Flexi-rex for small child?  

RE: Flexi-rex for small child?

Here's my advice (my wife runs a pre-school, and I print for children all the time).

Not PLA.  Unless you plan on throwing the toy out after a day or two and printing another.  You cannot clean PLA.  PETG can be put in the dishwasher to sanitize.

Choking hazard - print your toy, and then see if it slides through a paper towel roll.  If it can slip through a paper towel roll tube, it is not sized for a small child.

Choking hazard II - break the toy into pieces because if you can , the child will.  Run the pieces through a paper towel roll test.  If the pieces are too small, it is not a suitable toy for a small child, IMO.

Pinch hazard.  If you can pinch your ear with it, or the sensitive skin on some other part of your body, a child will likely pinch themselves and the toy is not suitable for a child who has not leaned about pinching.  It is not a bad this one as the others above (clean, and choking) - because the child will learn that valuable lesson, but you may want to think about that.

RE: Flexi-rex for small child?

Thanks Dan.  Very informative, I'd have never thought all that, pets are so much easier!

I'll print it a bit bigger for added strength and give it the break test plus toilet roll and then consider whether fingers may get pinched.  I was trying to save the last of the orange PETG for something else but I've got some transparent red which might look funky and be better than black.

His Dad is handy and likes making things so I wondered about a chunky screwdriver/spanner and nuts/bolts set but its a job to know how big his hands are.  Perhaps I'll knock those up in Fusion incase the Rex doesn't turn out.

RE: Flexi-rex for small child?

I did some test pieces and decided to do some "kid testing". I tossed a PLA print onto the garage floor and was surprised when it shattered into sharp little pieces. I was more surprised when PETG did the same. Whatever you print, it is probably worth giving it a whack with a hammer or three to see what can happen. Filaments vary widely.

RE: Flexi-rex for small child?

You have surprised me with the PETG in particular.  I've nearly full roll of red ASA handy which is a nice bright cheery colour, perhaps I'll try that.

RE: Flexi-rex for small child?

I've had this exact same experience with PETG multiple testing's with different brands. I would use a tough TPU

RE: Flexi-rex for small child?

My understanding and experience is most store-bought kids toys are ABS (legos, tonkas, etc), or roto-molded or injection molded Polyethylene (outdoor climbing toys, play houses)

I've found that PETG can be extremely flexible - when thin.   It's much tougher and harder to shatter (but still will).  Toys like the ring with helicopter work out well - the piece the kids chase is thin, the zip strip is thin, and the ring is chunky and hard to break by hand.  In some ways it bents more easily than PLA - so it's kind of lousy for tools other than a screwdriver handle, snow shovel handle.

RE: Flexi-rex for small child?

I printed the Rex last night, it's a terrific little print, much better than it looks in photos.

Unfortunately I've deemed it unsuitable for the child, I did 3 perimeters in ASA and its very strong to drop/smash type tests but I tried flexing it and exerting pressure in my hand (sort of screwing it up) and one of the links broke and the separated parts are small.  I'm debating increasing size considerably but even then the tail parts will be small although it would be stronger.

RE: Flexi-rex for small child?

TPU

RE: Flexi-rex for small child?

@swiss_cheese

Yes, I agree but I don't have any and it's a bit of a last minute idea.