3D printed drying tunnel for Paterson reels

[Jockos]

Hi guys!

I'm just about finishing up a new project of mine: a film dryer for Paterson reels.

The tunnel is modular, and you can print out parts to accommodate as many reels as you'd like.
The tunnel uses a standard 80mm computer fan and filter - should cost less than $10 on ebay.
If you cant find a filter, I guess you could put the whole contraption in a sealed plastic bag to recirculate clean air, or put a stocking over the fan. You also need a 12V DC source to drive the fan.

The design uses three interlocking parts:
1. The lid, that houses one reel, the fan and filter.
2. The middle part, houses one reel - print as many as you need!
3. The bottom, has exhaust holes and has a trench that'll collect excess water.

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I've fast printed a prototype, and everything seems to fit, but I'm sill waiting for the filter to arrive before I can do a live test.
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The STL files can be downloaded from here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Z8RbaoYCpDqB1QcpXgLIrO95G8jFqkE9

Please let me know what you think!

 

[FerruB]

Nice! I like the idea to dry the film on the reel a lot, however I am wondering if the excess of water trapped in the reel may mark the film. For sure is worth trying, let me know how it goes!

 

[Jockos]

I don't think that's going to be a problem. Read about people using wind tunnels before, none mentioned this as a problem.

 

[AgX]

The tunnel uses a standard 80mm computer fan and filter.

A filter chosen to safeguard cooling of a computer might not be enough to keep off tiny particles harming film.

 

[AgX]

Nice! I like the idea to dry the film on the reel a lot, however I am wondering if the excess of water trapped in the reel may mark the film. For sure is worth trying, let me know how it goes!

I don't think that's going to be a problem. Read about people using wind tunnels before, none mentioned this as a problem.

Before air-stream drying one can remove possibly trapped water by centrifuging the reel still within the tank.

 

[darkroommike]

You do know that there is a size of PVC pipe that would work the same and not use all that lovely filament?

 

[Born2Late]

I built something similar a few years ago using PVC pipe. I attached a toilet flange to the pipe, mounted a PC fan to flange and sandwiched filter material in beween. It dries the film in 30 minutes or less. It isn't pretty but works great.

 

[Jockos]

You do know that there is a size of PVC pipe that would work the same and not use all that lovely filament?

Well this is the 21st century, and we're not BARBARIANS are we?

 

[Jockos]

I built something similar a few years ago using PVC pipe. I attached a toilet flange to the pipe, mounted a PC fan to flange and sandwiched filter material in beween. It dries the film in 30 minutes or less. It isn't pretty but works great.

may i ask, what kind of filter material are you using?

 

[Born2Late]

may i ask, what kind of filter material are you using?

It was some sort of foam filter material that was sold for making odd size furnace filters. I think I found it at the hardware store or Home Depot.