Tag: Improvements

Making the world a better place, one piece at a time

LF Crystal Tester: Variable CX
Replacing the 22 pF series capacitor with a variable cap went smoothly after I got over having to rip-and-replace the adjacent socket and header, too:

LF Crystal Tester – variable CX

The circuit remains the same, plus a test point to simplify measuring the actual capacitance:

Test Fixture – variable CX

I didn’t add a jumper to disconnect the crystal fixture, because (I think) it would add too much uncontrolled stray capacitance: removing the header would disconnect the socket / header wires.

The little red cap adjusts from (nominally) 3 pF to 28 pF over half a turn, without a stop. The rotor does have a marked side, but basically you’re supposed to tune for best picture and leave it at that.

The AADE L/C meter works fine, but in the low pF range everything affects the reading. The only way to measure the actual capacitance seems to be:
- Clip one lead to the top of the 24 Ω terminating resistor
- Hold the other within a millimeter of the test point pin
- Zero the meter, note any residual offset
- Touch clip lead to test pin
- Note reading, mentally subtract residual offset
The as-installed range spans 6.5 pF to 28 pF. I think I can measure it to within ±0.05 pF, with a considerable dependence on maintaining the same pressure on the clip lead.

I suppose if you were doing this for real, you’d throw another Teledyne relay at the problem.
2017-09-08
RAMPS 1.4 Heatsinking

The knockoff Arduino Mega board actually has eight thermal vias on the copper pour around the regulator:

RAMPS Mega – regulator – thermal vias

I sawed up a clip-on heatsink originally intended for a 14 pin DIP, bent it a bit, and epoxied it atop the regulator with enough of a blob to contact the copper pour:

RAMPS Mega – regulator heatsink – clamping

That’s metal-filled JB Weld for good thermal conductivity and electrical insulation:

RAMPS Mega – regulator heatsink

The blob affixing the heatsink to the crystal can was an oopsie, but won’t do any harm. It’s not clear the heatsink will do any good in that confined space, but those regulators lead a rough life and need all the help they can get.

The five stepper drivers sport HR4988SQ chips, rather than Allegro A4988 chips:

RAMPS – stepper driver – HR4988 chip

I’d rather see a knockoff than a counterfeit, although by now there’s really no way to tell if it’s a counterfeit knockoff. The Kynix datasheet looks like a direct rip from Allegro.

They now sport cute little heatsinks, which, for all I know, might help a bit:

RAMPS shield – stepper heatsinks

The driver boards are slightly longer than the spacing mandated by the continuous socket strips under the three-in-a-row layout:

RAMPS – stepper driver board fit

Introducing them to Mr Disk Sander (turned by hand) knocked off just enough to make ’em fit.

2017-09-06
Knockoff RAMPS 1.4 Printer Controller Hardware Kit

For 36 bucks delivered halfway around the planet, you can get a remarkable pile of gadgetry:

RAMPS 1.4 – eBay parts

With a bit of persuasion, it can become a 3D printer controller based on a RepRap RAMPS 1.4 shield or serve as a generic stepper / servo motor driver with three honkin’ MOSFET power switches, two thermistor inputs, a variety of I/O bits from the Arduino Mega PCB, and a monochrome LCD with a knob.

The persuasion includes un-bending various header pins:

RAMPS shield – bent pin

Correcting bowlegged pin strips:

And clipping offending pins:

The interference between the bottom of the RAMPS power connector pin and the top of the Arduino Mega coaxial power jack seems baked right into the original PCB layout, which is puzzling. If you don’t trim the pins, this is as close as the boards will get:

Well, of course, you could just jam all those headers together and bend the RAMPS PCB.

The bent pin near the Reset button connects to the PS_ON output used to enable ATX-style power supplies. You connect the supply’s 5V_SBY always-on output to the VCC pin, which powers the Mega and most of the logic, but not the stepper motor outputs or the heaters.

To make that work, remove D1 from the board where it’s snuggled along the header strip:

RAMPS shield – D1 D2 locations

D2, next to the fuse near the bottom of the picture, provides reverse-polarity protection for the RAMPS board.

The servo motor power comes from the 5V pin. If you don’t need the PS_ON output and 5V_SBY input, then jumper the VCC and 5V pins together. Otherwise, you could solder-blob those pins on the bottom of the board, which means the servos are always powered.

Configuring the latest 1.1.x version of Marlin should be straightforward …

2017-08-28

Tour Easy Daytime Running Light: Now with Chirality!

In the unlikely event our bikes need two running lights or, perhaps, a running light and a headlight, the solid model now builds mounts for the right side of the fairing, as before:

Fairing Flashlight Mount - Right side - solid model — Fairing Flashlight Mount – Right side – solid model

And for the left side:

Fairing Flashlight Mount - Left side - solid model — Fairing Flashlight Mount – Left side – solid model

Ahhh, chirality: love that word.

