Mouth Sticks

[hotwheels_75]

Does anyone here use a mouth stick for any reason? Having trouble sourcing good quality ones and they’re ridiculously overpriced. Looking either for a source for good quality ones, or suggestions for building my own. Like 3D printed mouth pieces? Wondering if that’s an option, if there’s a nontoxic 3D plastic safe and strong enough for it’s purpose.

Last one I bought was nearly $60 Cad. Made of soft aluminium and bent and kinked when I accidentally leaned on it with very light pressure. Didn’t last a year.

[Burgerman]

No idea about their use etc. But theres dozens of plastick sticks used for everything from pain or drink stirrers or spoons, or whatever. Are non of those any good?

[hotwheels_75]

Here’s a pic of what I mean. Some quads use them for typing or pushing buttons etc, an18” ish long thin metal tube with a plastic bite piece on one end and a rubber tip on the other. I attach a stylus to mine so I’m able to use MIT smart phone and iPad. I ordered one for around $80 cad. There’s others for $100 or more USD. Must be a cheaper solution somewhere

[LROBBINS]

If you can save the mouthpiece from the broken ones, it should be hard to find tubing in an aluminum alloy that's stronger than the soft stuff probably used on the commercial ones. By eye, it looks like the tube is about 10 mm outside diameter. If in the U.S. look for 6063 alloy, in Europe 6082 (almost identical to each other). Here's an example: https://www.ebay.it/itm/Tubo-Tondo-Alluminio-Anticorodal-Da-6-a-120-mm-in-Diverse-Lunghezze-e-Spessori/383383506005?hash=item5943700c55:m:mZTa8b_T8afGoHB5MCSFkOw&var=651832370730 This seller only says Anticorodol - which may be either 6082 or 6060 which isn't as strong, but probably strong enough (U.S. equivalent of 6060 is 6061). The mouth sticks from DMEs are probably 1000 series nearly pure Al, and quite soft.

[woodygb]

http://woogleideas.blogspot.com/2006/10 ... h-pen.html

[hotwheels_75]

If you can save the mouthpiece from the broken ones, it should be hard to find tubing in an aluminum alloy that's stronger than the soft stuff probably used on the commercial ones. By eye, it looks like the tube is about 10 mm outside diameter. If in the U.S. look for 6063 alloy, in Europe 6082 (almost identical to each other). Here's an example: https://www.ebay.it/itm/Tubo-Tondo-Alluminio-Anticorodal-Da-6-a-120-mm-in-Diverse-Lunghezze-e-Spessori/383383506005?hash=item5943700c55:m:mZTa8b_T8afGoHB5MCSFkOw&var=651832370730 This seller only says Anticorodol - which may be either 6082 or 6060 which isn't as strong, but probably strong enough (U.S. equivalent of 6060 is 6061). The mouth sticks from DMEs are probably 1000 series nearly pure Al, and quite soft.

That was my thought as well, the mouthpiece on one is still good, the other one has worn nearly right through the plastic. So would be nice to have a source for the bite plates too. My first stick is very rigid, it doesn’t bend or flex at all. It actually snapped in two at the mouthpiece a couple years ago, after 16 years of use. I have no idea what metal type it is, But We reattached the mouthpiece so that’s doable, except now that mouthpiece is wore out.

I guess with the remaining good mouthpiece and the new stick I ordered, if I just track down some tubing I should be set for years.

[ex-Gooserider]

I know some of the 3-D printer filaments are more or less food-safe, but I forget which ones off hand... Another option and again I forget the exact material name is they make some plastic thermoform beads that are claimed to be food safe and are sometimes used in making orthotics and other adaptive bits, you put them in very hot / boiling water for a few minutes and they turn into a blob that can be (gingerly) molded like clay into whatever shape you want and when it cools the stuff hardens and stays that way until it is heated above the magic temperature which makes it soften again... I believe the critical temp is about 150*F so fine for use on something at body temperature... The stuff is also popular with the prop-making folks again for being flexible and versatile...

ex-Gooserider

[fishinjunky]

The mouthsticks currently on the market are junk or super heavy.

I build my own super inexpensive and lightweight.

I use carbon fiber tubing and aluminum tubing for sliding.
The ones I make are telescoping and have a stylus tip.
I use jb weld for securing mouthpiece to carbon fiber tubing and for securing the stylus tip. I use food Grade clear tubing for the bite plates.

Bendable aluminum tube 3/16 o.d 4.78mm i.d
https://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/k+s/k+s8104.htm

Carbonfiber tubing 6mm o.d 5mm i.d
https://www.amazon.com/Carbon-Fiber-Wra ... B08Q7XQXC2

Mouthpiece
https://www.etsy.com/listing/99447775/m ... outh-stick

Slider
https://www.etsy.com/listing/784526286/teflon-sliders

Stylus tips
https://www.etsy.com/listing/288949247/ ... p-fiber-or