UMSL Towel Bar

This instructable is a cheap and simple way to create a towel rack. I decided to create this because the University Meadows towel racks were old, cracked, and not appealing to the eye. I saw that some towel racks were pretty expensive and instead took advantage of using my 3D printer to solve this issue. With this instructable you can customize your bathroom with a more colorful and fresh towel rack. The project mainly requires a 3D printer and some screws. The printing requires seven different pieces to be printed. The towel rod is broken into fives pieces to accommodate the size of smaller printers. These pieces would then be assembled together. Once all the pieces are printed out it is quick and easy to set up. The SLDPRT files will be attached as well to allow for any changes to be made.

• 3D Printer (Tronxy x1 works)
• PLA filament
• 4 dry wall screws 3/4" length (diameter no larger than 0.157in or 5/32")
• 4 dry wall screws 1 1/4" length
• Screw Driver
• Super Glue
• Glue Stick
• Hammer

For a Tronxy-x1, the first step is setting up Ultimaker Cura for the g code. I have provided the .stl and .gcode files. Before starting anything, make sure to download the files. For the .stl files, my recommendations for settings are using a brim for adhesion. Starting printing speed between 30-40mm for the initial layer, and 60mm/s afterwards. Using an Infill of 20% creates a very sturdy support, but feel free to increase the value. The average time per part is roughly five to six hours of print time with 20% infill. Once completed with the gcode, save it your SD card and attach it to your printer. There is also a video to show the process of the hanger being printed. If issues arise with the adhesiveness, I recommend adding a layer of glue to the bed plate to make sure the print sticks.

Once the hangers are printed, it is time to print the rod. For printers that are 150x150x150, this will have to be split into 5 separate pieces. Download the files provided for the rod pieces. I have attached above the recommended .gcode for each, as well as the .stl if you would like to adjust printer settings. You may print these out in any order. If you do print these with different settings, I recommend always making sure the side with the extruded cut is facing down (towards bed plate). You will print the beginning and end pieces once. The middle piece file you will print three times. The average time for each section is about two hours.

Once all five pieces have been printed, it is time to assemble them. If you have a file or a pair of scissor, make sure to file the inside of each hole for the sections, and any edges that have PLA sticking out. By filing out these little extra pieces, it will make it easier to attach the pieces. Now, attach the three middle pieces together. They should lock perfectly together. If you like, please apply some super glue between each piece when attaching them. Next, attach the end piece and beginning piece to the assembled middle pieces. These two pieces should either only have an extruded base or an extruded cut, the other side should be flat and completely filled in. Repeat the same step adding super glue between the pieces if you would like. One they are all attached, use a hammer to slightly tap down on one of the ends to fully secure the rod and make sure each pieces is inserted completely.

For this portion you will need 4 dry wall screws 3/4" length (diameter no larger than 0.157in or 5/32") and 4 dry wall screws 1 1/4" length, with the same diameter. The extrude hole of the hangers is a little larger than 5/32" which is why the recommended diameter of the screws be less than that value. Screw the 3/4" screws through the bottom of the hanger, as shown in the picture. They should fit snuggly into the base and will provide extra support for the structure. Now, screw the 1 1/4" screws through the top face of the hanger, as shown in the photo above. They should take some effort to get through the cuts, but will end up fitting perfectly. Repeat this for the other hanger.

Once you have the hangers prepared and the rod assembled, you can finally set up the towel rack. Begin by screwing in the left hanger to the wall. Attach the rod to the hole in the left hanger, it should not fall out, only hang at a low angle. Now grab the right hanger, place the opposite end of the rod into the right hanger hole and screw the hanger into the wall. Tighten each side properly and if needed, adjust the rod to be balanced between the holes of each hanger. The towel rack is now complete, it is able to support 3-4 towels.

I will attach the part files for you to make any modifications of your liking. You may move the UMSL logo. Also, if the rod is not sturdy enough, you may choose to get a wooden rod to replace it. The dimensions of the rod should be roughly and 18cm diameter and 558cm length.