Try my 3D-printed single paddle key

[mcdanlj]

I've been iterating for the past six months or so on an open-source 3D-printed single-paddle key, and I'm looking for feedback from more experienced CW ops.

This key uses a 3d-printed spring, can be held in the opposite hand, strap-mounted to leg or anything that it can be strapped to, or desk mounted with a whole mounting system. I can design additional mounts for other ideas, too!

https://gitlab.com/mcdanlj/Single-Paddle-Key

Download STL or STEP files of my current version. Read the documentation for assembly instructions, and tell me if anything is unclear. Your questions will help me write better assembly instructions when I put together a pictorial guide.

Some recent pictures and a video posted here:

https://social.makerforums.info/@mcdanl ... 0294630707

https://social.makerforums.info/@mcdanl ... 6691889532

https://social.makerforums.info/@mcdanl ... 2071635765

It can be modified to be larger, or softer, or stronger, or take different hardware. The whole thing is parametric, meaning you can just change some numbers in FreeCAD following extensive documentation in order to make it perfect for you. You can share your changed designs with other people without permission from or notice to me. You can even sell them, modified or unmodified, to others who want them and don't have the means or inclination to make them for themselves, and you won't owe me a cent. This is not a business, and I am not selling these keys. I just want to give back to this new-to-me community.

Because a bunch of the hardware costs less per unit when you buy bundles, this is an excellent club project. Print out one body of each spring weight, let members select their preferred spring weight, then print out their preferred spring weight. Get together and share out hardware and printed bodies to assemble and test.

For outside or car use, PETG or ABS is better than PLA, to avoid the "Oops the key melted in the heat" problem that comes with most PLA.

72 de KZ4LY

[K2BRZ]

Hi Mike,
I really like your idea and design! I'm just getting into 3D print design and am soaking up as much engineering as possible. I have a background with a desktop CNC, but 3D printing is totally different. I really like the way you incorporated the fat and stubby spring, that seems to be really sturdy. I'll have to give this one a shot in the future.

72,
Brian, K2BRZ

[mcdanlj]

I've updated this to a new version, 0.7 with a few important changes, and the assembly documentation now is full of pictures and better instructions.

[Jason_KD9ZHF]

Looking forward to printing your key. Always looking for a new key to try, and I am learning to prefer single paddles, cooties, and straight keys!

The FreeCAD/OpenCAD splits are on GitHub?

72 de KD9ZHF Jason
Chicago

[mcdanlj]

Looking forward to hearing your experience!

The files are on GitLab rather than GitHub, but yes they include the FreeCAD files as well as STEP and STL files. No need for an account there to download any of them, either.

In addition, there are detailed assembly instructions that I have kept improving. Just visit the site: https://gitlab.com/mcdanlj/Single-Paddle-Key

Since Thomas just featured this key in his recent video and mentioned accidentally sending a couple elements from squeezing the body of the key too hard, I'm working on a possible improvement to avoid accidentally keying by squeezing the key if the spacing is set close; adding an option for a grub screw that holds the sides apart.

The key shown in many of the pictures in the instructions is the exact key that Thomas used in his video.