Those pix come from a cleaned-up version of the OpenSCAD code that finally gets the 3-axis rotations right, after a rip-and-replace rewrite to deliver the ball model with its origin in the center of the ball where it belonged and rotate the ring about its geometric center. Then the rotations become trivially easy and a slight hack job spits out a completely assembled model:

if (Component == "Complete") {
  translate([-BracketHoleOC,0,0])
    PlateBlank();
  mirror(TiltMirror) {
    translate([0,0,ClampOD/2]) {
      rotate([-Roll,ToeIn,Tilt])
        SlotBall();
      rotate([-Roll,ToeIn,Tilt])
        BallClamp();
    }
  }
}

However, putting the center of rotation directly over the center of the base plate means the ToeIn rotation shifts the bottom of the clamp ring along the X axis, where it can obstruct the mounting holes. Shifting the ring by a little bit:

ClampOD*sin(ToeIn/2)

… keeps the ring more-or-less centered on the top of the plate. That’s not quite the correct geometry, but it’s close enough for the small angles needed here.

Aiming the beam slightly higher makes a 400 lumen flashlight about as bright as any single LED in new car running lights:

Fairing Flashlight Mount - Mary approaching — Fairing Flashlight Mount – Mary approaching

You can just barely make out the snazzy new blue plate on the left side of the fairing.

A bike’s natural back-and-forth handlebar motion sweeps the beam across the lane, so I think there’s no real benefit from blinking.

The OpenSCAD source code as a GitHub Gist:

	// Tour Easy Fairing Flashlight Mount
	// Ed Nisley KE4ZNU – July 2017
	// August 2017 –

	/* [Build Options] */

	FlashName = "AnkerLC40"; // [AnkerLC40,AnkerLC90,J5TactV2,InnovaX5]

	Component = "Complete"; // [Ball, BallClamp, Mount, Plates, Bracket, Complete]

	Layout = "Show"; // [Build, Show]

	Support = false;

	MountSupport = false;

	/* [Extrusion] */

	ThreadThick = 0.25; // [0.20, 0.25]
	ThreadWidth = 0.40; // [0.40]

	function IntegerMultiple(Size,Unit) = Unit * ceil(Size / Unit);

	Protrusion = 0.01; // [0.01, 0.1]

	HoleWindage = 0.2;

	/* [Fairing Mount] */

	Side = "Right"; // [Right,Left]

	ToeIn = 0; // inward from ahead
	Tilt = 15; // upward from forward (M=20 E=15)
	Roll = 0; // outward from top

	//- Screws *c

	/* [Hidden] */

	ID = 0;
	OD = 1;
	LENGTH = 2;

	/* [Screws and Inserts] */

	ClampInsert = [3.0,4.2,8.0];

	ClampScrew = [3.0,5.9,35.0]; // thread dia, head OD, screw length
	ClampScrewWasher = [3.0,6.75,0.5];
	ClampScrewNut = [3.0,6.1,4.0]; // nyloc nut

	/* [Hidden] */

	F_NAME = 0;
	F_GRIPOD = 1;
	F_GRIPLEN = 2;

	LightBodies = [
	["AnkerLC90",26.6,48.0],
	["AnkerLC40",26.6,55.0],
	["J5TactV2",25.0,30.0],
	["InnovaX5",22.0,55.0]
	];

	//- Fairing Bracket
	// Magic numbers taken from the actual fairing mount

	/* [Hidden] */

	inch = 25.4;

	BracketHoleOD = 0.25 * inch; // 1/4-20 bolt holes

	BracketHoleOC = 1.0 * inch; // fairing hole spacing
	// usually 1 inch, but 15/16 on one fairing

	Bracket = [48.0,16.3,3.6 – 0.6]; // fairing bracket end plate overall size
	BracketHoleOffset = (3/8) * inch; // end to hole center

	BracketM = 3.0; // endcap arc height
	BracketR = (pow(BracketM,2) + pow(Bracket[1],2)/4) / (2*BracketM); // … radius

	//- Base plate dimensions

	Plate = [100.0,30.0,6*ThreadThick + Bracket[2]];
	PlateRad = Plate[1]/4;

	RoundEnds = true;

	echo(str("Base plate thick: ",Plate[2]));

	//- Select flashlight data from table

	echo(str("Flashlight: ",FlashName));
	FlashIndex = search([FlashName],LightBodies,1,0)[F_NAME];

	//- Set ball dimensions

	BallWall = 5.0; // max ball wall thickness
	echo(str("Ball wall: ",BallWall));

