3D Printed One Pocket Ball Rack

iusedtoberich

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Local room owner asked me to make a one pocket ball holder that the fans can see what the score is on a feature table. We worked together through many iterations to come up with this design. The wooden shelf and black square panel were existing to the room, and the owner wanted the ball holders integrated into them.

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It took a LOT of iterations of different concepts and print trials. One of the bigger challenges was to make it in two pieces so it fits on the printer, but with the seam smooth enough that the balls roll well on it.


1773863450206.png

From the front view, its sloped 2 deg so the balls all roll to the left.


1773863521880.png

From the side view, it's sloped 4 deg, so the balls roll towards the front. This allows stacking a second row on top once a player has 8, for handicapped games.


1773863597235.png

The joining method of the two halves had to be really strong, and not interfere with the balls rolling.


1773863673817.png

The print took a LONG time. 30 hrs for one player's score. Adding the numbers accounted for probably half of that time. I really wanted the numbers, the owner was ok without them. This material was wood based so they match the shelves better. It's the first time I used this material, and it actually smelled like sawdust while printing. There is also a texture applied so the quality looks better.

I tried to print it with the numbers pointing up, which would have reduced the print time a ton. But I couldn't get the lap joint to be perfect that way, even with support. This way is the strongest orientation anyway, so I went with it.


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There is a lap joint to keep alignment and strength. I was going to glue in addition to screw, but decided on screw only.


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Heat-set inserts for the screws.
 
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Few more pics:

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It was very important to me that the balls had zero chance to hit any hardware.


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I came up with this counter-bored design which is both ball friendly and print friendly.


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I knew access would be difficult, so I used torx drive screws, so the driver wouldn't slip during installation. The tape was to prevent the tool from scratching the parts.


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I don't think I'll print any more of these. (unless he wants more). They just take way too long, and I was sweating the print failing the whole time. I also don't know how well they will hold up. I designed them thicker than most plastic parts, and the parts were oriented for the most possible strength in the printer, but time will tell.

I might come up with a more universal design, perhaps out of sheetmetal, with plastic only where the balls touch. That way the plastic can be oriented to print quickly, and would not be relied on for strength. It would screw to a flat wall, rather to the underside of an existing shelf as these do. And/or could be carried around like a tray and put on a table or shelf during a match. I doubt there would be much demand, but if a room owner said he wanted one for each table I'd probably do it.

That's all, enjoy:)
 
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iusedtoberich said:
I don't think I'll print any more of these. (unless he wants more). They just take way too long, and I was sweating the print failing the whole time. I also don't know how well they will hold up. I designed them thicker than most plastic parts, and the parts were oriented for the most possible strength in the printer, but time will tell.

I might come up with a more universal design, perhaps out of sheetmetal, with plastic only where the balls touch. That way the plastic can be oriented to print quickly, and would not be relied on for strength. It would screw to a flat wall, rather to the underside of an existing shelf as these do. And/or could be carried around like a tray and put on a table or shelf during a match. I doubt there would be much demand, but if a room owner said he wanted one for each table I'd probably do it.

That's all, enjoy:)
Click to expand...
Pretty awesome. You should definitely put the files up on one of the sites you pay a few bucks for the files.

If you went the sheet metal route, a metal shear and a sheet metal brake would make pretty quick work of the basic design if you knew someone that had them or could get them cheap secondhand.
 
iusedtoberich said:
Local room owner asked me to make a one pocket ball holder that the fans can see what the score is on a feature table. We worked together through many iterations to come up with this design. The wooden shelf and black square panel were existing to the room, and the owner wanted the ball holders integrated into them.

View attachment 890726


View attachment 890727


View attachment 890728


View attachment 890729
It took a LOT of iterations of different concepts and print trials. One of the bigger challenges was to make it in two pieces so it fits on the printer, but with the seam smooth enough that the balls roll well on it.


View attachment 890730
From the front view, its sloped 2 deg so the balls all roll to the left.


