*Functional* brass and aluminum cylinders

[MillenniumFalsehood]

I'm sort of doing a market test here.

Basically I am starting a line of mechanical parts for models, beginning with hydraulic/pneumatic cylinders.

There will be several styles: smooth barrel, collared barrel, barrel with hose hook-ups, piston rod with no backstop, piston rod with backstop, spring-loaded piston rod (shock absorber), multi-part piston rod, etc., etc., etc. I would also stock mounting brackets and hose.

I estimate the cost for one of these to be about $3.50 apiece at minimum, depending on size and complexity, with discounts for large orders (say, ten or more). Pricing is based on the number of parts and how large the cylinder is, but I doubt any of them would be over $5-6 each (those would be pretty big). They would be soldered together, so no worries about glue coming apart from use.

I figure there are at least a few of you who would like a functional set of cylinders for their models, especially those of you who build mecha. Or perhaps you want a movable set of landing gear, or maybe actuators attached to hinged flaps for your aerospace fighters. I can see them being used on the Millennium Falcon for the flaps over the engines, or on the legs of a Ma.K. walker.

I'd have a set for almost every need.

What say you?

[Ramsayman]

I will be working on kitting some Expanded Universe Star Wars stuff, and was thinking about how to include landing gear that works. I'll keep you in mind. I think it would be great to have a ship that can be either flight or landed, depending on whimsy, but most kits you have to choose one or the other and glue it that way. I would love working gear.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

I build most of what I need using the telescopic K&S brass rod and tubing.

I've built a ships crane, and a retractable ships mast using the K&S product
to simulate hydraulics.

[ajmadison]

I build most of what I need using the telescopic K&S brass rod and tubing.

I've built a ships crane, and a retractable ships mast using the K&S product
to simulate hydraulics.

And Evergreen tubing, while not as robust nor as refined as K&S tubing, also works. I've built several items that resemble shock absorbers and their ilk. I made an operating hatch for a star trek shuttle scratchbuild out of the stuff.

[Ramsayman]

I build most of what I need using the telescopic K&S brass rod and tubing.

I've built a ships crane, and a retractable ships mast using the K&S product
to simulate hydraulics.

And Evergreen tubing, while not as robust nor as refined as K&S tubing, also works. I've built several items that resemble shock absorbers and their ilk. I made an operating hatch for a star trek shuttle scratchbuild out of the stuff.

Anyone can build landing gear that looks the part out of these materials, but if I understand this post MillenniumFalsehood is talking about making "working" landing gear and hatches - spring loaded and such. Not as easy - and very useful.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

To make it more functional than this, I would engineer a connection to a servo.



http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/attachme ... id=1608625

Spring loaded and working and locking hatch.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/attachme ... id=2025446

[ajmadison]

I build most of what I need using the telescopic K&S brass rod and tubing.

I've built a ships crane, and a retractable ships mast using the K&S product
to simulate hydraulics.

And Evergreen tubing, while not as robust nor as refined as K&S tubing, also works. I've built several items that resemble shock absorbers and their ilk. I made an operating hatch for a star trek shuttle scratchbuild out of the stuff.

Anyone can build landing gear that looks the part out of these materials, but if I understand this post MillenniumFalsehood is talking about making "working" landing gear and hatches - spring loaded and such. Not as easy - and very useful.

Nope, understood the point of the post. My hinges work, my shock absorbers move up and down. It can be tricky coaxing a spring inside the tiny tube, but it can be done. Just need to be very judicious in the use of glue. One tip is to apply glue, and immediately start moving the working parts, while the glue sets up. This does require dry-fitting the non-moving pieces to have a fairly good friction fit prior to final assembly.

[MillenniumFalsehood]

Anyone can build landing gear that looks the part out of these materials, but if I understand this post MillenniumFalsehood is talking about making "working" landing gear and hatches - spring loaded and such. Not as easy - and very useful.

Well, not yet. I'm starting with the cylinder line and going from there. Landing gear hatch joints would be next and would be made from photoetch brass. I don't have enough funds for that yet.

Other mechanical parts I'm considering are 'robotic' joints with big round hubs and sockets for whatever, levers with joints on the ends in a handful of styles, and landing skids in a variety of designs. If I can think of other things to make, I'll include them.

The business model I'm using is similar to the one Ziz has for his kit business: lots of modular parts that can be made cheaply and quickly to keep costs down. I'll be cutting a bunch of tubes and rods in standard sizes and putting them together like Legos.

[Kylwell]

Adler's Nest makes some http://www.hlj.com/product/ADNANE-0109 in a few sizes.