# Print-in-place: three-stage telescoping tube with stops (Ø40)

> How do you 3D print a telescoping tube in one piece?

- Category: 3D printing › Print-in-place mechanisms
- Kind: Hardware
- Basis: Xem Studio design: revolved profiles; 45° flanges and lips; one designed running gap of 0.40 mm
- Page: https://xemstudio.com/objects/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/ · JSON: https://xemstudio.com/api/geometry?object=print-in-place-telescoping-tube · Plain text: https://xemstudio.com/objects/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/sheet.txt
- License: dimension sheet CC BY 4.0 (Xem Studio); files Xem Studio Design License (free to use and sell from, not to redistribute as files: https://xemstudio.com/license/)
- Use in every chat: add https://xemstudio.com/mcp as a connector (https://xemstudio.com/use-with-ai/)

## Overall (mm)

| length | width | height |
|---|---|---|
| 40.0 | 40.0 | 68.0 |

**Exact dimensions.** True size, with no printing tolerance added.

## Notes

- 3D print in place — prints already assembled, moving, in one job. Drawn at true size with no printer tolerance added; the 0.40 mm running gaps are part of the design.
- Running gap 0.40 mm per side, 0.80 mm on diameter — part of the design, drawn as is. On the 45° faces the same 0.40 mm is measured square to the face (0.57 mm along the axis).
- Bed: the three tubes stand nested, coaxial, all on their bottom ends.
- Support while printing: every lip and flange is a 45° diamond or wedge: the inward lips of tubes 1 and 2 have 45° undersides, the outward flanges of tubes 2 and 3 have 45° undersides and tops. Tubes are open both ends; nothing overhangs more than 45°.
- Captured both ways: each inner tube's flange (reach 1.6 mm) sits between the outer tube's bottom lip and top lip, so it can neither drop out of the bottom nor pull out of the top.
- Freeing it: hold the outer tube, pull the inner tube up a few millimetres and push it back; then the middle one; turn each a little.
- Motion: stage 1 slides 50.8 mm, stage 2 54.8 mm (computed to the flange-on-lip stop): 68 mm collapsed, 173.6 mm extended. Each tube also turns freely in the next.

## Sizes

| key | value | what |
|---|---|---|
| gap_mm | 0.4 | running gap per side on every moving interface (radial, axial, under captured parts) — part of the design, not a tolerance |
| tube_1_od_mm | 40.0 | outer tube |
| tube_2_od_mm | 32.0 | middle tube |
| tube_3_od_mm | 24.0 | inner tube |
| wall_mm | 2.0 | every tube |
| tube_1_h_mm | 60.0 |  |
| tube_2_h_mm | 64.0 |  |
| tube_3_h_mm | 68.0 |  |
| lip_reach_mm | 1.6 | radial overlap of each flange behind its lip |
| travel_1_mm | 50.8 | tube 2 out of tube 1, drawn (collapsed) to flange-on-lip stop |
| travel_2_mm | 54.79 | tube 3 out of tube 2 |
| length_collapsed_mm | 68.0 | as printed |
| length_extended_mm | 173.59 | all stages out to their stops |
| bottom_play_mm | 1.98 | each tube can drop this far below the drawn position before its flange sits on the lower lip |

## Where the files are

- Xem Studio: [Print-in-place mechanism design (geometry computed in the generator)](https://xemstudio.com/) — web — Xem Studio design

## Free STEP/STL (4 parts, Xem Studio Design License, Xem Studio)

Index: https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/index.json · license: https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/LICENSE.md

- print-in-place-telescoping-tube-assembly: [STEP](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/print-in-place-telescoping-tube-assembly.step) · [STL](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/print-in-place-telescoping-tube-assembly.stl) — The whole print as laid on the bed (3 bodies, already assembled); STEP keeps each moving body a separate solid
- print-in-place-telescoping-tube-tube-1-outer: [STEP](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/print-in-place-telescoping-tube-tube-1-outer.step) · [STL](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/print-in-place-telescoping-tube-tube-1-outer.stl) — Outer tube Ø40 × 60, wall 2, 45° lips top and bottom
- print-in-place-telescoping-tube-tube-2-middle: [STEP](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/print-in-place-telescoping-tube-tube-2-middle.step) · [STL](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/print-in-place-telescoping-tube-tube-2-middle.stl) — Middle tube Ø32 × 64, wall 2, 45° flange outside, 45° lips inside top and bottom
- print-in-place-telescoping-tube-tube-3-inner: [STEP](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/print-in-place-telescoping-tube-tube-3-inner.step) · [STL](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/print-in-place-telescoping-tube/print-in-place-telescoping-tube-tube-3-inner.stl) — Inner tube Ø24 × 68, wall 2, 45° flange outside

## Questions

**What stops the tubes pulling apart?**

Each inner tube has an outward 45° flange near its bottom that meets the outer tube's inward 45° lip at the top — a cone-on-cone stop.

**How far does it extend?**

105.6 mm in total (50.8 + 54.8), from 68 to 173.6 mm.

## Fits with

- [Print-in-place: captive wheel on a printed axle (Ø40 × 12)](https://xemstudio.com/objects/print-in-place-captive-wheel-axle/)
- [Print-in-place: barrel hinge, three knuckles, folds 180° (48.8 mm)](https://xemstudio.com/objects/print-in-place-barrel-hinge-180/)
- [Print-in-place: seven-knuckle hinge on a captive through-pin (58.4 mm)](https://xemstudio.com/objects/print-in-place-multi-knuckle-hinge/)
- [Print-in-place: captive turntable with V-ridge retention (Ø80 platter)](https://xemstudio.com/objects/print-in-place-captive-turntable/)
- [Print-in-place: linear slider on a dovetail rail with end stops (100 mm)](https://xemstudio.com/objects/print-in-place-dovetail-slider/)
- [Print-in-place: articulated chain, 6 links, 20 mm pitch](https://xemstudio.com/objects/print-in-place-articulated-chain/)
- [Print-in-place: captive ball joint, Ø24 ball, limited cone](https://xemstudio.com/objects/print-in-place-ball-joint/)