Local university has an state of the art creator engineering lab that has a machine shop chock full of the latest cnc equipment. Best thing is for about a $100 a month you get assisted evening access to create parts. They have 3d scanning, and 3d printing in paper, some plastics, and some metals. You pay for materials. I'm thinking about joining to make some obsolete parts such as tail light assemblies for the GVs. Any other unobtainium parts?
Grand Villa taillight replacement that housed off the shelf LED bulbs fit in rubber grommets
I don't need any of these, at present, but there have been several requests for:
1 Dometic fridge handles - clear lucite might be a thought if original colors aren't an option.
2 That neat little plastic clip that locks the Dometic fridge, that fits on top of the doors.
3 The rubber strip for the entrance door - that fits the entire height of the door - on the outside.
GoCreate | Membership (https://gocreate.com/membership.php)
Plastic interior vent cover for the kitchen fan.
And the outside vent cover.
Hm-m-m we have both inside cover and outside cover. Came with our coach.
Only problem with the inside cover is it wouldn't stay put so a previous owner put magnetic strips on the cover so it would stay up.
Nice having an old coach so parts can usually be found cheap.
How about a screen door latch?
We have a 3D printing company close to the house. Just contacted them on interior and exterior kitchen vent covers. Taking the interior one in tomorrow and if feasible will have one made. Will take a pic of the one on the roof for him. Maybe we can get a discount on qty.
John
I'm curious as to whether these 3D printed parts are suitable for long term use. Are they generally UV stable and tough enough to replace OEM, or is it still more of a prototyping tool? There's tons of opportunities to make small parts if they're good replacements. I need several of the red or black plastic window locks that would be easy to scan and replicate, for instance.
Before I could ask, he said there is a suitable plastic for UV. He said that there should not be a problem at all. We will see. Will know more tomorrow
John, I'd be in for two. Let me know where to send the money. 😄
Jeff, I will take samples in tomorrow, get back with everyone on price. Fairly large choice of colors for inside cover...Not as many for exterior as it will be a different material for UV.
John
Yes, I need some of the window locks too.
Jim
2002 U320
John, thanks so much for even trying to get this done, much appreciated.
I'm interested inside power vent cover and window locks. Just scored a fridge handle Gordon Norcold 980. Fit but much less rugged than original.
Interior Kool-O-Matic fancover please! Thanks
Holy cow, i had no idea about the interior cover demand, heck that one can be reproduced with a simple wooden vacuum mold and some sheet stryrene. I gifted mine to nighthawk.
Once I had one and now I have two!!
Indeed. Could also bend one up on a brake using thin polycarbonate (lexan) Would need to seal tiny corners.
Last time I was at Foretravel they had the window locks readily available.
If anyone does get a fan vent inside cover be very careful about leaving it up there while traveling. The "fastening method leaves a lot to be desired. It doesn't take much for it to come out of the bent retainers.
I think that maybe that is the reason so many second or third owners don't have the cover. It fell out and broke.
Our cover has adhesive backed magnetic strips that help hold the cover in place. And even then the cover has fallen out. I now make a point of taking the cover down when traveling.
Just picked up my 3D printed kitchen vent cover....to say the least, I am impressed. It is stronger, thicker and it works. Now to see about an outside cover. 3D printing probably not an option as it is too large for 3D printing. the inside cove took 40+ hrs to mfg....
If you have any questions PM me.
John
Wow-- very impressive.
Did you do this yourself, or was this done by an outside firm?
Cost?
If you made it, looks like a new "cottage industry" opportunity!
3D printing company close to house. Took them the original, told them what changes I wanted, they engineered (CAD work). Ordered 1 so as to check for fit. Nice tight fit, its not going anywhere. Good for another 20+ years. The cost is $145.00 incl. set-up and tax.
John
Outstanding, I bet if we got 10 or more wanting one, the price would go down. Could you ask if the company is interested in making more?
I would like one, can we start an unobtainium parts catalog?
Windwalker
Very COOL! What is the thickness of the material (compared to your original). Does it still fit into the "slide-in" metal mounting tracks? We still have our original, but it is so brittle that I am afraid it will shatter every time I remove or install it.
The new cover is approx 2x the thickness. Yes it still fits into the mounts. They do not slide in as they snap in. When I received it I tried to slide it in. No bueno, as the damper adj are in the way if sliding, so I tried to slide the old one in, nope, they snap in the mounting brackets. It fits great, a little tighter to put in and remove, but no problem. Having owned a machine shop and developing my own products, as a prototype it seems to be right on the first try. It surely is not flimsy any more.
Since I have paid for the design work, and the program is a 1 time thing no-one will incur the cost. He will give a price break on qty orders. Other colors available.
John
OUCH...... Forty hours, even at minimum wage rates that's expensive... but if no other alternative I guess its cheap at any price.