	BallOD = IntegerMultiple(LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD] + 2*BallWall,1.0);
	echo(str(" OD: ",BallOD));

	BallLength = IntegerMultiple(min(sqrt(pow(BallOD,2) – pow(LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD],2)) – 24ThreadThick,
	LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPLEN]),1.0);
	echo(str(" length: ",BallLength));

	BallSides = 8*4;

	//- Set clamp ring dimensions

	ClampOD = 50;
	echo(str("Clamp OD: ",ClampOD));

	ClampLength = min(20.0,0.75*BallLength);
	echo(str(" length: ",ClampLength));

	ClampScrewOC = IntegerMultiple((ClampOD + BallOD)/2,1);
	echo(str(" screw OC: ",ClampScrewOC));

	TiltMirror = (Side == "Right") ? [0,0,0] : [0,1,0];

	//- Adjust hole diameter to make the size come out right

	module PolyCyl(Dia,Height,ForceSides=0) { // based on nophead's polyholes
	Sides = (ForceSides != 0) ? ForceSides : (ceil(Dia) + 2);
	FixDia = Dia / cos(180/Sides);
	cylinder(r=(FixDia + HoleWindage)/2,h=Height,$fn=Sides);
	}

	//- Fairing Bracket
	// This part of the fairing mount supports the whole flashlight mount
	// Centered on screw hole

	module Bracket() {

	linear_extrude(height=Bracket[2],convexity=2)
	difference() {
	translate([(Bracket[0]/2 – BracketHoleOffset),0,0])
	offset(delta=ThreadWidth)
	intersection() {
	square([Bracket[0],Bracket[1]],center=true);
	union() {
	for (i=[-1,0,1]) // middle circle fills gap
	translate([i*(Bracket[0]/2 – BracketR),0])
	circle(r=BracketR);
	}
	}
	circle(d=BracketHoleOD/cos(180/8),$fn=8); // dead center at the origin
	}
	}

	//- General plate shape
	// Centered on the hole for the fairing bracket

	module PlateBlank() {

	difference() {
	translate([BracketHoleOC,0,0])
	intersection() {
	translate([0,0,Plate[2]/2]) // select upper half of spheres
	cube(Plate,center=true);
	hull()
	if (RoundEnds)
	for (i=[-1,1])
	translate([i*(Plate[0]/2 – PlateRad),0,0])
	resize([Plate[1]/2,Plate[1],2*Plate[2]])
	sphere(r=PlateRad); // nice round ends!
	else
	for (i=[-1,1], j=[-1,1])
	translate([i(Plate[0]/2 – PlateRad),j(Plate[1]/2 – PlateRad),0])
	resize([2PlateRad,2PlateRad,2*Plate[2]])
	sphere(r=PlateRad); // nice round corners!
	}
	translate([2*BracketHoleOC,0,-Protrusion]) // punch screw holes
	PolyCyl(BracketHoleOD,2*Plate[2],8);
	translate([0,0,-Protrusion])
	PolyCyl(BracketHoleOD,2*Plate[2],8);
	}
	}

	//- Inner plate

	module InnerPlate() {

	difference() {
	PlateBlank();
	translate([0,0,Plate[2] – Bracket[2] + Protrusion]) // punch fairing bracket
	Bracket();
	}
	}

	//- Slotted ball around flashlight
	// Print with brim to ensure adhesion!

	module SlotBall() {

	NumSlots = 8*2; // must be even, half cut from each end
	SlotWidth = 2*ThreadWidth;
	SlotBaseThick = 10*ThreadThick; // enough to hold finger ends together
	RibLength = (BallOD – LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD])/2;

	translate([0,0,(Layout == "Build") ? BallLength/2 : 0])
	rotate([0,(Layout == "Show") ? 90 : 0,0])
	difference() {
	intersection() {
	sphere(d=BallOD,$fn=2*BallSides); // basic ball
	cube([2BallOD,2BallOD,BallLength],center=true); // trim to length
	}
	translate([0,0,-LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD]])
	rotate(180/BallSides)
	PolyCyl(LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD],2*BallOD,BallSides); // remove flashlight body

	for (i=[0:NumSlots/2 – 1]) { // cut slots
	a=i(2360/NumSlots);
	SlotCutterLength = LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD];
	rotate(a)
	translate([SlotCutterLength/2,0,SlotBaseThick])
	cube([SlotCutterLength,SlotWidth,BallLength],center=true);
	rotate(a + 360/NumSlots)
	translate([SlotCutterLength/2,0,-SlotBaseThick])
	cube([SlotCutterLength,SlotWidth,BallLength],center=true);
	}
	}

	color("Yellow")
	if (Support && (Layout == "Build")) {
	for (i=[0:NumSlots-1]) {
	a = i*360/NumSlots;
	rotate(a + 180/NumSlots)
	translate([(LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD] + RibLength)/2 + ThreadWidth,0,BallLength/(2*4)])
	cube([RibLength,2*ThreadWidth,BallLength/4],center=true);
	}
	}
	}

