This toilet paper holder is an appropriate technology because it allows people in developing countries to store and use their toilet paper cleanly. The pole can be used to store rolls of toilet paper vertically, and then the actual holder on top will hold the toilet paper as it is dispensed.
Bill of Materials[edit | edit source]
- PLA plastic filament
- CAD and STL files
Tools needed[edit | edit source]
- MOST Delta RepRap or similar RepRap 3-D printer
Skills and knowledge needed[edit | edit source]
- N/A
Technical Specifications and Assembly Instructions[edit | edit source]
- Make sure when slicing the parts, it is in the best orientation for printing. In other words, make sure the toilet paper holder is flipped so that the base is on the bed, not the spoke.
- Only one of the stand and holder are needed, however you can print as many of the poles as needed to increase the overall height of the stand.
- In total, with 3 poles, the print time is about 4.5-5 hours.
- Assembly should take less than a minute. Each part slides into the part below for easy assembly.
- Including drawings or pictures of the device at stage of assembly at minimum. (Upload)
Common Problems and Solutions[edit | edit source]
- A common mistake that can happen when printing is that the user does not slice the holder in the correct orientation. This will result in a bad print, or unnecessary supports being printed. This can be fixed by double checking the orientation of the part when slicing to ensure it is the optimal position.
Cost savings[edit | edit source]
- The cost of printing this stand with 3 poles is about $3.52
- This is a commercial equivalent for $15
- $12 cost savings or 80% cost reduction
Benefited Internet Communities[edit | edit source]
- DIY bathroom community
- DIY toilet paper holder
- open source CAD
- cheaper alternatives
- open source prototypes