There is not a single foosball player in the world that hasn’t experienced the wrath when one of the players on the foosball table breaks. Whether we like it or not, they are the most important part of a foosball table because, without them, there can be no game. Due to that, great quality foosball tables make players from extra hard plastic which makes them practically indestructible, but what about others? Are there any replacement players on the market or is it a better idea to make your own foosball table? If you are good with the 3D printer I would definitely recommend the second option. You can also find a 3D model and manufacture it using Treastock. But, before you start making your own foosball players there are few things I want you to keep an eye on.
Use the old foosball players
Foosball players are connected with rods and most rods aren’t the same size. They can be similar, but not identical. That means you have to use the player you have as the guide on how should your new 3D printed player looks like. The most important thing you have to measure is the dimension of the hole where the rod goes through the player. If you make a hole too small, you won’t be able to put the player on the rod and it will become useless. Also, if you make a hole too big, the player will “dance” on the rod and won’t be able to use it. That is why it is important to properly measure the hole of the foosball players.
Design and performance
There are things which can separate a good quality foosball player from bad ones and the easiest way to see that is to look at the design of a player. Usually, a foosball player has a head, body, and legs – nothing too spectacular to see. But, when you look closely you will notice few differences in the players. The most diverse part of a foosball player is the foot. Since it is a part responsible for hitting the ball, it has been changed since the past few times. The first design of the foot was round and it has its flaws. When you hit the ball with round surface, it can go in many directions (depending on which part of the foot you hit the ball). That usually means the ball won’t go where you want it to go. So, improve the performance people have changed the round foot with the rectangular foot. It makes sense because the entire surface of the ball is 100% straight. They have improved the performance but what about ball control? The ball control is important for tricks so the rectangular foot got a cross-hatch on the surface for better ball control. That means if you want to have a good performance, make a rectangular foosball foot, but if you want to impress your friends with crazy tricks, add a cross-hatch on the feet.
The player’s body should be the same height as the rest of the players on the field; you don’t want them to be too big right? Now that the feet are done it is time for creativity! It is completely up to you to see the design of the head. You can make a basic foosball player or you can make it like your favorite character from a movie. With 3D printing, you can do whatever you want and that is the best part about it.
I suggest you spend most of your time in designing the player’s foot and the hole for the rods if you want to have good quality foosball players. In foosball, performance is everything and the fact that you can make good players all by yourself is pretty cool!
Author’s Bio:
Mark is a foosball player who has a blog about foosball called FoosballZone. There, he writes guides and tips for every foosball player who is interested in improving foosball skills.
Source of the screenshot: www.thingiverse.com
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