	//- Clamp around flashlight ball

	module BallClamp(Section="All") {

	BossLength = ClampScrew[LENGTH] – 1*ClampScrewWasher[LENGTH];
	BossOD = ClampInsert[OD] + 2(6ThreadWidth);

	difference() {
	union() {
	intersection() {
	sphere(d=ClampOD,$fn=BallSides); // exterior ball clamp
	cube([ClampLength,2ClampOD,2ClampOD],center=true); // aiming allowance
	}
	hull()
	for (j=[-1,1])
	translate([0,j*ClampScrewOC/2,-BossLength/2])
	cylinder(d=BossOD,h=BossLength,$fn=6);
	}

	sphere(d=(BallOD + 1*ThreadThick),$fn=BallSides); // interior ball with minimal clearance

	for (j=[-1,1]) {
	translate([0,j*ClampScrewOC/2,-ClampOD]) // screw clearance
	PolyCyl(ClampScrew[ID],2*ClampOD,6);
	translate([0,j*ClampScrewOC/2, // insert clearance
	-(BossLength/2 – ClampInsert[LENGTH] – 3*ThreadThick)])
	rotate([0,180,0])
	PolyCyl(ClampInsert[OD],2*ClampOD,6);
	translate([0,j*ClampScrewOC/2, // insert transition
	-(BossLength/2 – ClampInsert[LENGTH] – 3*ThreadThick)])
	cylinder(d1=ClampInsert[OD]/cos(180/6),d2=ClampScrew[ID],h=6*ThreadThick,$fn=6);
	}

	if (Section == "Top")
	translate([0,0,-ClampOD/2])
	cube([2ClampOD,2ClampOD,ClampOD],center=true);
	else if (Section == "Bottom")
	translate([0,0,ClampOD/2])
	cube([2ClampOD,2ClampOD,ClampOD],center=true);
	}

	color("Yellow")
	if (Support) { // ad-hoc supports
	NumRibs = 6;
	RibLength = 0.5 * BallOD;
	RibWidth = 1.9*ThreadWidth;
	SupportOC = ClampLength / NumRibs;

	if (Section == "Top") // base plate for adhesion
	translate([0,0,ThreadThick])
	cube([ClampLength + 6ThreadWidth,RibLength,2ThreadThick],center=true);
	else if (Section == "Bottom")
	translate([0,0,-ThreadThick])
	cube([ClampLength + 6ThreadWidth,RibLength,2ThreadThick],center=true);

	render(convexity=2*NumRibs)
	intersection() {
	sphere(d=BallOD – 0*ThreadWidth); // cut at inner sphere OD

	cube([ClampLength + 2*ThreadWidth,RibLength,BallOD],center=true);

	if (Section == "Top") // select only desired section
	translate([0,0,ClampOD/2])
	cube([2ClampOD,2ClampOD,ClampOD],center=true);
	else if (Section == "Bottom")
	translate([0,0,-ClampOD/2])
	cube([2ClampOD,2ClampOD,ClampOD],center=true);

	union() { // ribs for E-Z build
	for (j=[-1,0,1])
	translate([0,j*SupportOC,0])
	cube([ClampLength,RibWidth,1.0*BallOD],center=true);
	for (i=[0:NumRibs]) // allow NumRibs + 1 to fill the far end
	translate([i*SupportOC – ClampLength/2,0,0])
	rotate([0,90,0])
	cylinder(d=BallOD – 2*ThreadThick,
	h=RibWidth,$fn=BallSides,center=true);
	}
	}
	}
	}

	//- Mount between fairing plate and flashlight ball
	// Build with support for bottom of clamp screws!

	module Mount() {

	TextRotate = (Side == "Right") ? 0 : 180;
	MountShift = [ClampOD*sin(ToeIn/2),
	0,
	ClampOD/2];