Gary B
I believe the originals were vacuum molded, .062 plastic. I only needed 1 and the cost of a mold was out of the question. I also was surprised that it too 40+ hrs, he said most jobs are small parts, small qty. I would buy a 3D printer of my own; but the last thing I need to do is wind up starting another company....This has happened before.
John
Yes, but it's not like somebody is standing there operating the machine the whole 40 hours. The way I understand the process, once the program is in the printer, you can just walk away and let it do its thing. Perhaps it is not as simple as I envision...
It is just that simple...They have approx 30 printers and 1 operator. just keep up with the pieces and plastic wire and you are good.
Hourly rate is very fair.
John
Great work John!!!! I'm in for 2 if that is possible
PM sent!
Best,
Jeff
Very cool! Looks exactly like the original one I gave a forum member a while ago! ^.^d
3D printing has to be done one layer at a time and is a slow process right now. The possibilities are almost unlimited.
Digital color printing took a while to make it cost effective to traditional offset printing in terms of cost per copy. Advances in the technology, ink toners, etc have made the cost come down to make it competitive. Most print shops I know of have replaced much of their offset printing with digital copiers.
Here's a time lapse video of an LS3 engine block 3D printed. It only took 84 hours!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDn1nosgQ5k
I plan to buy one of these.
Original Prusa SL1 - Prusa3D - 3D Printers from Josef Průša (https://www.prusa3d.com/original-prusa-sl1/)
The possibilities are endless.
Need new body tissue, an ear, nose or organ? This technology is mine boggling.
3D printing in the medical field: four major applications revolutionising... (https://www.medicaldevice-network.com/features/3d-printing-in-the-medical-field-applications/)
Just paint the plastic. Let the paint fight the UV rays.
If the price with shipping can be less than $100; I would buy one.
I've lost track what is being "printed" in this thread. Presume it is a Fantastik fan ceiling grill??
Jim
002 U320
Jim,
It's the interior plastic cover that slides/snaps in place to close off the Kool-O-Matic fan grill. See Reply #23:
Unobtainium (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=35066.msg331965#msg331965)
Thanks Chuck..
Jim
Velcro and 1/2 inch insulation board,poor man's OBTAINIUM.
If anyone still wants one of these 3D printed vent covers for the Kool-O-Matic fan, PM me know as I will placing an order tomorrow. The cost will be 145.00 plus tax and shipping, you can pick your color. As I stated before I am not making a penny on these and am absorbing the engineering costs. If there is a price break for qty. I will let individuals know.
John
On the trail of the elusive red/black window locks for our Creation windows (one is broken), I decided to call the ONLY source I could find... ParKin Accessories in Elkhart, IN. I inquired about part #C535754000 - see image at the left end of row three: Creation window parts (http://parkin-acc.com/page43.html)
The very nice gentleman informed me that they sold the last part in July, 2018 - and that the manufacturer of the part went out of business in 2008.
Given the comments here (and in other threads) about wanting - but not currently finding - this part, there would definitely be a demand for a 3D-printed version of this window lock. I would have to believe that FOT and MOT would want to carry stock as both parts departments told me last month they were asked frequently for these locks, but have no source.
Has the 3D printing idea been explored for this lock?
Have you tried FOT parts dept for the window locks?
If I had a sample of the part I can get it 3D printed. They will not cost much as part is small and simple. If all pieces are available it can easily be replicated. Have done the Kool-A-Matic fan/vent covers with success. Only drawback was pricey as the take 48 hrs to 3D print. Cup holders for the dash work well too.
Yes, I asked both FOT and MOT when we were there last month. They haven't had them for quite awhile, I was told. :(
My son is a Freshman at college for Engineering. He is big into 3D printing and has two printers of his own. Does his own layouts and has printed many items.
If there is a need and a samples can be provided, I'm sure he would enjoy making these devices for a reasonable fee to cover the filament and setup time!
Patricia,
You can use a poker chip that has a hole drilled in it along with a small bolt and nut till you can get a replacement. Dear hubby went out to the shop and fabricated some out of aluminum angle this was long before 3 D printing. The 3D printing would sure be nice as once set up multiples can be run at a low cost.
Pamela
.
Why don't these locks come in metal? Three of my window locks were broken, ended up cutting1/4" dowel rods for each window as I couldn't find replacements...
Seems this would be an ideal part to print and make available...
.
Thanks, Pamela. I agree, the 3D printing (with very sturdy plastic) would indeed be nice, if some entrepreneurial type wanted to set up a "cottage industry" as Brett Wolfe called it! ;)
Actually, a little forum searching and I found that Tom Lang had posted about the poker chip fix with a couple of photos:
What did you do to your coach today IV (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=23683.msg192323#msg192323)
I found the poker chip fix to work quite well, but all plastic poker chips only last a couple of years before breaking. Steel core poker chips last forever, bot are not easy to drill.