Ive been keen for a 3D printer for a long time, i have posted a number of other 3d printed items here before, FT817 stand, and an Anderson powerpole 1-4 way splitter print a fellow ham made up for me over the years. I have a lot of project ideas and other odds and ends I had contemplated printing.

Well, time and money came along (2020 lockdown, some electronics projects my eldest son (almost 13yrs old now) has been building with Arduino and Raspberry Pi, meant i finally bit the bullet and purchased a 3D Printer of my own. Xmas 2020 saw the family (well, mostly us Boys) score a https://www.prusa3d.com/original-prusa-i3-mk3/ Prusa MK3s+.

It arrived a couple of days before Xmas, and the kids helped me assemble the kit in around 10hrs. Its set up and working well, and we are learning about 1st layer hight issues and all the joys of 3D printing, but most of our prints work out fine. (numerous Xmas trinkets)

One thing I have wanted to print for a long time, is an Anderson powerpole plug for the FT-817 / FT-817nd / FT-818 line of radios.

This simple but nifty 3D printed file from https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2624597 uses the FT817 earth screw terminal as a support hole and lets you trim/cut the 2.1mm DC plug and crimp Anderson Powerpoles on the end. The above 3D printer file link has some advised lengths to trim the +ve (around 35mm) and -ve (around 43mm) leads to make them fit snugly in the new backing plate.

Holding it all in place allowing you to a much more robust power connector on the back of the Radio. You need a 12mm M3 screw to make it all fit, I already has a screw I had connected to an Earth lead (i use as a counterpoise when running an EFHW/Sota Antenna), there are two 3D Printer files in the above link, one has a recess to make it flush, the other is flat to allow you to mount the Earth strap as I have done.

I printed my Plug in PETG, which is a robust printed filament and should last on the back of the radio. You can find extra cheap 2.1mm DC Plugs on ebay at your local electronics store too and I plan to make some more up and offer them around the radio club, A couple of cents of filament and some of my time is all they cost.