Correct sizes for custom peices?

Discussion of custom parts made for the Castle Theme
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divonic
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Correct sizes for custom peices?

Post by divonic »

Hi all. I've been playing around with creating a custom flag pole for a couple of years now. Using the CAD program at work, I created an electronic prototype and eventually sent it out to a 3D printer to get a physical prototype made.

I had found a few web sites that gave dimensions for official LEGO pieces (this one being the best IMO: http://www.robertcailliau.eu/Lego/Dimen ... s-en.xhtml) I wanted the flag pole to be holdable by a minifig and to have a stud on top of it.

My prototype returned from the 3D printer and the sizes are really close but connections are loose. The stud on top is a little too small, the hole is a little too small. the diameter of the flag pole shaft is a little too small. etc

My question for everyone here is . . . Are these dimensions in the above link accurate? If so are the tolerances and material shrinkage of 3D printers too great for prototyping of custom pieces. If the piece just required a minifig to hold it it would be fine (a tiny bit to loose, but fine and workable) but the stud on top creates an issue.

Thanks.
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