3D printing small parts?

[Woodchipper]

I have a baitcasting reel that has nylon gears. Had them replaced years ago as they dried out and the teeth broke off. Now afraid the parts supply had dried up. My grandson has a 3D printer but not sure of what material he uses. Would 3D printed small parts be durable to get the reel back in service? TIA.

 

[woodwzrd]

Depending on the capabilities of his printer there is a possibility to print them in Nylon or ABS or even Carbon Fiber. Nylon and Carbon fiber take a lot of heat to process so he may not be able to print those materials. ABS might hold but there is only one way to find out.

 

[bsshog40]

He probably uses the standard PLA. It's fairly durable. It doesn't like heat. Not sure how much pressure the reel gear would put on it. I think it's worth a try if you can't find parts anyway. Just make sure he prints it with 100% fill so it's solid.

 

[Mach4]

Just do a quick YouTube search for "3D Printed Gears"…lots of information.
Fusion360 has an add in for doing spur gear design.