With summer season in full swing and temperatures blazing hot, discovering ways to keep cool is a should. My household likes to chill off in the summertime months in a swimming pool. My rural Kansas farm residence does not have a pool, so we opted for a metal body above-ground choice. However between the bushes within the space, loads of bugs and the gravel highway in entrance of my home, the pool will get fairly soiled. This yr will likely be totally different as a result of I’ve acquired a brand new weapon to assist preserve it clear — a 3D printer.
Working smarter, not more durable
Utilizing a 3D printer, PETG filament, a pool skimmer internet and a few PVC, my pool is cleaner than ever.
3D printers are nothing new, and I have been utilizing these useful gadgets for about three years now. I am nonetheless amazed by the creativity of some designers on the market and what they give you. Whereas shopping for one thing new to print, I discovered a pool skimmer hack designed by Jamie Claye on Printables.
This design makes use of the pool skimmer internet that almost all pool homeowners have already got and a few 3D-printed objects. In case you do not, or need a wider choice like I’ve, I am utilizing the Intex Leaf Rake. So, I fired up one of many best 3D printers available on the market, my Bambu Labs A1 Mini, and loaded up some PETG filament. I selected to make use of this kind of plastic on account of its capacity to resist the excessive temps higher it’s going to get when in direct daylight, in addition to its better resistance to UV rays.
I additionally printed off a model by AlexMu on Printables that match onto the nozzle attachment from my pool filter for the Bestway Power Steel 18 by 48 foot round above-ground pool set I purchased to begin the summer season. This 3D design directs the filtered water coming into the pool in a round stream, which is able to assist the skimmer I am constructing work higher.
After downloading the recordsdata, I prepped the design utilizing the Bambu Studios slicing software program and began printing. Whereas that was going, I seemed for a few items of 1-inch PVC in a scrap pile of supplies I’ve in my barn and acquired out my Velcro cable ties. The PVC will likely be used to connect my pool internet to at least one 3D-printed piece and the opposite to the pool body.
Time to construct
![3d-print-pool-skimmer-lifestyle-5](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/34b2bf71d7d0a95f0067306e4e0c3091fa8f3106/hub/2024/06/21/dbe63c0e-c026-433c-a843-521ee48c9bca/3d-print-pool-skimmer-lifestyle-5.jpg?auto=webp&width=1200)
My 3D printer made protecting my pool clear a lot simpler.
With all the pieces printed and further components discovered, it was time to place it collectively. I made a decision to make use of some screws to connect the PVC to the 3D-printed components together with the online deal with for a safer connection. After predrilling some holes and placing within the screws, all that was left for the skimmer was to make use of the Velcro cable ties to connect the entire thing to the pool body.
Lastly, I switched off the pool pump, eliminated the filter outlet that got here with the filter, after which threaded it into the 90-degree outlet I had printed. Now, for the second of reality — flip the pump again on. Huzzah, it labored!
Water flowed and started swirling across the pool, and little bits of particles and bugs on the water’s floor began going into the online. Now, on the finish of every day, I merely take away the Velcro and use a backyard hose to rinse out the online after which reattach it for the subsequent day.
Together with utilizing my 3D printer to assist preserve my pool clear, I’ve additionally enlisted a robotic to assist out. Like how I am utilizing robot lawn mowers to help me save time taking care of my yard, the Beatbot Aquasense Pro has been scrubbing the underside and sides and skimming the highest water, tremendously lowering the time I must preserve the pool glowing clear.
![beatbot-aquasense-pro-lifestyle-01](https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/954ed28d95d0239b5a1735b07d6db52579a13a3f/hub/2024/06/21/51bc7dbf-323b-429f-862c-0fbdc332a79b/beatbot-aquasense-pro-lifestyle-01.jpg?auto=webp&width=1200)
The Beatbot Aquasense Professional is exclusive in that it may well clear a pool’s flooring, partitions and the highest water all by itself.