Easy Change 125mm Ducting Collar?

Hi,

I've got a 400w bulb running in a glass tube enclosed shade...

Every change from veg/flower/veg/flower/repeat I have to pull the ducting off, change the bulb and then refit the ducting. Fiddly job each time and end of the ducting is getting shorter and shorter as it wears.

Does anyone know if there a collar or anything that I could use as an easy connection that can be connected/reconnected without much hassle.

I think my only option is either speak nicely to an engineer with access to a lathe (anyone in the UK that can help me?) or design it myself and get something 3d printed.

Found the 3D program built into Windows 10 - after 5 minutes fiddling this will do a great job. Need to get some measurement and plant it a little better but the 3D program is brilliant!

Estimate cost is £10 printed to my specs and delivered.

Finished design and getting it printed on 25micron ABS for £9.61 - pretty good - should be delivered in two days.

One end will fit over the power tube and I'll hot glue that on. The other piece will slip inside the ducting and I'll fix that permanently. The two pieces go together and will be taped together with duct tape for easy change!

This is a pretty cool solution! Fairly cost effective, but the process is half the fun. Really strange timing, I just spent the last 45 minutes researching those hobby size/consumer 3d printers. Would be a blast to play around with, pretty spendy though. You mind sharing what site you used to have it printed? I'm in the US, but I think there's a bunch of those sites out there. My dream is design a 3d modeled chess set in a material I can use to make molds, then do it out of whatever sweet sh+t I want to pour in there!

They do make collars that would reduce the fussiness of changing it btw, but your solution is more interesting. Report back!

Hi

The built in 3D software will point you direct to a single provider offering a build in 3 different materials.

Instead I "saved as" a .STL file and then went to a site called http://www.3dhubs.com - you can upload your file there and then choose local vendors to print it in any material. One of the materials is a rubber like material - may be useful for making moulds!

There is also another free 3d software if you don't get on with the MS one - Autodesk http://www.123dapp.com - lots more features as well as the suite of tools...

Arrived - perfect push fit together - I may be using this service again... I've attached the 3D file that can be opened in the MS 3D Builder software.

See this is what I love about the challenges that crop up in this hobby and this site in particular. Really nice, innovative solution that was [I'm assuming] the result of a stimulating/fun problem-solving process.

Thanks for posting this! I'd love to see more digital fabrication used in grow rooms.