The nominations for the 2021 3D Printing Industry Awards are now open. Who do you think should make the shortlists for this year’s show? Have your say now.
Self-professed 3D printed meme creator electrosync has developed a unique waterborne craft for the effortless delivery of tasty snacks and beverages to swimming pools.
Nicknamed the ‘Bevvy Boat,’ electrosync’s aquatic delivery bot is based around a PLA 3D printed ‘hull,’ complete with sound system, water cannon, nibble holder and drink slots. Drivable by remote control, the Youtuber’s aquatic waiting system allows users to set sail for snack satisfaction without ever having to leave the pool, while also providing an ideal basis for some good-natured larking about in the sun.
Drawing on Excalibur
While searching for a fun new summer pool accessory, electrosync recently came across Excalibur, not the legendary sword of King Arthur, but a novelty remote control drinks float. However, while the Youtuber thought it’d be “pretty cool” to own, the product’s manufacturer has long gone out of business thus they’re no longer available new, and the gadget is listed for up to $236 on the second hand market.
As a result, electrosync decided to design an Excalibur-inspired snack delivery device of his own, which packs a few upgrades on the original. Like the Excalibur, the Youtuber’s ‘pool waiter’ is powered by brushless thrusters, but on his device, the motor, prop and housings all sit below the waterline, thus the only parts that pass through its hull are wiring-related.
To make his device capable of some added sea-themed skulduggery, electrosync has also fitted it with a ‘pirate mode,’ including a mini flag and camera setup for firing its water cannon in first person, as well as an MP3-based sound system for banging out the tunes at pool parties, culminating in a far more ambitious and playful design than the original.
3D printing an RC drinks float
Having designed the Bevvy Boat’s parts using DesignSpark Mechanical, electrosync went on to create its base in quarters via a Creality CR-10 3D printer, first producing them from PLA, then waterproofing them with polyester overcoats. Once the Youtuber had slotted these together, he held them in place via supports which were screwed into position, before he fed wiring through the base to the bot’s propellers.
After gluing on the Bevvy Boat’s propellers, electrosync went on to use Creality’s Ender 3 Pro and ld-002r systems to produce the bot’s smaller and more detailed parts, but when he deployed these to affix its ESC, the part burnt out. This forced the Youtuber to switch to water-cooled ESCs, which proved more capable of powering the bot’s thrusters, as well as its receiver and battery for its controls and cannon.
To provide the Bevvy Boat’s sailors with first person firing functionality, electrosync also used the same battery to power its deck-mounted 5MP 2.1mm camera, as well as its MP3 player, while installing a voltage regulator to prevent further hiccups.
Once his boat was complete, the Youtuber eventually used a transmitter to connect with its receiver, enabling him to issue thrust commands to direct its movement, and deploy its MP3 player, cannon and flagpole via switches. According to electrosync’s comments on a recent Reddit thread, taking this approach allowed him to build his device without the need for any time-intensive coding.
“This build is straight up RC – no microcontrollers or code,” explained electrosync. “The transmitter controls each of the channels on the receiver. The ESCs are then operated via sticks. The water cannon, MP3 player, and flag pole are controlled by receiver controlled switches mounted in the hull that are operated via switches.”
Ultimately, the Youtuber says that he’s very happy with how his pool-based party companion turned out, but added that it “gets a bit wild” if its load isn’t balanced properly. He has therefore committed to “refining” the Bevvy Boat’s design further in future, and making the resulting STL files publicly available, provided that they “get enough interest.”
Maker success stories
During the last month alone, 3D printing’s creator community has continued to demonstrate their ability to push the limits of what it’s possible to achieve with a desktop machine. Tech YouTuber Integza, for instance, recently managed to turn an experimental Nazi design into a 3D printed functional rocket engine, which he later tested in his own backyard.
Gaming Youtubers have also managed to uncover unique applications for 3D printing in recent times, and earlier this month, Akaki Kuumeri found he was able to create a novel joystick attachment for the Xbox Series X/S. Designed to be fitted to an Xbox controller, the device operates as a fully-functional flight stick when playing related sims.
Similarly, fellow gaming Youtuber Handheld Obsession has 3D printed a full-scale replica of Valve’s upcoming Steam Deck system. The content creator used his device to share some of his preliminary concerns regarding the console’s ergonomics on his channel, but ultimately concluded that it was “quite a bit better than he had anticipated” to hold.
The nominations for the 2021 3D Printing Industry Awards are now open. Who do you think should make the shortlists for this year’s show? Have your say now.
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Featured image shows the Bevvy Boat carrying snacks on the move. Photo via electrosync.
