Spring is here and before the days become really hot we recently started restoring our irrigation systems. We use sprinklers for watering the lawn but for vegetables, flowers, pots etc. we use a drip irrigation system, which, simply because it is a little more fragile, needs replacement parts and extensions on a pretty regular basis.

Before starting the main thing you need is drip irrigation tubing (which unfortunately cannot be printed - then again...), and remember you will need lots of this. Pretty much everything else can be printed.

So here is a full set of connectors/adapters/drippers for connecting

• Hose to hose
• Hose (14 mm) to drip system
• Hose to faucet
• Hose Garden (R) compatible plugs
• Pegs for the tubing

The set contains:

• Pegs for fixing 1/4 inch tube
• 14 mm irrigation tube to 1/4 inch T-connector
• Gardena (R) compatibel plug to 1/4 inch tube (incl. gasket)
• Faucet to 1/4 inch tube (incl. gasket)
• T- connector for 1/4 inch
• Straight connector for 1/4 inch
• Y-connector for 1/4 inch
• Dripper (terminal), intensity 1-3
• Dripper intensity 1-3

The drippers come in 2 varieties (middle and terminal) and in 3 sizes (well they are all the same size but...). No 1 is always the one that will emit the smallest amount of water, 3 the one that emits the most. Try this with your own prints to see which one suits you the most. Both connectors come with the corresponding gaskets.

FILAMENT. Remember, this will be out in the sun, where it can get pretty hot and where it is exposed to UV light. Use something that's strong and easy to print (also because you will likely be printing many). I am using
Carbon Fiber PLA , which is stronger and slightly more heat resistant, looks good and is extremely easy to print. I found PETG to be a little trickier with these small parts but PETG definitely helps with heat resistance . I print my gaskets in black or transparent TPU, which works great for gaskets, but any (rather soft) flexible filament will do (as well as commercial gaskets).

PRINTING. This should be a pretty simple print. For once (unlike most of my other designs) there is no way around using supports on most pieces. Infill does not matter. I use some cheap epoxy resin for sealing my prints (i.e. making them waterproof).

Happy printing!

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