Red and black end caps and others parts....Final solution??

Hello, today i was speaking with a friend, who is an industrial designer, and i gave him an AVO black cap to be drawn in 3D and then print it in plastic on a 3D printer.

We also measurement the terminal to make the cap well adjusted. A few caps are going to be made to test them before the final design.


Also he asked me if we need (the AVO collector community and users) to replicate more parts, so if there is any part that could be interesting in replicate, let me know.

In a few days i will have more information about this little project.


Aitor Eneko

A work colleague has made a couple of strap clips for me using 3D printing, I am amazed by the strength, finish and accuracy of the finished items. Being an old AVO best to measure in inches rather than metric, the sizes may make more sense.

Yes, we are going to use hundredths on the measurements for good accuracy.

Firsts steps in design!! I have a video that shows all sides, but the system not allows to load videos, so I attached a photo.

In a few days I will print in 3D and post results !!!

Look for advice for the material to print the caps. I think something little bit elastic? Not ABS or rigid plastic. Need help in this question

[Superscope]

Hi Aitor,

Was the Cap Scanned with a 3D Scanner?
Was surprised to see the Drawing so precise.

Can't help with what Material to use, but I guess you will be Limited
to the Material available for the Printer being used.

I was going down a different route, I was talking with a Plastic Injection
Moulding Company Locally, a few Months back, but got side tracked with
other things, so haven't finished the investigation yet.

Ian

Thanks for your interest. My friend draw it from zero, not 3D scanner. He is good at drawing and taking different measurements.

[Superscope]

That is impressive, I have to say!



Couple of points that might be worth mentioning if there is the
possibility of New Caps being reproduced is that for Historical
Accuracy, Caps from the much older Meters (50's - 70's) are a
slightly different Style to those on the Later Mk V's ect.

Another thing which I couldn't come to a decision on, was the Colour!
At least for the Red Caps.

Difficult to know what the exact Colour was for the Red Caps back in day.

I think the older Caps were a slightly Darker Red from the more Modern ones.

I looked into getting a 3D Printer a while back for this sort of Job, but I couldn't
find any information on how the Colour could be adjusted, if at all.
I think it boils down to the Colour of the Raw Plastic used, but there doesn't seem
to be any range of different Hues available.


Ian

I will try to find the color for the caps (red) as close to the original, if i find two differents color tones of plastic, both caps styles can be reproduced.

Yes, this cap is for an Avo 8 an others "modern" Avos, i will reproduce the older one as well.


Thanks

[David G4EBT]

Excellent drawings!

As to designing projects, you can download an excellent CAD program called ‘E-MachineShop’ with which you can draw your item and view it in 2-D and 3-D, rotating the project to view from every angle. The program is supplied by a company to enable potential customers to design items which they can, if they wish, submit for a quotation to get the item made in metal or by 3D Printing. The program is very 'user friendly' and assumes no previous CAD knowledge. You can get download it free at this link:

https://www.emachineshop.com/home-pa...k6KpamXRVWmlVI

There are several excellent video tutorials – this one is a step by step tutorial on how to design a flywheel:

https://www.emachineshop.com/help-3d-drawing/#tutorial

Forum member Colin Wood (‘Retired’) became very adept at using the program simply by following the tutorials. (Not for 3D printing - simply to fabricate objects in metal and wood in his home workshop).

Of course, it’s one thing being able to draw a project using the CAD software, it’s quite another thing to program the 3D-Printer to convert that into a finished item. I guess that most of us have often though how useful a printer could be and they’re now down to a reasonable price - £250 or so, but it’s easy to see how they can become another hobby with a steep learning curve.

The plastic filament 'PLA' - used as a feedstock material in desktop fused filament fabrication 3D printers comes is a wide variety of colours but few shades of each colour - maybe a couple of reds. The filament is typically 1.75mm and usually comes in 1kG spools 1.7mm diameter. It isn't especially cheap and if you only want to make a few items, you end up with a spool of filament of a particular colour for which you may have no further use. Here are example of colours:

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q...rs&FORM=IDINTS

PLA is Poly(lactic acid) or polylactic acid or polylactide (PLA) is a biodegradable and bioactive thermoplastic aliphatic polyester derived from renewable resources, such as corn starch (in the United States and Canada), cassava roots, chips or starch (mostly in Asia), or sugarcane (in the rest of the world).

There must be countless examples of plastic items which not just us, but the wider public would like to get made by 3D-printing that on the face of things, it seems like a good opportunity for enterprising outfits to offer a service - even on the High Street, but that hasn't yet happened. I guess that the reason is that one-off items cannot be produced at a price which is low enough to attract custom, yet is high enough to turn a profit.

A recent offering of a 3D printer by Aldi looked appealing, and examples of small items printed on it were shown. What isn't said of course, is the level of expertise required to get the printer to do as we would wish. I think I know the answer to that - more expertise than I possesses, or would ever wish to acquire.

If it was such a doddle to use one, I think many forum members would have one by now!

[AC/HL]

Forum member Ti Pwun (Jon) has experience with 3D printing. Maybe worth contacting him, although he has expanded into a business now: https://jonsprintshop.com/

[The Philpott]

I only have pre-1969 meters of this type, but i have one that seems to have been kept in it's closed case for much of it's life- and the red terminal cap is a deeper red than others- i think therefore that they fade slightly in time. If we really were seeking the 'correct' colour i would compare this preserved example to car paint colours. It could be that varying tints were used anyway; there may not be a 'correct' red.

There is a good choice of 3D printing materials with different properties...but i do not know what the range of colours is like.

Dave

Today i was in 3D print shop, they only works with ABS, that is very hard, but i ask for one copy to try the measurements. Tomorrow i will pick up it and we can see the results.

The first cap made of abs color white, just to try it on the Avo

[fetteler]

That's looking very nice

Steve.

The cap is very well done, it needs to be printed on the right red and black color, also the ABS material will be OK, it is not as malleable as the original but will fit very well.
I noticed that the red terminal is a little bit thick than the black, i will keep this in mind for the next and final caps.

So i must find another shop with the red and black color and try again. I am very happy with the initials results, will post again the final cap.

[Cathode Ray]

PK sent to you Aitro.
I've got a 3D printer with red and black PLA.
I'd be glad to assist.

Ray

Thanks, i answered to your kindly message a few minutes ago.

Next week i will have the definitive caps and will print them in red and black to see them, i will tell you the results and will see if your help is needed, Thanks very much!!! is a real pleasure to have people like you and others that want to help!!

[Cathode Ray]

Decided to give it a go myself, printing it up now.

Not bad looking, lets see how strong the printed part is.

Ray

[Cathode Ray]

Not perfect, you can tell it's 3d printed.
But acceptable as an alternative to no cover.

I can make some more up for members if anyone is intrested.
Just the postage.

Cheers

Ray

[Cathode Ray]

and the red... fairly close in colour.