned. I invite you to put that “staff” moniker next to your pic. It inspires awe and reverence. I just think this design is so cool. And you bio is intriguing. 4,000 miles? Wow. I did 1000 on foot and it was one of the greatest things I ever experienced.

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I made a new design, this is the best one yet. Instead of writing out a big ol’ rambling post I decided to make a rambling video! :stuck_out_tongue: (prepare to hear a lot of "um"s and "whatever"s)

Here’s the video…

As I mention in the video, I made four versions of this design. Two of them are intended to be cut with a laser cutter (12d and 12c) so I’m uploading those files here as well…
Dividers 12d.AI (47.7 KB)
Dividers 12d.SVG (3.4 KB)
Dividers 12c.AI (50.2 KB)
Dividers 12c.SVG (3.0 KB)

If you want to check any of them out on Onshape, here are the links…
Dividers 12d
Dividers 12c
Dividers 12b
Dividers 12a

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Beautiful design and excellent post. Really neat how you got all the points to lie in the same plane. I really am not sure how I will use them, but I have to make a set of them.

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So freakin’ clever!
Very nice work as usual, and now I may have to make another pair!
Thanks for posting your files as well, it is very generous of you considering how much work you have into these.

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Thanks! And thank you as well! If you hadn’t started this thread I wouldn’t have started all this, and it’s been fun. And, on that note, also thanks to Nick for making that first one three weeks ago.

That’s pretty awesome! You know your 12a design with the pins? If you used threaded pins, you should be easily be able to screw them in/out with precision to your focal point. Good job!

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So how would a third arm work? I was thinking to find center of a circle, but then I guess you could find the center with the existing tool. with one leg static and the other following the circle, the center would draw a “circular” shape that goes thru the middle. By doing it twice you could find the intersection. ( I know there are easier ways, 90 degree angel,etc.) Just thinking about things to create. One other quick question - does anyone know what that shape would be called( the “circular” shape scribed by connecting the midpoint of any line radiating from a static point on a circle to anyother point)? Or is it a simple ellipse?
Oh btw - great job Hirudin !

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Maybe just another circle of half diameter?

edit: yes, confirmed, another circle.

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Thanks - makes sense now… Have to try and stop picturing in my head after midnight…:sleeping:

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Very well done!
This thread is a beautiful example of forum collaboration.
A model is proposed, ideas are floated for refinement and a working tool emerges!

Salute to Nick for pioneering the design and throwing it on the table for us - and @Hirudin for his time and modeling skill! (video was fine inspite of how you feel about it)

Exemplary demonstration of collaborative effort from former strangers working toward a common goal.
Inspiring!

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Trident Dividers or Neptune Dividers.

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You know, @bailey or I should do that when we set up new employes… @ned, you’re good to go. :slight_smile:

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Actually, the 4500 mile tour in '99 that brought me to WA was my second long bike tour; in '85 I did a 5200 mile solo tour from FL to OR. Definitely a life-changing experience!

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Are there stl files for this? or other 3d printer type files?