Summary

Replacement bottom part for hummingbird feeder.

Print Settings

Printer:

Monoprice Maker Ultimate

                                            <p class="detail-setting rafts"><strong>Rafts: </strong>                     <div><p>No</p></div></p>                                                                                <p class="detail-setting supports"><strong>Supports: </strong>                     <div><p>No</p></div></p>                                                                                <p class="detail-setting infill"><strong>Infill: </strong>                     <div><p>20%</p></div></p>

How I Designed This

This is a replacement part for the popular three-piece hummingbird feeder sold by Schrodt, Wild About Birds, Wild Bird Superstore Duncraft and probably others for $40-$50. It consists of three parts: a beautiful glass bottle reservoir for syrup (could easily last 100 years), a copper plate (won't rust, could also last 100 years) and a cheap plastic bottom that the reservior screws into and hold the whole feeder together. The plastic bottom didn't even last two years in the southern Arizona sunshine.

This is a glowing example of a great concept but piss-poor industrial/manufacturing design. When the plastic part fails, there's no replacement to be had and most folks probably throw-out all three parts. What a waste. The right solution, of course, is to manufacture all three parts to the same (100 year) life standards. Until that happens, here's a 3D printer design for a replacement bottom.

I designed this using Sketchup and have included both the STL as well as the SKP files in case you want to improve on the design. This was my first 3D printer design and I learned a lot. Designing the threaded tube for the reservoir was done manually without plugins. I hope to never have to do that again. This design eliminates some of the odd braces and protrusions found in the original part. It also has slightly thicker walls in an effort to prolong its life. Other than that, it closely follows the original parts' dimensions.

I've printed it in PLA and ABS.... the latter is probably more suitable for sunny environments.

Hummingbird Feeder Base