Is there a filament that replicates rubber feet? High grip on desks?
I’ve tried Overture TPU 95A at different infills. Also Siraya TPU Air at 65A,70A & 75A.
None are as grippy as normal rubber feet and have low friction.
I like to use 90A TPU. It’s not as good as rubber but it’s pretty good. 85 and softer prob work better but PITA to print
Textured PEI and satin/smooth give different effect on the friction surface too, and is worth a shot at experimenting with. I haven’t found any particular combo worthy of recommending, but one probably exists.
Rubber is not the same as TPU, while both soft, their relative ‘grip’ are very different.
TPU is relatively smooth and slides easily.
Consider making moulds and pouring silicone into the moulds.
3D printing doesn’t have to be the final product for everything, it can be the penultimate stage.
It is the same for moulds designed for a fine concrete mix.
Moulds are an underrated component in our world.
Yes I have found this out mate. Even printing different shore harnesses doesn’t get what I’m after. That’s why I put it out to the forum, see if there is a good filament type.
I have been watching a few YouTubers doing mounds. Yes I know there is stuff out there that doesn’t need a vacuum chamber, as getting one of them would just not be worth it for the amount of moulds I would do.
If I could 3d print the parts it would be a lot easier.
If I could walk 10 feet without assistance and without being extremely tired and needing to rest, it would be a lot easier.
We work with what we have.
But if there was something out there that could help you, and maybe someone else has also used it, then you would ask.
I’ll do more investigating to see what other filaments might do the job. TPU is not cutting it..
Keep in mind any filament that has high enough friction to work well as a gripping foot is also typically going to feed really badly. Friction is friction.
Fortunately, material and durometer is only part of the picture.
Have you looked at printing feet with textured surfaces or “block patterns”? Same idea as winter tires, lots of flexing edges can better engage with a surface.
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If you really want silicone, use silicone. Print a mold and pour in some silicone. Siraya Tech and Amazon have tons of silicone and its easy to use (I would use Siraya Tech’s because not all filament is compatible with all silicone but Siraya’s seem pretty compatible). It will take a little patience because it will have to sit for a day, but you’ll get what you want.
Personally, I like TPU Air at its softest setting. Its neoprene texture is grippy enough for me. But it definitely isn’t silicone rubber.
I’ll mess with my Siraya TPU Air a bit more and see what I can get.