View attachment 890731
From the side view, it's sloped 4 deg, so the balls roll towards the front. This allows stacking a second row on top once a player has 8, for handicapped games.


View attachment 890732
The joining method of the two halves had to be really strong, and not interfere with the balls rolling.


View attachment 890733
The print took a LONG time. 30 hrs for one player's score. Adding the numbers accounted for probably half of that time. I really wanted the numbers, the owner was ok without them. This material was wood based so they match the shelves better. It's the first time I used this material, and it actually smelled like sawdust while printing. There is also a texture applied so the quality looks better.

I tried to print it with the numbers pointing up, which would have reduced the print time a ton. But I couldn't get the lap joint to be perfect that way, even with support. This way is the strongest orientation anyway, so I went with it.


View attachment 890734
There is a lap joint to keep alignment and strength. I was going to glue in addition to screw, but decided on screw only.


View attachment 890735
Heat-set inserts for the screws.
Click to expand...
That green wall looks familiar. I rest my water bottle & Dorito's on it. Great job on the ball rack...nicely done. Nice design... the materials, construction, slight tilt.👍
 
iusedtoberich said:
Local room owner asked me to make a one pocket ball holder that the fans can see what the score is on a feature table. We worked together through many iterations to come up with this design. The wooden shelf and black square panel were existing to the room, and the owner wanted the ball holders integrated into them.

View attachment 890726


View attachment 890727


View attachment 890728


View attachment 890729
It took a LOT of iterations of different concepts and print trials. One of the bigger challenges was to make it in two pieces so it fits on the printer, but with the seam smooth enough that the balls roll well on it.


View attachment 890730
From the front view, its sloped 2 deg so the balls all roll to the left.


View attachment 890731
From the side view, it's sloped 4 deg, so the balls roll towards the front. This allows stacking a second row on top once a player has 8, for handicapped games.


View attachment 890732
The joining method of the two halves had to be really strong, and not interfere with the balls rolling.


View attachment 890733
The print took a LONG time. 30 hrs for one player's score. Adding the numbers accounted for probably half of that time. I really wanted the numbers, the owner was ok without them. This material was wood based so they match the shelves better. It's the first time I used this material, and it actually smelled like sawdust while printing. There is also a texture applied so the quality looks better.

I tried to print it with the numbers pointing up, which would have reduced the print time a ton. But I couldn't get the lap joint to be perfect that way, even with support. This way is the strongest orientation anyway, so I went with it.


View attachment 890734
There is a lap joint to keep alignment and strength. I was going to glue in addition to screw, but decided on screw only.


View attachment 890735
Heat-set inserts for the screws.
Click to expand...
Nice!!!
So this is what you've been up to!!😂👍🏻
 
JasonATX said:
Pretty awesome. You should definitely put the files up on one of the sites you pay a few bucks for the files.

If you went the sheet metal route, a metal shear and a sheet metal brake would make pretty quick work of the basic design if you knew someone that had them or could get them cheap secondhand.
Click to expand...
No more fabrication for me:) I'd have SendCutSend do it, an online laser cutting sheetmetal vendor in Kentucky.
 
InsertCleverNameHere said:
Looks great for sure! Beautiful in fact! I just have one question...

How easy is it to get the balls OUT before the next game?
Click to expand...
It's easier than getting them out of the ball tray the houseman gives you, because you can reach your fingers behind the ball. However, you do have to carry the balls a few at a time (or risk dropping if more) to get them back to the table.
 
iusedtoberich said:
It's easier than getting them out of the ball tray the houseman gives you, because you can reach your fingers behind the ball. However, you do have to carry the balls a few at a time (or risk dropping if more) to get them back to the table.
Click to expand...
Perhaps an add on product for transport :-) Would love to see what you come up with. This was a really cool design and I enjoyed reading your breakdown of the choices on this one.
 
Here is an earlier idea I had. I hand sketched this one on my iPad while on a plane ride a couple years ago, and modeled it in the airport afterwards. I never printed it. This would just fit on a printer in one piece.

I was thinking of something like this to screw to the Diamond frame/legs somewhere.

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