Making end caps

That is easy boss.........


Ask me!!!! :lol!: :lol!: :lol!:

Mark.

If you have a Lathe it's easy, so I assume we are talking about making end caps without the use of a lathe,firstly cut out of 1/8th perspex with a jigsaw or a fretsaw a disc that is just a shade bigger than the inside dia of the tube you are ussing then with a sanding block sand down the outside dia of the disc until it just fits inside the tube,next cut another disc out of 1/4 or 3/8 perspex or polycarbonate this one should be about 1/2 inch larger than the od of the tube you are ussing again sand down the od with a sanding block,now you need to bond the small disc to the large disc taking care to make sure that it is central,when dry slip a 1/16 o'ring over the od of small dia disc,drill the larger disc for the tie rods and you have an end cap,you do not have to be deadly acurate with the sanding of the outer dia's as the seal seats on the face of the disc and the end of the tube the caps are only a means of holding the seal in place,the caps can be bonded together with liquid poly, give it a try its easy.

just thought I would add that Brian Alps has for years now much to my amasement been using the method as above but he uses plywood instead of perspex or poly,and the only problem he has ever had is woodworm!!!!!!!!!!

I basically use the same method as Nigel but I use an O ring that seals against the inside of the tube , so I cut a slot in the outer edge of the disk. (See the photo in the build log section for the U uPVC sub.)

I use polycarbonate disks bonded with that liquid adhesive stuff. (I didn't know that you could use liquid cyano for this, interesting.)

I too have long admired Brian's wooden end caps but I think they look better in the living room than in a submarine!

nigele(ADMIN)2 wrote:If you have a Lathe it's easy, so I assume we are talking about making end caps without the use of a lathe,firstly cut out of 1/8th perspex with a jigsaw or a fretsaw a disc that is just a shade bigger than the inside dia of the tube you are ussing then with a sanding block sand down the outside dia of the disc until it just fits inside the tube,next cut another disc out of 1/4 or 3/8 perspex or polycarbonate this one should be about 1/2 inch larger than the od of the tube you are ussing again sand down the od with a sanding block,now you need to bond the small disc to the large disc taking care to make sure that it is central,when dry slip a 1/16 o'ring over the od of small dia disc,drill the larger disc for the tie rods and you have an end cap,you do not have to be deadly acurate with the sanding of the outer dia's as the seal seats on the face of the disc and the end of the tube the caps are only a means of holding the seal in place,the caps can be bonded together with liquid poly, give it a try its easy.    

If like me you're no good with a jigsaw and your circles look more like hexagons or just lazy, check out the link below, they sell ready cut discs from 40mm to 400mm in diameter and thicknesses of 2mm to 8mm. All that may be required is a little sanding of the inner disc to get it to fit the internal diameter of the tube.

I love ebay!!! ..... Well sometimes!!!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/361046759795?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&var=630387018562&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Has anyone tried 3D printed end caps?

Some useful discussion here by BuxtonRob (as part of another discussion):

https://www.theassociationofmodelsubmariners.com/t1787-prop-rpm-help-requested#10728

I have been using my very basic Tronxy X1 3D printer to good effect producing superstructure and deck fittings on my E11 sub using PLA but I haven't made anything really structural and waterproof (I am worried about the porosity of 3D printed parts. I have a lathe and so turn endcaps from polycarbonate.)

I have also heard of people using 3D printed parts as masters to cast items. I've even heard of people using PLA  in "lost wax" (lost PLA??) casting. I've even heard that for aerospace they 3D print items with a Titanium/plastic mix that they then sinter, to produce a light fantastic!

It is a rather exciting technology that seems to be coming together.

David

Thank you for the link. I have heard both good and bad when it comes to PLA and water. Some say it works fine, others say it doesn't.

The amazing thing with this project is the ability to combine several lose parts into one part. Adding different materials for different applications makes for endless customizations and designs. Possible weight savings, number of parts, the reproduction of parts, the time and cost of producing parts and so on.

3D printing/additive manufacturing is just going to get bigger and better.

I finally just bit the bullet as they say, bought a table top lathe. My boats use a 2” od WTC. I design &make my own end caps.
Use Delrin, PVC, or Bakelite.
If anyone needs an end cap, let me know. I may be able to help.

SWEnick wrote:Has anyone tried 3D printed end caps?

I know this original post is now basically two years old, and you have since purchased a lathe....

but the world changes...

i bought my lathe 15 years ago, i bought my second (resin lcd) 3d printer a month ago.

the prints from the lcd printer are beautiful, and i am absolutely certain that 90% of all my masters for rubber molds will be made on that printer.  the resolution on that printer is high enough that anything up to a 4" endcap would be no problem.  with things like pockets for o-rings around pushrods and motor shafts already molded in.


the final kicker:

the 3d printer was only $190...
the lathe was $500...

Tim,
I bought a resin 3D printer a several months ago. Love it.
I got the Elegoo Pro. Definitely a learning curve, but so worth it.
Peace,
Tom

Tom,

mine is the standard elegoo mars... once it got below the $200 "throw away" category i picked it up.

using the elegoo is actually less bother than using the FDM printer. everyone talks about how messy they are, but they are no messier than casting parts using traditional resins. elegoo's slicer software is dead simple. i was printing real (not sample) prints in about an hour.

Is time to scan ourselves, then 3D print them out. As captain of our boats.
Tim, nice "tool", time to turn my old wood 3d printer to firewood.