All good things › Forums › Morgan Builders forum › Morgan variant uses 8 fewer printed parts
- This topic has 3 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 11 months ago by
Diode.
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AuthorPosts
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July 28, 2013 at 08:43 #750
Diode
ParticipantHi All,
I have just started building a Morgan. Australian plumbing standards differ from those in the UK and South Africa and the recommended copper pipe sizes for the Morgan are not available locally. Copper pipe here is also quite expensive and is sold in annealed rolls rather than straight sections. So I have opted to up-size to 16mm and 25 mm and use aluminium pipe which is readily available cheaply – and straight. So I will need to vary dimensions of some of the printed parts to suit.
I need to keep the printed parts count to a minimum as I will rely on a DIY community 3D printing facility in my home town that is only open for one day per week with a session limit of about 90 minutes.
I found that I could dispense with the pipe adapters used in the frame by appropriate cutting of the plastic support pipes. I used 32mm OD heavy duty (orange) PVC conduit from the electrical section of my local hardware store. This stuff has 2.9 mm thick walls. I made a “mitre box” from 3 pieces of scrap timber about 600 mm long. The gap between the two sides is little wider than the 32 mm pipe. I marked out 4 saw cuts across the edges of the box, with the aid of a protractor, to allow cutting 2 pipes 475 mm long with 69 degree ends, and 2 pipes 484 mm long with 67 degree ends. Clamping the pipe in place in the mitre box until both ends were cut guaranteed correct alignment of the ends relative to each other. Then I cut 8 x 25 mm lengths of 12 mm hardwood dowel and drilled a pilot hole down the middle of each. The dowels fit firmly across the inside of each pipe end and are held in place by 2, 8g x 16 mm (max) metal screws. Ideally each dowel should fit across the pipe a little below flush with the angled pipe ends. If they stick out a little then they can be shaved down with a sharp chisel after they have been fitted. Drill another pilot hole in the middle of each dowel. You can now assemble the frame by driving wood screws through the platforms into the hole in each dowel. When the screws are tightened the angled pipe ends fit flush against the platforms and the resulting frame is quite rigid. The ports for the motor wires can be drilled in the front pipes after assembly.
Diode
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July 28, 2013 at 11:37 #752
Quentin Harley
KeymasterHi Diode,
Two things:
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Pictures
Sounds greatThanks for sharing. I am sure it will help your fellow Ausies! (and perhaps the rest of us as well)
I did mention that we want to see some pictures, right?
Cheers,
Quentin -
July 29, 2013 at 02:24 #767
Crioca
ParticipantHey, I’m Australia based as well so I’d love to hear where you sourced your materials from.
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July 29, 2013 at 12:45 #777
Diode
ParticipantHi Quentin,
I tried to upload some pictures but failed – sorry.
Diode
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