3D print a camera mount?

[Ira]

Having a really hard time finding a security camera mount/adapter that will allow a camera to be mounted to a standard junction box. Essentially what I want to do is mount the camera similar to the way outdoor security lights are mounted to recessed junction boxes. The only thing that should be visible is the camera mounting bracket itself. Many of the high-end camera manufacturers make such mounts, but the mounts can get very expensive. I was considering using a weatherproof cover like this one as a starting point...

... and drill holes for the camera (three for the camera mounting screws and one 1" hole for the camera cables, but then I saw a reddit post where someone had done a 3D print of something similar, with the required holes, etc.

I don't have any 3D printer experience, but I've been thinking about diving in. Wondering if this would be a good starting point. Would this item (with the holes) be fairly simple to design and print? The one in the picture is 3/16" thick. Would a printed one the same thickness be strong enough to hand a 1 lb. bullet camera on a wall mount? I understand there are different filament types. I wouldn't want to use any filament that requires a means to exhaust the fumes out of the house. How long does it take to do the actual printing on something like this on a consumer grade 3D printer in the price range of $300 - $400?

Thanks,
Ira

 

[Mark S.]

In my opinion, printing a mount would be over-complicating it, especially when you have a perfectly good solution in drilling holes in a metal cover plate (and use a gasket). I am no expert in 3D printing, but I would never expose my plastic printed parts to the outdoor elements because 1) they are very light weight and typically not as strong as a molded part, 2) they are probably much more porous than a molded part, and 3) I doubt it would hold up to ultraviolet exposure from sunlight, unless painted. I have a $400 printer and I find that tolerances are not great for perfectly-placed holes. I would drill them after printing. That said, I do recommend that every tinkerer have a 3D printer to play with. But I would be hesitant to use printed parts in outdoor structures.

 

[ano]

In my opinion, printing a mount would be over-complicating it, especially when you have a perfectly good solution in drilling holes in a metal cover plate (and use a gasket). I am no expert in 3D printing, but I would never expose my plastic printed parts to the outdoor elements because 1) they are very light weight and typically not as strong as a molded part, 2) they are probably much more porous than a molded part, and 3) I doubt it would hold up to ultraviolet exposure from sunlight, unless painted. I have a $400 printer and I find that tolerances are not great for perfectly-placed holes. I would drill them after printing. That said, I do recommend that every tinkerer have a 3D printer to play with. But I would be hesitant to use printed parts in outdoor structures.

I have a variety of 3D printed parts, and they have lasted for many years, and I have used PLA which is not known for longevity. I live in AZ where it can get to 118 in the shade. ASA is a plastic that is made for outside, and it has lasted as well. So what parts? Food dishes for chipmonks that visit, and mounts to hold bird feeders.