Unfortunately, there is one thing all 3D printing filaments have in common: they do not provide adhesion.
Muscle strength alone is not enough to lift a heavy object (glass of water) that slips and falls.
Flexible filaments are a little better than rigid ones because the crushing increases the contact area, but it’s hardly better.
The grip must be provided by an additional material, to allow a full glass of water to be lifted without it slipping.
We have tested all kinds of solutions, from glue to finger cots, and are always looking for the cure-all.
For now our recommendation goes to PlastiDip, aerosol or gel.
To provide the device with the best possible grip, the fingertips and palm should be covered.
The plastidip ends up peeling and must be renewed regularly. For countries where it may be difficult to obtain, here are four alternatives:
- Glue gun glue
- Fine balloons of the “sculpture balloon” type
- Silicone finger cots
- Molded silicone gasket on the fingertip
Each technique has its pros and cons:
Glue gun glue is cheap and available all over the world, but difficult to apply evenly and seamlessly.
Sculpture balloons are not very aesthetic and may be difficult to find in some countries.
Silicone finger cots are quite ugly, and eventually fall off.
Silicone gasket molding is really complicated.