	difference() {
	translate([-BracketHoleOC,0,0]) // put bracket center at origin
	PlateBlank();
	mirror([0,1,0])
	translate([0,0,-Protrusion])
	linear_extrude(height=3*ThreadThick + Protrusion) {
	translate([BracketHoleOC + 15,0,0])
	text(text=">>>",size=5,spacing=1.20,font="Arial",halign="center",valign="center");
	translate([-BracketHoleOC,8,0]) rotate(TextRotate)
	text(text=str("Toe ",ToeIn),size=5,spacing=1.20,font="Arial",halign="center",valign="center");
	translate([-BracketHoleOC,-8,0]) rotate(TextRotate)
	text(text=str("Tilt ",Tilt),size=5,spacing=1.20,font="Arial",halign="center",valign="center");
	translate([BracketHoleOC,-8,0]) rotate(TextRotate)
	text(text=Side,size=5,spacing=1.20,font="Arial",halign="center",valign="center");
	translate([BracketHoleOC,8,0]) rotate(TextRotate)
	text(text=str("Roll ",Roll),size=5,spacing=1.20,font="Arial",halign="center",valign="center");
	translate([-(BracketHoleOC + 15),0,0])
	rotate(90)
	text(text="KE4ZNU",size=4,spacing=1.20,font="Arial",halign="center",valign="center");
	}
	}

	mirror(TiltMirror) {
	translate(MountShift)
	rotate([-Roll,ToeIn,Tilt])
	BallClamp("Bottom");

	color("Yellow")
	if (MountSupport) { // anchor outer corners at worst overhang
	RibWidth = 1.9*ThreadWidth;
	SupportOC = 0.1 * ClampLength;
	difference() {
	rotate([0,0,Tilt])
	translate([(ClampOD – BallOD)*sin(ToeIn/2),0,0])
	for (i=[-4.5,-2.5,0,2.0,4.5])
	translate([i*SupportOC – 0.0,0,(5 + Plate[2])/2])
	cube([RibWidth,0.7*ClampOD,(5 + Plate[2])],center=true);
	translate(MountShift)
	rotate([-Roll,ToeIn,Tilt])
	sphere(d=ClampOD – 2*ThreadWidth,$fn=BallSides);
	}
	}
	}
	}

	//- Build things

	if (Component == "Bracket")
	Bracket();

	if (Component == "Ball")
	SlotBall();

	if (Component == "BallClamp")
	if (Layout == "Show")
	BallClamp("All");
	else if (Layout == "Build")
	BallClamp("Top");

	if (Component == "Mount")
	Mount();

	if (Component == "Plates") {
	translate([0,0.7*Plate[1],0])
	InnerPlate();
	translate([0,-0.7*Plate[1],0])
	PlateBlank();
	}

	if (Component == "Complete") {
	translate([-BracketHoleOC,0,0])
	PlateBlank();
	mirror(TiltMirror) {
	translate([0,0,ClampOD/2]) {
	rotate([-Roll,ToeIn,Tilt])
	SlotBall();
	rotate([-Roll,ToeIn,Tilt])
	BallClamp();
	}
	}
	}

view raw Fairing Flashlight Mount.scad hosted with ❤ by GitHub

2017-08-24

Tenergy 18650 Lithium Cells: Initial Capacity

The daytime running lights on the bikes get noticeably dimmer when the 18650 lithium cell voltage drops below 3.6 V, so I picked up a quartet of Tenergy protected cells and ran ’em through the battery tester:

Tenergy 18650 Protected – 2017-08-04

As with the ATX cells, the voltage decreases almost linearly with charge until it falls off the cliff near the end, but these have a higher terminal voltage throughout most of the curve, which is a Good Thing for LED flashlights.

These four seem to have about the same overall capacity as the ATX cells, so we’ll run ’em all in sequence and see how long they last.

2017-08-21
Tour Easy Daytime Running Light: Pile of Prototypes

Although I wish I could come up with a finished design in one pass, usually I end up with a big pile of nope before producing the one I want:

Fairing Flashlight Mount – Iterations

The mounts on the left show the progression from large hemisphere balls to the same-size finger ball to the smaller finger ball, with the smaller cyan arch clamp in the foreground still festooned with its support structure. The stack of plates to the right (with the original faded & distintegrating ABS plates in the bag) comes from reprinting in cyan to match the small mounts now on the bikes:

Fairing Flashlight Mount – rounded

Hey, it’s time for a ride!

2017-08-18

Tour Easy Daytime Running Light: Annotation

The flashlight mount need not be symmetric after applying all the rotations, so recording how it’s aimed and which end goes forward seemed appropriate:

Fairing Flashlight Mount - Mount Annotation — Fairing Flashlight Mount – Mount Annotation

Optionally, with rounded ends just for pretty:

Fairing Flashlight Mount - Mount Annotation - rounded — Fairing Flashlight Mount – Mount Annotation – rounded

Because the rounding comes from resized spheres, the plate gets a ridge along the top to (maybe) lock the nylon screws / wing nuts in place:

Fairing Flashlight Mount - Mount - rounded — Fairing Flashlight Mount – Mount – rounded

Or discourage them from turning, which would be OK, too. After the second tightening, they don’t seem to come loose, so this may be overthinking the problem.

