playunderwaterhockey — Parametric Puck

MakerWorld description, captured October 30, 2026.
Source and latest instructions: https://makerworld.com/en/models/3516713-parametric-puck-snap-fit-casing#profileId-4019236

Parametric Underwater Hockey Puck Casing & Sliders

Bring your old pucks back to life—or make your own for a fraction of the cost!

This customizable 3D-printable puck casing is designed for two things:

• Reviving old pucks. Have an ancient puck that's been sitting around as a paperweight or doorstop because its casing is destroyed? Measure the core, adjust the parametric model to fit, and give it a second life!

• Making affordable new pucks. Buy an inexpensive metal core, print a casing and sliders, and make your own practice puck without spending $80 on a new one.

I'd love to see underwater hockey clubs have enough pucks for everyone to run individual drills, take home to practice, or simply have plenty of backups. Even if these aren't quite as good as commercial pucks, they could be a huge improvement over the shortage of usable pucks I've seen at so many clubs.

With some experimentation, you might even get a fit that performs well enough to become your regular playing puck!

Metal Core Options

If you don't already have an old puck core, here are two options:

Lead Disc — Approximately $10 + $10 Shipping

RotoMetals Pure Lead Cast Disc (https://www.rotometals.com/pure-lead-cast-disc-99-9/)

• Density: ~11.34 g/cm³

• This is the option I've tested.

• Makes a large, very heavy puck.

• Some players I've shared it with couldn't flick it at all

1045 Carbon Steel Disc — Approximately $20 + $12 Shipping

Grainger Carbon Steel Disc (https://www.grainger.com/product/786U35)

• Density: ~7.85 g/cm³

• Approximately 31% less dense than lead.

• Dimensions: 3" diameter × 1" thick.

• I haven't tested this option, but I suspect the lighter weight would make it easier for more players to flick.

• My concern is that it may drift or slide around more than a conventional puck.

• Carbon steel can rust, so keep that in mind.

Both options are experimental. Check the dimensions and weight before ordering, and adjust the model accordingly.

How Well Does It Work?

I've spent about six months experimenting with TPU and PEBA puck casings, and the results are promising! Both materials are impressively durable, and these pucks are serviceable for practice.

The biggest problem is flicking consistency.

After repeated impacts against the pool bottom, the flexible casing can stretch slightly, allowing the metal core to move inside. This can make flicks unpredictable.

I suspect mechanically secured sliders, perhaps using screws, could help solve this. Until then, I consider these experimental practice pucks rather than direct replacements for commercial pucks.

TPU vs. PEBA

The biggest difference I've noticed is rebound.

  | TPU | PEBA | 

Filament cost (1 kg) | ~$20 | ~$60 | 

Casings per spool | ~40 | ~40 | 

Cost per casing | ~$0.50 | ~$1.50 | 

Rebound | Almost none | Moderate | 

Durability | Promising | Promising | 

TPU has extremely low rebound. When it hits the bottom after a flick, it generally stays flat without bouncing.

PEBA has a livelier rebound, somewhat closer to a SIMS puck, although probably still less bouncy.

I haven't tested either material enough to determine which resists stretching or long-term wear better.

Although PEBA costs three times as much, the actual difference per casing is only about $1.

Parametric Design & Fit

The model is fully adjustable, so you can fine-tune its dimensions for different puck cores.

I recommend measuring your core and printing a few variations until you find a really snug fit. Reducing movement between the core and casing is especially important for consistent flicking.

The sliders are designed with zero clearance, and I've experimented with making them approximately 0.4 mm larger in diameter than the mating opening for an even tighter fit.

The casing features a crosshatched exterior for extra grip and snap-fit sliders that can be replaced in about 15 seconds with a flathead screwdriver.

Printing Recommendations

Casing

• Material: TPU or PEBA

• 100% infill (what I've been using successfully)

• Brim: Use BOTH inner and outer brims! This has been absolutely crucial in my testing. Almost every print I've attempted without both has failed. Getting the first layer securely attached to the plate makes a huge difference.

• Sizing: Adjust the parametric dimensions to your core and experiment with a tight fit.

Sliders

• Material: PETG

• 100% infill to maximize material available for wear

• Sizing: Adjust the parametric dimensions to your core and experiment with a tight fit.

Help Improve the Design!

My goal is simple: make underwater hockey more affordable and give clubs an abundance of usable pucks instead of constantly operating with too few.

This design isn't perfect, especially when it comes to flicking, but I think there's real potential here.

If you're experimenting with different cores, I'd especially love for you to share your results so others can recreate your successes!

It would be incredibly helpful to know:

• Which core you used, whether it's from an existing underwater hockey puck or something you sourced elsewhere.

• The exact dimensions of your core and the parametric settings you used.

• Which filament you printed with and how well it performed.

• Any adjustments that improved the fit, durability, or flicking performance.

The more information we share, the easier it'll be for other players to bring old pucks back to life or make affordable new ones without having to figure everything out from scratch.

Additional free underwater hockey 3D-printing files:

Play Underwater Hockey — Free 3D Printing Library (https://playunderwaterhockey.collinlomax.chatgpt.site/3d-printing)

Follow the project, share your experiments, or get in touch:

Instagram — @PlayUnderwaterHockey (https://www.instagram.com/playunderwaterhockey/)

Let me know what you think, and I hope you enjoy the model!
