00:00 <wpwrak> hmm, any good ideas for how to fake a thread ? i.e., extrusion with translation and rotation, where angle = f(z). i only need 90 deg, but all the fake threads i came up with so far look rather horrible.

00:03 <whitequark> wpwrak: unfortunately not

00:03 <whitequark> for threads you'll have to use some external software.

05:35 <cr1901_modern> wpwrak: I recall asking something similar a while back and was told to add threads manually using an external tool after 3d printing. Sadly it's been years since I've threaded anything, so I forget how to do it lol

08:39 <wpwrak> cr1901_modern: ah, my case is a bit different. it's not for a screw, but for translating a linear motion along an axis into a rotation around that axis. and of course, without a lot of moving parts.

08:42 <wpwrak> anyway, this is more at a concept stage. don't even know how exactly i want that critter to work in the end. the purpose is clamp a PCB into a test/programming fixture. from below, there are spring-loaded contacts. from above, it would be nice to have some holding/locking mechanism.

08:42 <wpwrak> this is an old variation of that theme: http://downloads.qi-hardware.com/people/werner/tmp/lt-pgm-2.jpg

08:43 <wpwrak> and this an ugly way to do the clamping: http://downloads.qi-hardware.com/people/werner/ledtoy/tmp/1209-pgm-clamp.jpg

08:43 <wpwrak> in the age of 3d printing and solvespace, we should be able to do so much better :)

08:44 <ohsix> if you factor in cost, those clamps are pretty great

08:49 <wpwrak> yeah, that's the problem with technological progress: you get ambitious :)