Handle For Cake Slice by Cargy

Last crawled date: 3 years, 2 months ago

Just because I know which end of a screwdriver to hit a nail with, many of my neighbours seem to think I'm some sort of Mr Fixit. People are always popping in with something for me to fix.
This time it was Joan. Another octogenarian (I seem to attract them), and one who is always pestering me for something or other. In fact, I'm beginning to think it was a mistake having the word "mug" tattooed on my forehead all those years ago!
Anyway, she presented me with a stainless steel cake slice with a broken handle, and asked me if I could glue the handle back together.
Unfortunately it was a bone handle, and had been through the dishwasher far more times than it should have (i.e. more than never! - take note: dishwashers are too abrasive, and the temps are too high for bone). The handle was so brittle and flaky that no amount of glue was going to hold it together - although I did offer to take it to the local A&E dept to see if they could put a cast on it!
But Joan had had the cake slice longer than I've been potty trained, so she was a little downhearted to learn that the handle was toast, boney toast, but toast all the same. So she asked if I could make a new one one in wood.
I probably could have done, but I suggested that my 3D printer might be a better alternative. Needless to say she didn't have a clue what I was talking about, so I told her to leave it with me.
I knocked the design up in about 10 minutes on Sketchup, and planned to print it in ABS.
Each time I printed it, it got about two thirds of the way through, and then it detached from the Buildtak. Grrrrr!! So I gave up with the ABS, and used plain old PLA. This time it came out fine, so I heated the cake slice's shaft and gently pushed it into its new handle. After cooling, I pronounced the job "a good 'un".
No doubt it will end up in the dishwasher again, at some point, and I've no doubt I'll see it again. But, mean time, I reckon I've earned a slice of one of her delicious cakes!