All in all, they look pretty good in cyan PETG:

Fairing Flashlight Mount - rounded — Fairing Flashlight Mount – rounded

Believe it or not, that’s aimed so the top edge of the beam is roughly horizontal to keep the hot spot out of oncoming traffic. They’re plenty bright, even on the “low power” setting.

The flashlight mounting balls produce a decorative brim that ought to be useful for something:

Maybe earrings?

The OpenSCAD source code as a GitHub Gist:

	// Tour Easy Fairing Flashlight Mount
	// Ed Nisley KE4ZNU – July 2017
	// August 2017 –

	/* [Build Options] */

	FlashName = "AnkerLC40"; // [AnkerLC40,AnkerLC90,J5TactV2,InnovaX5]

	Component = "Plates"; // [Ball, BallClamp, Mount, Plates, Bracket]

	Layout = "Build"; // [Build, Show]

	Support = false;

	MountSupport = true;

	/* [Extrusion] */

	ThreadThick = 0.25; // [0.20, 0.25]
	ThreadWidth = 0.40; // [0.40]

	function IntegerMultiple(Size,Unit) = Unit * ceil(Size / Unit);

	Protrusion = 0.01; // [0.01, 0.1]

	HoleWindage = 0.2;

	/* [Fairing Mount] */

	ToeIn = 0; // inward from ahead
	Tilt = 20; // upward from forward (M=20 E=15)
	Roll = 0; // outward from top

	Shift = 0; // Finagle Constant for support ribs

	//- Screws *c

	/* [Hidden] */

	ID = 0;
	OD = 1;
	LENGTH = 2;

	/* [Screws and Inserts] */

	ClampInsert = [3.0,4.2,8.0];

	ClampScrew = [3.0,5.9,35.0]; // thread dia, head OD, screw length
	ClampScrewWasher = [3.0,6.75,0.5];
	ClampScrewNut = [3.0,6.1,4.0]; // nyloc nut

	/* [Hidden] */

	F_NAME = 0;
	F_GRIPOD = 1;
	F_GRIPLEN = 2;

	LightBodies = [
	["AnkerLC90",26.6,48.0],
	["AnkerLC40",26.6,55.0],
	["J5TactV2",25.0,30.0],
	["InnovaX5",22.0,55.0]
	];

	//- Fairing Bracket
	// Magic numbers taken from the actual fairing mount

	/* [Hidden] */

	inch = 25.4;

	BracketHoleOD = 0.25 * inch; // 1/4-20 bolt holes

	BracketHoleOC = 1.0 * inch; // fairing hole spacing
	// usually 1 inch, but 15/16 on one fairing

	Bracket = [48.0,16.3,3.6 – 0.6]; // fairing bracket end plate overall size
	BracketHoleOffset = (3/8) * inch; // end to hole center

	BracketM = 3.0; // endcap arc height
	BracketR = (pow(BracketM,2) + pow(Bracket[1],2)/4) / (2*BracketM); // … radius

	//- Base plate dimensions

	Plate = [100.0,30.0,6*ThreadThick + Bracket[2]];
	PlateRad = Plate[1]/4;

	RoundEnds = true;

	echo(str("Base plate thick: ",Plate[2]));

	//- Select flashlight data from table

	echo(str("Flashlight: ",FlashName));
	FlashIndex = search([FlashName],LightBodies,1,0)[F_NAME];

	//- Set ball dimensions

	BallWall = 5.0; // max ball wall thickness
	echo(str("Ball wall: ",BallWall));

	BallOD = IntegerMultiple(LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD] + 2*BallWall,1.0);
	echo(str(" OD: ",BallOD));

	BallLength = IntegerMultiple(min(sqrt(pow(BallOD,2) – pow(LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD],2)) – 24ThreadThick,
	LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPLEN]),1.0);
	echo(str(" length: ",BallLength));

	BallSides = 8*4;

	//- Set clamp ring dimensions

	ClampOD = 50;
	echo(str("Clamp OD: ",ClampOD));

	ClampLength = min(20.0,0.75*BallLength);
	echo(str(" length: ",ClampLength));

	ClampScrewOC = IntegerMultiple((ClampOD + BallOD)/2,1);
	echo(str(" screw OC: ",ClampScrewOC));

	//- Adjust hole diameter to make the size come out right

	module PolyCyl(Dia,Height,ForceSides=0) { // based on nophead's polyholes
	Sides = (ForceSides != 0) ? ForceSides : (ceil(Dia) + 2);
	FixDia = Dia / cos(180/Sides);
	cylinder(r=(FixDia + HoleWindage)/2,h=Height,$fn=Sides);
	}

