Button Gauge

This is a button gauge (or sewing gauge) inspired by off the shelf ones but it is easy enough to avoid the trip to the shop and if you print it you can make exact number of links you need and expand later if needed.

Minimum distance from one link to the other is 14mm and maximum is 102mm.

BOM

for every "link" you will need:

1 gauge

1 spacer

2 bar

3 axel

3 pin

and for finishing the ends you will need extra:

1 gauge

4 spacers

2 axel

2 pin

Example:

I made a 9 link (10 points) button gauge and for it I needed:

1*9+1= 10 gauge

1*9+4= 13 spacers

2*9= 18 bar

3*9+2= 29 axel

3*9+2= 29 pin

I would not go much bigger than 10 points, maybe maximum 15 points if you are really careful using it as the plastic gives and the spacing will start to deviate too much for my liking.

Printing

I added the orientations and settings I used to the 3mf file “Button Gauge” but in short PLA 0.2mm layers and 4 perimeters will work fine. I would avoid sticky materials like PETG for this assembly.

Assembly

I made a demo of a 3 link assembly with different color bits so it would be easier to follow.

Gauge-blue

Spacer-red

Bar-white 

Axel-yellow

Pin-green

Before we start, important notes

Strongly chamfered (top) sides of parts will go on the outside and smooth sides (on bildplate) go to inside so that axles and pins sit flush with the surfaces and the smoother sides of parts are made to slide against each other. when printing with textured build plate there might have to be some trial and error and the top sides might be the smoother ones that should go together

Pins and axles need to be pushed together strongly so that the ends will be flush with other parts 

The pins and axles hold really strongly once pushed together so take care to orient the parts correctly the first time, getting them opened again might damage surrounding parts.

Start by making a cross with the bars	Flip one bar so the smooth (on build plate) sides are against each other and insert the axel from below
Add a spacer and push the pin through the assembly to fix it together	Make as many subassemblies as many you need
Join the bar subassemblies together with the gauge parts	Make sure the chamfered edges on the gauge face away from you and insert the axles from the bottom so the lip on the axle matches the chamfers on the gauge
Add the bar subassemblies as shown with the lower bar	And then the higher bar to the axles
Add the pins to fix the parts together	The bottom side should look like this
Make sure all the connections are flat to the surfaces if not something might be in the wrong orientation or you havent pushed on the pins hard enough	Repeat the process as many times as needed
When you have enough links joined together finish the ends	Again make sure the axles lip fits in the chamfer of the gauge when inserting it from the far side
Join the lower of the bars directly on the axel and add the spacer on the other axel	Now join the upper bar on top of the spacer and add a spacer on top of the lower bar
Now secure everything by pushing the pins into the axles	Follow the same procedure with the other end
In the end you should have the finished button gauge, check that everything moves nicely and that all the joints are flush with other parts