3D Printed Child-Friendly Button Retainers

video 3D Printed Child-Friendly Button Retainers

My son, this year, joined the school where i studied for 10 years, 33 years ago.

He needs to wear a school uniform every school day, and this uniform has 7 metal buttons secured by retaining rings. As these were metal, they needed to be installed and removed daily for washing. That equaled thousands of button removals/installs over the years. Yeah. Definitely not my favourite thing.

So now he is in the same quandary, and I'm be darned if I (or anyone else at home) needs to do these buttons for him every day.

"Buttons build character!"

However, being a 7 year old, handling the small metal retainers can be a bit challenging/time consuming...

amandaghassaei says: Oct 2, 2012. 11:23 AM

great idea! did you have these 3d printed? injection molded?

juniortan (author) in reply to amandaghassaeiOct 2, 2012. 4:40 PM

Thanks! I printed them on shapeways.com (my old cupcake 3d printer is on the blink)

technosasquatch says: Oct 1, 2012. 5:37 PM

whats with the school??

why dont they just require regular buttons?

juniortan (author) in reply to technosasquatchOct 1, 2012. 6:02 PM

ah that, technosasquatch, is a question i asked myself about 14 times every school day, for ten years. It's possibly a tradition/discipline kind of thing :-)

technosasquatch in reply to juniortanOct 1, 2012. 10:33 PM

would cotter/ linch pins be considered as "tacky"??

juniortan (author) in reply to technosasquatchOct 1, 2012. 11:21 PM

Actually cotter pins (usually metal) are very useful, but I wanted something softer, and less likeli to scratch/irritate my boy. There are two buttons on the shoulder of his uniform, especially, that are right between him and the straps of his backpack :-)

These new rings have been in daily use since January, and we are rather pleased with them.