	//- Fairing Bracket
	// This part of the fairing mount supports the whole flashlight mount
	// Centered on screw hole

	module Bracket() {

	linear_extrude(height=Bracket[2],convexity=2)
	difference() {
	translate([(Bracket[0]/2 – BracketHoleOffset),0,0])
	offset(delta=ThreadWidth)
	intersection() {
	square([Bracket[0],Bracket[1]],center=true);
	union() {
	for (i=[-1,0,1]) // middle circle fills gap
	translate([i*(Bracket[0]/2 – BracketR),0])
	circle(r=BracketR);
	}
	}
	circle(d=BracketHoleOD/cos(180/8),$fn=8); // dead center at the origin
	}
	}

	//- General plate shape
	// Centered on the hole for the fairing bracket

	module PlateBlank() {

	difference() {
	translate([BracketHoleOC,0,0])
	intersection() {
	translate([0,0,Plate[2]/2]) // select upper half of spheres
	cube(Plate,center=true);
	hull()
	if (RoundEnds)
	for (i=[-1,1])
	translate([i*(Plate[0]/2 – PlateRad),0,0])
	resize([Plate[1]/2,Plate[1],2*Plate[2]])
	sphere(r=PlateRad); // nice round ends!
	else
	for (i=[-1,1], j=[-1,1])
	translate([i(Plate[0]/2 – PlateRad),j(Plate[1]/2 – PlateRad),0])
	resize([2PlateRad,2PlateRad,2*Plate[2]])
	sphere(r=PlateRad); // nice round corners!
	}
	translate([2*BracketHoleOC,0,-Protrusion]) // punch screw holes
	PolyCyl(BracketHoleOD,2*Plate[2],8);
	translate([0,0,-Protrusion])
	PolyCyl(BracketHoleOD,2*Plate[2],8);
	}
	}

	//- Inner plate

	module InnerPlate() {

	difference() {
	PlateBlank();
	translate([0,0,Plate[2] – Bracket[2] + Protrusion]) // punch fairing bracket
	Bracket();
	}
	}

	//- Slotted ball around flashlight
	// Print with brim to ensure adhesion!

	module SlotBall() {

	NumSlots = 8*2; // must be even, half cut from each end
	SlotWidth = 2*ThreadWidth;
	SlotBaseThick = 10*ThreadThick; // enough to hold finger ends together
	RibLength = (BallOD – LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD])/2;

	translate([0,0,BallLength/2])
	difference() {
	intersection() {
	sphere(d=BallOD,$fn=2*BallSides); // basic ball
	cube([2BallOD,2BallOD,BallLength],center=true); // trim to length
	}
	translate([0,0,-LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD]])
	rotate(180/BallSides)
	PolyCyl(LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD],2*BallOD,BallSides); // remove flashlight body

	for (i=[0:NumSlots/2 – 1]) { // cut slots
	a=i(2360/NumSlots);
	SlotCutterLength = LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD];
	rotate(a)
	translate([SlotCutterLength/2,0,SlotBaseThick])
	cube([SlotCutterLength,SlotWidth,BallLength],center=true);
	rotate(a + 360/NumSlots)
	translate([SlotCutterLength/2,0,-SlotBaseThick])
	cube([SlotCutterLength,SlotWidth,BallLength],center=true);
	}
	}

	color("Yellow")
	if (Support) {
	for (i=[0:NumSlots-1]) {
	a = i*360/NumSlots;
	rotate(a + 180/NumSlots)
	translate([(LightBodies[FlashIndex][F_GRIPOD] + RibLength)/2 + ThreadWidth,0,BallLength/(2*4)])
	cube([RibLength,2*ThreadWidth,BallLength/4],center=true);
	}
	}
	}

	//- Clamp around flashlight ball

	module BallClamp() {

	BossLength = ClampScrew[LENGTH] – 1*ClampScrewWasher[LENGTH];
	BossOD = ClampInsert[OD] + 2(6ThreadWidth);

	difference() {
	union() {
	intersection() {
	sphere(d=ClampOD,$fn=BallSides); // exterior ball clamp
	cube([ClampLength,2ClampOD,2ClampOD],center=true); // aiming allowance
	}
	hull()
	for (j=[-1,1])
	translate([0,j*ClampScrewOC/2,-BossLength/2])
	cylinder(d=BossOD,h=BossLength,$fn=6);
	}

	sphere(d=(BallOD + 1*ThreadThick),$fn=BallSides); // interior ball with minimal clearance

