Fillet Question

[rwanttaja]

I'm designing a small enclosure for a headset matching adaptor. It's a small bracket that holds the 1/4" jack and the matching transformer, and an exterior cover slides over it.

The bracket features a shelf where the transformer attaches (flanges on the end of the transformer go into the little holes in the shelf and are bent over to hold it), and a hole in the end for a 1/4" jack.



When 3-D printing this, I've encountered a structural issue at the point where the shelf meets the main structure. I'd like to add a fillet to the area pointed out by the yellow arrow. Yet I can't get SW to understand what I want to do.

Any advice? I could make the shell go all the way the end, but that would complicate installation of the electronics.

Ron Wanttaja

[cwilliamrose]

I wish I had seen this while I was still at the shop. But just looking at it I don't see why it's not a straight forward fillet. You should be able to select the intersecting line and create the fillet. Sometimes SWx gets fussy about the fillet radius but this doesn't look to be that type of a problem. In any case once the intersecting line is selected you can play with changing the radius (start small). Also, try just one fillet at a time until you get something that is acceptable, then try adding other intersecting lines to the selection set. Sometimes SWx forces you to use multiple fillet features to get all of them you need into the model.

Edit: This is a single body part, right?

[rwanttaja]

I wish I had seen this while I was still at the shop. But just looking at it I don't see why it's not a straight forward fillet. You should be able to select the intersecting line and create the fillet. Sometimes SWx gets fussy about the fillet radius but this doesn't look to be that type of a problem. In any case once the intersecting line is selected you can play with changing the radius (start small). Also, try just one fillet at a time until you get something that is acceptable, then try adding other intersecting lines to the selection set. Sometimes SWx forces you to use multiple fillet features to get all of them you need into the model.

Sigh (and slap my head).

I'd been selecting the aft face of the oval area, AND the side of the table area, or the vertical line AND the aft face of the oval area. Never considered just clicking the vertical line only.

And yes, that did the trick. Thanks!

Just got done printing the fillet-less version on the 3D printer. If it breaks coming off AGAIN, I'll do the filleted version.

Ron Wanttaja

[gmatejcek]

Or, one COULD do like the old kits, and use a plastic 35mm film canister... um... nevermind!

[rwanttaja]

Or, one COULD do like the old kits, and use a plastic 35mm film canister... um... nevermind!

Yeah, they're getting kind of thin on the ground. The very first headset adaptor I made used a 35mm film canister.

I'm tickled with idea that I can make custom enclosures, though, using SW and my 3D printer. Not only can size them right, but I can build in compartments to hold components like the transformer. This unit worked (tested it in the airplane this afternoon) but it's still bigger and clunkier than I want. Working on the follow-on.

Ron Wanttaja

[cwilliamrose]

Did you need those fillets Ron?

[flyboy2160]

...I'd been selecting the aft face of the oval area, AND the side of the table area, or the vertical line AND the aft face of the oval area. Never considered just clicking the vertical line only...

Sometimes using the standard 'edge fillet' method of picking the edge in the crotch won't work. You can then try a 'face' fillet, which is closer in practice to your original pick scheme. You pick the faces between which you want the fillet.

[rwanttaja]

Assembled...but not wired...unit, both open, and with the outer shell in place.

I'm thinking about making one 1/8"=1/4" longer, to make wiring a bit easier.

For those wondering, when you are using an aircraft headset on a handheld radio, this adaptor increases the headphone sound level by 6 dB (doubling the volume).

Ron Wanttaja