Handbrake end saga

[click @click My Robox is a Green Kickstarter Limited Edition]

My BMW Mini is already around 7 yeas old and a few plastic parts started showing signs of age. The worst is end trim on handbrake. Over last three-four years it was slowly losing its (three) tabs and this year finally got ‘toothless’ and started falling off on its own:

So I set to use my printer to fix it. First I needed angles where tabs are:

so with edge detect and inverse colours it was perfect for printing:

and reading angles using protractor. Bit of light Sketchup design and here’s what I’ve got:

At that point I was a bit worried that tabs might be slightly weaker and tried to ‘beef’ them up a bit (making them bit thicker). Anyway, Netfabb (Sketchup is notorious for making bad goemetries):

AutoMaker:

Cleaning:

and spraying with, supposedly chrome effect rattle can car spray:

• This topic was modified 3 months ago by  click.

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[pelgrim @pelgrim My Robox is a Green Kickstarter Early Bird]

I’m getting lessons at 3D design, this is cool

java (EE), JavaFX, HTML, GIS) programmer, database wizard, framework inventor, looking for a job ! http://roboxing.com/wizards

[click @click My Robox is a Green Kickstarter Limited Edition]

Now you can probably guess that tabs weren’t really strong enough. They weren’t in my Raspberry Pi case design:

First tabs were slighty thicker than needed and secondly printing laterally doesn’t increase strength:

On the other hand - I had impression that when printing (all is done with ABS) longitudinally, plastic allows for bending and is much stronger. So, back to design - I took tabs out of the main body:

and designed tabs to be on their own:

I managed to print tabs without support:

and result:

Since first ‘chrome’ paint didn’t work (after all it was in the region of £2-3) I splashed on something that really worked for me me in the past and got slightly better result:

But that paint is quite slow to dry so it is not yet mounted back in my car. I did however tried it fixed and it seemed to be just fine. I’ll post final picture(s) in a couple of days. Until then - try not to be impatient as I was and when spraying do it in very thin layers at the time. O : )

• This reply was modified 3 months ago by  click.

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[Jack @jack-strong My Robox is a Green Kickstarter Limited Edition]

Brilliant little project youve got there.

I would recommend you get some leveling primer for your abs parts. It should get rid of all the printing lines etc. If interested then let me know and i will find a link. Ive used it, its great stuff.

[Steve N @discosteve My Robox is a Blue Commercial Version]

I admire your persistence but for £29….

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-Chrome-Gear-Knob-vehicles-built-after-January-2004-25117542278-/271785653052?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&fits=Car+Make%3AMini&hash=item3f47aff33c

Steve N | Creator of things both virtual and physical

[Steve N @discosteve My Robox is a Blue Commercial Version]

Interestingly in my part of the automotive world there is a bit of a market for Lower Spec Land Rover Discoveries for Tom Tom Sat Nav surround bezels

These are for making Tom Tom Sat Nav’s and the like sit in the big cubby hole left by non-fitment of the standard Sat Nav available in the Higher Spec Discoveries

I’ve had one of each, my current car has the factory fit Sat Nav but I may have a go at a bezel design which will work (and I can sell) to those who are not so lucky

Steve N | Creator of things both virtual and physical

[click @click My Robox is a Green Kickstarter Limited Edition]

It is actually: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MINI-HANDBRAKE-HANDLE-WITH-CHROME-R50-R52-R53-R55-R56-R57-R58-R59-/111578481441?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item19fa988321

and only £25.99, but still…

I don’t need whole lot. Amount of filament is negligent and I paid £9-10 for chrome spray (which I previously used on my helicopter canopies so it won’t go waste). As for time spent - I found playing with Sketchup similar to reading a good book - relaxing! After whole day of having mind in gear for coding, design is really gentle mental jog - not full sprint…

Plus - now I have a hammer - gimme more nails to solve!

And - I had another justification - if this gets broken I can do two things in parallel: make another one and work on fixing my design so next lasts longer. As you can see I do have wife and have to thing ahead of those questions and pointing obvious like that! O : )

[Steve N @discosteve My Robox is a Blue Commercial Version]

aahhhh yes…. the old ‘why did you waste some much money on this printer thing?” chestnut from the Domestic CFO….

prudent to print a ‘useful’ object every now and again - when my white and black PLA turns up I will be more easily able to keep that little charade going…

Steve N | Creator of things both virtual and physical

[Author]

Posts