	for (j=[-1,1]) {
	translate([0,j*ClampScrewOC/2,-ClampOD]) // screw clearance
	PolyCyl(ClampScrew[ID],2*ClampOD,6);
	translate([0,j*ClampScrewOC/2, // insert clearance
	-(BossLength/2 – ClampInsert[LENGTH] – 3*ThreadThick)])
	rotate([0,180,0])
	PolyCyl(ClampInsert[OD],2*ClampOD,6);
	translate([0,j*ClampScrewOC/2, // insert transition
	-(BossLength/2 – ClampInsert[LENGTH] – 3*ThreadThick)])
	cylinder(d1=ClampInsert[OD]/cos(180/6),d2=ClampScrew[ID],h=6*ThreadThick,$fn=6);
	}
	}

	color("Yellow")
	if (Support) { // ad-hoc supports for top half
	NumRibs = 6;
	RibLength = 0.5 * BallOD;
	RibWidth = 1.9*ThreadWidth;
	SupportOC = ClampLength / NumRibs;

	cube([ClampLength,RibLength,4*ThreadThick],center=true); // base plate for adhesion

	render(convexity=2*NumRibs)
	intersection() {
	sphere(d=BallOD – 0*ThreadWidth); // cut at inner sphere OD
	cube([ClampLength + 2*ThreadWidth,RibLength,BallOD],center=true);
	union() { // ribs for E-Z build
	for (j=[-1,0,1])
	translate([0,j*SupportOC,0])
	cube([ClampLength,RibWidth,1.0*BallOD],center=true);
	for (i=[0:NumRibs]) // allow NumRibs + 1 to fill the far end
	translate([i*SupportOC – ClampLength/2,0,0])
	rotate([0,90,0])
	cylinder(d=BallOD – 2*ThreadThick,
	h=RibWidth,$fn=BallSides,center=true);
	}
	}
	}
	}

	//- Mount between fairing plate and flashlight ball
	// Build with support for bottom of clamp screws!

	module Mount() {


	difference() {
	translate([-BracketHoleOC,0,0]) // put bracket center at origin
	PlateBlank();
	mirror([0,1,0])
	translate([0,0,-Protrusion])
	linear_extrude(height=3*ThreadThick + Protrusion) {
	translate([BracketHoleOC + 15,0,0])
	text(text=">>>",size=5,spacing=1.20,font="Arial",halign="center",valign="center");
	translate([-BracketHoleOC,8,0])
	text(text=str("Toe ",ToeIn),size=5,spacing=1.20,font="Arial",halign="center",valign="center");
	translate([-BracketHoleOC,-8,0])
	text(text=str("Tilt ",Tilt),size=5,spacing=1.20,font="Arial",halign="center",valign="center");
	translate([BracketHoleOC,8,0])
	text(text=str("Roll ",Roll),size=5,spacing=1.20,font="Arial",halign="center",valign="center");
	translate([-(BracketHoleOC + 15),0,0])
	rotate(90)
	text(text="KE4ZNU",size=4,spacing=1.20,font="Arial",halign="center",valign="center");
	}
	}

	rotate([0,ToeIn,Tilt])
	translate([0,0,ClampOD/2])
	rotate([-Roll,0,0])
	intersection() {
	translate([0,0,-ClampOD/2])
	cube([2ClampOD,2ClampOD,ClampOD],center=true);
	BallClamp();
	}

	color("Yellow")
	if (MountSupport) { // anchor outer corners at worst overhang
	RibWidth = 1.9*ThreadWidth;
	SupportOC = 0.1 * ClampLength;
	difference() {
	rotate([0,0,Tilt])
	translate([Shift,0,0])
	for (i=[-4.5,-2.5,0,2.0,4.5])
	translate([i*SupportOC – 0.0,0,(5 + Plate[2])/2])
	cube([RibWidth,0.7*ClampOD,(5 + Plate[2])],center=true);
	rotate([0,ToeIn,Tilt])
	translate([Shift,0,ClampOD/2])
	rotate([-Roll,0,0])
	sphere(d=ClampOD – 2*ThreadWidth,$fn=BallSides);
	}
	}
	}

	//- Build things

	if (Component == "Ball")
	SlotBall();

	if (Component == "BallClamp")
	if (Layout == "Show")
	BallClamp();
	else if (Layout == "Build") {
	Both = false;
	difference() {
	union() {
	translate([Both ? ClampLength : 0,0,0])
	BallClamp();
	if (Both)
	translate([-ClampLength,0,0])
	rotate([180,0,0])
	BallClamp();
	}
	translate([0,0,-ClampOD/2])
	cube([2ClampOD,2ClampOD,ClampOD],center=true);
	}
	}

	if (Component == "Mount")
	Mount();

	if (Component == "Plates") {
	translate([0,0.7*Plate[1],0])
	InnerPlate();
	translate([0,-0.7*Plate[1],0])
	PlateBlank();
	}

	if (Component == "Bracket")
	Bracket();

view raw Fairing Flashlight Mount.scad hosted with ❤ by GitHub

2017-08-17

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