This is the third version of a “cup turner” that I designed and made for myself to use in my woodshop. 

    A cup turner is a device that is used to apply a finishing coat on a round or curved object. When applying finish without a cup turner, the surface is frequently left with uneven coverage and drip marks. A cup turner prevents both of these issues by keeping the object rotating. Constant rotation allows the protective liquid coating to evenly spread across the surface during application as well as drying. The constant change of gravity felt by the finish allows for thicker coats with a wider range of finishes that produces a more consistent result.

This project started off as a single-axis, wooden jig to help improve the quality of the finish process in my woodworking business. Despite the original prototype eventually breaking, it inspired me to do a complete redesign in CAD. Shortly after redesigning all of the parts intended for wood, the dream of owning a 3D printer became a reality. I gave myself a bigger challenge as well. The new design intended for two wheels to be driven by a single motor. After a second redesign in CAD for plastic, I was off printing. 3D printing has a very bumpy learning curve when printing your own designs. It took about two months to finally get a working, printed model. The result was very underwhelming in its performance, appearance, and simplicity.

It took a few more months to finally realize that I just needed to utilize the 3D printer for what it is capable of. During that time away, I read Don Norman’s “The Design of Everyday Things” and printed many other people’s models and devices similar to mine to get a better understanding of how to properly design one’s own product. The third redesign’s goal was to reduce the part/hardware count by designing more abstract parts, printing with multiple materials, and making everything pressed fit - (almost) no hardware.

The part’s sizes were limited by my print volume, but should be feasible across many printers because of my printer’s common size.

This is an ongoing project that deeply interests me. More iterations will be made over time.