I was intrigued by the air distribution and manifold Eric-MD created for his Billows, as seen in this post: https://tvwbb.com/threads/pimped-out-wsm-18-5.87877/post-984498
Rather than use tubing and a gas manifold I thought this would be a good challenge to design a 3D printed solution. My initial prototype manifold worked well and solved the main issue of uneven burning I have with my Billows. But I didn't have a good way to securely position it and the design was bulky and very much not optimized for 3D printing and required more supports than I would like.
The next step was to optimize the design and figure out a way to mount it. The optimization went well and it now prints without any supports.
For the mounting, I came up with an integrated bracket that attaches to a stock leg. This is what the design looks like now:
It uses simple wedge to keep it in place on the leg. It also has a lid to keep things from falling inside when the Billows isn't attached. As an added bonus it's compact enough that it fits under my WSM cover so I can leave the manifold attached year-around.
I'm still doing some minor refinements to the design but if there's any interest I can post the model for others to try out.
Technical details
Hardware used (credit to Eric-MD):
I printed the parts in PLA for prototyping and during the test cook it worked fine with no signs of warping or melting, but PETG or ABS/ASA would probably be preferred for the long term.
Rather than use tubing and a gas manifold I thought this would be a good challenge to design a 3D printed solution. My initial prototype manifold worked well and solved the main issue of uneven burning I have with my Billows. But I didn't have a good way to securely position it and the design was bulky and very much not optimized for 3D printing and required more supports than I would like.
The next step was to optimize the design and figure out a way to mount it. The optimization went well and it now prints without any supports.
For the mounting, I came up with an integrated bracket that attaches to a stock leg. This is what the design looks like now:
It uses simple wedge to keep it in place on the leg. It also has a lid to keep things from falling inside when the Billows isn't attached. As an added bonus it's compact enough that it fits under my WSM cover so I can leave the manifold attached year-around.
I'm still doing some minor refinements to the design but if there's any interest I can post the model for others to try out.
Technical details
Hardware used (credit to Eric-MD):
- Brass tee fitting – 3/8" x 3/8" x 3/8" NPT female
- Brass 3/8" NPT male to 1/2 NPT barb adapter
- Brass 1/2" washers drilled out
- 1/2" ID x 3/4" OD high temperature silicone tubing
I printed the parts in PLA for prototyping and during the test cook it worked fine with no signs of warping or melting, but PETG or ABS/ASA would probably be preferred for the long term.