Syringe on a shelf (better than elf on a shelf!)

One way to keep the wife OK with buying all the maker toys is to make stuff that she needs. She called me the other day that the welded-wire shelf in the incubator at work had broken and could I make a new one.

So I cadded up a shelf based on 2 photos with a tape measure on the surviving shelf. The first version (because it’s what I had) was 1/8" proof grade clear acrylic, which turned out to be too thin and flexible. Luckily after that the first model my order for the thick acrylic arrived. I also added a spine under the shelf to give it much more rigidity since it’s pretty warm inside the unit (about 40C).


You can see the bowing in the middle with minimal weight on it


Version 2.0 which is much, much more rigid (I put a 2-4-6 block on it and it held)

Can’t imagine why someone would want it, but here is the STEP file for the design (since the svg is specific to this incubator) but this way you can import into your own CAD and modify…

Shelf.step.zip (40.2 KB)

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That looks great! Always keep the spouse happy :rofl:

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You never know when you might need an incubator shelf. Thanks!

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This made me snort loudly. Hubby asked me why and I told him because you never know when you might need an incubator shelf, and now he’s staring at me all funny. :laughing:

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I guess you make a shelf, then go out and buy the incubator that goes with it? Build it and it shall come…

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So… Funny thing. I just clicked on new posts, saw the title, and thought “Gosh. I haven’t been on here in quite a while, but 10 bucks says that’s a henryhbk post.” I laughed when I clicked it. :slight_smile:

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(hey…psst…Hi Tom!)

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If it would work at 40C it would work at 4C and an extra shelf in the fridge is something I can easily imagine a common use for. I had some bottles that kept falling over and making a rack for them worked out well.

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When people talk with me about medical making, they think I spend all day 3D printing a atomic models. In general I already know how it looks from the scan, and my experience. But I spend most of my time with things like this (or stuff to hold stuff). My most successful make was a replacement for her OR light (manufacturer in Germany doesn’t exist) so first I replicated the original in nylon, but that handle sucked so I made my own design which is way better

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I still remember that incredible tree cat shelves that you built for her wall.

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Good idea on the “Do Not Autoclave” warning.

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So an Autoclave would be good for making bowls?

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They’re still there!

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Happy wife, happy life…and you can get away with buying more toys :grin:. Everyone wins!

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