The Squeaker! Mini - The Fully 3D Printable Squeaky Toy | Make Your TPU Model Into A Squeaky Toy!
Made smaller to fit more models.
Changes:
- Backwards compatible
- ~50% less filament
- 10mm shorter
- 10 minute print time (down from 15 minutes)
- Remodeled and reimagined in FreeCad (license change)
Printing Instructions Please follow the printing instructions carefully! This is a very difficult print and only works if you follow the instructions exactly.
The Squeaker Tube, Reed, and Noise Maker can all be printed together but you must use the Reed settings.
Nozzle Size: 0.4mm
Reed - READ CAREFULLY
- Plate: Smooth PEI Plate ONLY
- Material: PLA
- Layer Height: 0.2mm
- Initial Layer Height: 0.08mm (very important!!! Will not work otherwise, make sure your printer is tuned properly so it does not scrape the bed)
- Ironing Type: All Solid Layer (very important!!!)
When removing the reed, use a scraper or blade, the reed needs to remain completely flat coming off the print bed, do not peel it off.
Squeaker Tube
- Material: PLA
- Layer Height: 0.2mm
- Seam: Back - This is very important, the seam must be in the correct spot below the inside curved piece otherwise there may be stringing that restricts the reed movement (see included image)
Diaphragm
- Plate: Textured PEI Plate
- Material: TPU
- Layer Height: 0.2mm
- Spare Infill Density: 100%
- Spare Infill Pattern: Rectilinear
- Seam Position: Back
I recommend not using timelapse on this as it can cause stringing that may cause the model to not become airtight.
Assembly See the included animation to see how the parts go together.
Slide the thick part of the Reed into the top half of the open side of the Squeaker Tube. I usually use one of the printer Allen wrenches to push it into place (be care not to hit the thin part of the reed with it). Though the reed will stay in place on it's own, it can become dislodged if the Squeaker is dropped, so I do recommend putting a dab of super glue on it before inserting the reed into the squeaker.
If you are using the Noise Maker, push the Squeaker Tube into the cone until it clicks. Once the Squeaker Tube is in the Noise Maker, you will not be able to get it back out.
Testing Blow into the open side of the tube. The sounds should come out easily and should not require much air. If you have to blow hard to get a sound or no sound comes out something has gone wrong. Double check the print instructions above and make sure the reed is flat and not bent upwards.
Using this in your models After a lot of testing, I found that TPU becomes air tight after 3 wall loops. This leaves the TPU flexible enough to squeeze. This means your model needs to plan on having that built into it.
I have included the Negative STL so that you can use it to hollow out your model so the Squeaker will fit.
The best way I have found to include it in your models is the following method (though it may not work on all models):
Bambu Slicer
- Layer Height: 0.2mm
- Wall Loops: 3
- Bottom Shell Layers: 3
- Sparse Infill Density: 0-15% (the more you use, the harder it is to squeeze)
- Sparse Infill Pattern: Lightning
- Import your model into the slicer
- Right click -> Add Negative Part -> Load... -> Negative.stl
- Position the Negative so that it is not clipping outside of your model (scale model if needed) and it is sitting on the build plate. Right click and "Center" if necessary.
- Select "Cut" at the top (or press 'c'), make a cut so that it is going through the Negative (I recommend just using Height: 0.6, but maybe depend on your model). Select "Cut to parts". Perform cut.
- Objects -> Select the top cut (usually A) -> Strength -> Bottom Shell Layers: 0
- Slice and Print.
The end result should have the model with the negative cut out but there should be a hole all the way through into the inside of the model. I have included an image of the slicer of what the end result should look like.
If you have any questions or issues, feel free to reach out! I will do my best to address them. I worked on this for the better part of a month to make sure that it works as consistently as possible, but every printer is different. I have tested this on both the Bambu Lab x1c and the A1 mini.
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