Tentacle System

All the information below and more can be found on the Tentacle System Home Page :

https://3ddoodle.com/tentacle-system/

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This support system is based on a ball-and-cup connector that has some friction. There are both Gridfinity and non-Gridfinity bases that feature a ball facing upward. Any number of ball-and-cup connectors of various sizes and shapes can be combined to provide support for almost any angle and height. Top it off with one or more grip or support ends so you have a third, fourth or fifth hand to help with your detail projects.

Also included are the .step files for the cup and for the ball, so you can make your own tentacle parts.

These parts were all sliced for PLA and my PLA parts work well. Be sure to pull them straight apart. Do not lever two pieces apart or you can crack one side of the cup or the other.

I use the longer connectors if I need a higher stand, and the small connectors mainly to allow a tighter curve in the tentacle.

If you need a rigid structure, superglue the parts together. Most parts print quickly and use very little filament.

Some of the Tentacle parts are designed to use 6x2mm neodymium magnets. These are the same size that are used for Gridfinity baseplates and modules.

Bases

You can use any of the bases with any of the connectors and any of the grip or support ends.

Gridfinity Module as a Tentacle Base

You can use the Gridfinity tentacle base with any Gridfinity baseplate. The model name is “1x1 Tentacle Base”.

Or, you can use it with one of these standalone Gridfinity bases:

- Glue-on 1x2 Angled Gridfinity Baseplates - 1x1 Stability Base - Gridfinity 1x1 Vanity Base A Gridfinity Tentacle Base is very good because it helps keep your stand upright even if it is not balanced.

Non-Gridfinity Bases

There are a variety of other bases you can use for a tentacle support.

Three-leg standalone base (Tribase)

Three angled legs lead up to a mounting ball. The three legs guarantee it will be stable even on uneven surfaces. It works great with the webcam holder, for example.

Large flat standalone base

This large, flat base is formed from a grid of hexagons mainly to minimize the use of filament but also because it looks more interesting than a simple flat plate.

Glue-on standalone base

This base has a smooth, round bottom you can glue onto something else, or attach adhesive velcro, etc. You could also use it in other models that need a base for connecting tentacle parts. But, there is also a .step file for just the ball and just the cup, specifically so you can include it in your models.

Magnetic standalone base

This base holds twelve 6x2 neodymium magnets so you can attach this base to any steel surface. For example, it could hold a light against the inside of a computer case or a washing machine. Some keychain LED lights are incredibly bright, such as this one . And, it works great with the webcam holder.

Z-Topper base

This base fits into the hexagonal hole at the top of Z-axis on most Prusa printers. If you find it is too loose you can cut the edge of the small hexigon with a sharp knife, to deform the plastic a little and add friction to the fit. It is based on my Z-Topper Filament Cutter , which I use all the time.

Z-Rider base

This base fits into the oblong hexagonal hole on the side of the printed part that slides up and down the Z-axis and holds the X-axis belt's freewheel side. It is based on the Z-Rider which I mainly use to move one of Schnippi 's Kodamas up and down during my prints. For… reasons. Perhaps this could be a mount for a small webcam, but it would vibrate whenever the X axis moved.

Honeycomb Storage Wall Base

This base fits into a Honeycomb Storage Wall cell. This lets you bring the flexibilty and adaptability of the Tentacle System to your Honeycomb Storage Wall .

Skadis Base

This base hangs on an IKEA Skådis pegboard.

Large Binder Clip Tentacle Monster

This base secures to anything that a large binder clip can attach to. See “ Large Binder Clip Tentacle Monster” below in connectors.

Tentacle Rail Clip Base

This base includes a clip that attaches to the T-Slots in the aluminum extrusions used in Prusa and other 3D printers. Used in combination with the camera holder, this allows you to position a webcam exactly where you want on either the side of the print bed.

This model includes several components than can be used or not, as needed. You can print more parts if you need them. You may also use any of the parts in the Connector Kit (below) as well.

If the vibration of the printer causes the camera to shift position, you might need to glue some of the connectors together.

This model includes a remix of the T-Slot Clip found in mkoistinen 's Flexi-arm Camera Mount .