• Scam Alert. Members are reminded to NOT send money to buy anything. Don't buy things remote and have it shipped - go get it yourself, pay in person, and take your equipment with you. Scammers have burned people on this forum. Urgency, secrecy, excuses, selling for friend, newish members, FUD, are RED FLAGS. A video conference call is not adequate assurance. Face to face interactions are required. Please report suspicions to the forum admins. Stay Safe - anyone can get scammed.

Reverse engineer this

Chicken lights

Chicken lights

Forum Pony Express Driver
B0AE84C7-15BA-4E2F-9A28-424B2B9EE9AE.jpeg
C84DDE9F-CDB1-48D3-90AB-3CE7287C590B.jpeg
0C3520D4-45BD-401F-85BE-D96E3A842387.jpeg

I realize I took zero measurements but can I not make this somehow?

Measure the steel OD, turn it down to match that, then measure the ID on the skinny part and turn it down to that. Then drill the centre out and part it off? Well measure the length too

Find a grommet that’s close and shazam?

It’s $160 for four of these and a couple nuts. I’ll pay it if I have to but I really shook my head when I opened the box.
 
The steel is lathe work, you can do that.

Its more complicated to mold rubber but if you can replicate the overall function, something like neoprene sheet would work well. It can be bonded or laminated. You can buy or beg for scraps at places in town. Its often used for heavy equipment gaskets & seals like oil & gas industry. Cutting the sheet can be fun. Typically they are stamped out but I have cut the material with a fine blade scroll saw. I have seen some people 'machine' the material but it can be awkward, mainly holding it & proper cutting tool geometry.

Maybe you can spot something close in the hardware section & modify it. I typically search in catalogs like McMaster Carr, maybe start by typing 'rubber' & go through the selections. Cold be washer, spacer, vibration isolation... keywords like that. Once you know what its named, you can refine the search to ebay type sellers.
 
PeterT said:
The steel is lathe work, you can do that.

Its more complicated to mold rubber but if you can replicate the overall function, something like neoprene sheet would work well. It can be bonded or laminated. You can buy or beg for scraps at places in town. Its often used for heavy equipment gaskets & seals like oil & gas industry. Cutting the sheet can be fun. Typically they are stamped out but I have cut the material with a fine blade scroll saw. I have seen some people 'machine' the material but it can be awkward, mainly holding it & proper cutting tool geometry.

Maybe you can spot something close in the hardware section & modify it. I typically search in catalogs like McMaster Carr, maybe start by typing 'rubber' & go through the selections. Cold be washer, spacer, vibration isolation... keywords like that. Once you know what its named, you can refine the search to ebay type sellers.
Click to expand...
I’m assuming Spaenaur can get me close on the rubber grommet
 
I've successfully turned rubber down on my lathe before. I used "rubber" boat bumpers from princess auto. It's a bit surprising how well it can turn if you are not too aggressive.
 
DPittman said:
I've successfully turned rubber down on my lathe before. I used "rubber" boat bumpers from princess auto. It's a bit surprising how well it can turn if you are not too aggressive.
Click to expand...
Really? I've always wondered about this. What kind of tool do you use?
 
The rubber on the parts in post #1 is intended for the environment under the hood of a car, and is special to the task. you can probably subsitiute the part for another, but life expectancy might suffer as a result. The fender grommets may well work: they are intended for harsher environments than, say electronic grommets, which are for indoor use only.
 
CalgaryPT said:
Really? I've always wondered about this. What kind of tool do you use?
Click to expand...
Really sharp hss. Turning rubber makes a bit of a mess as it produces a huge amount rubber "swarf" that flies everywhere. If you get too aggressive with d.o.c. the tool will suddenly dig in, rip the work piece out the chuck and scare the hell out of you.
 
Machined lots of rubber seals and plugs for remoulding, made a few changes to rubber bits as well, sharp hss is fine but speeds are higher and yes very important to clean your lathe area and chip tray prior as rubber streamers is what I recall of that operation for “swarf”.
 
I also did some rubber turning - its a bit messy but works great with very sharp HSS. Be gentle as material flexes a lot.
 
Apparently one can 3DP rubber. Not sure of the durometer range though. It would be better suited to otherwise difficult to make shapes that were molded.
https://www.shapeways.com/blog/arch...to-plastic-i-cant-believe-its-not-rubber.html

Is the general idea that the rubber is proud of the steel Tee & gets squashed slightly when tightened between 2 surfaces? If so, there might be a weight rating or durometer for heavier machines, but they do look kind of off-the shelf for smallish stuff. Just have to find 'The Shelf' LOL

I had a similar issue with some studded rubber isolation mounts. It was for our fridge or furnace motor can't recall which. Supposedly $25 each or something ridiculous by Mr. Repairman. Not only did I have firsthand buying experience (we used them on engine mounts for RC planes) I had the exact buggers in a box. I recall about 2$ each. But.... I guess... factoring inflation N-all :/
 

Attachments

  • SNAG-1-21-2020 0001.jpg
    SNAG-1-21-2020 0001.jpg
    67.3 KB · Views: 0
  • SNAG-1-21-2020 0002.jpg
    SNAG-1-21-2020 0002.jpg
    8 KB · Views: 0
PeterT said:
Apparently one can 3DP rubber. Not sure of the durometer range though. It would be better suited to otherwise difficult to make shapes that were molded.
https://www.shapeways.com/blog/arch...to-plastic-i-cant-believe-its-not-rubber.html

Is the general idea that the rubber is proud of the steel Tee & gets squashed slightly when tightened between 2 surfaces? If so, there might be a weight rating or durometer for heavier machines, but they do look kind of off-the shelf for smallish stuff. Just have to find 'The Shelf' LOL

I had a similar issue with some studded rubber isolation mounts. It was for our fridge or furnace motor can't recall which. Supposedly $25 each or something ridiculous by Mr. Repairman. Not only did I have firsthand buying experience (we used them on engine mounts for RC planes) I had the exact buggers in a box. I recall about 2$ each. But.... I guess... factoring inflation N-all :/
Click to expand...
I’d take a picture of where/how they get used but I’d have to take my grill out

Basically the AC condenser has four flanges. The rubber part slides onto the flanges. Then all four get slid onto studs.
So yes, when you tighten them down the nut shoves the steel sleeve tight to where it’s mounted.
It lets the condenser have a cushion to bounce around
 
I stopped in at Spaneur tonight and spent an hour looking at rubber grommets. We couldn’t find ones that matched.
The counter lady was really helpful but in her words “there’s six measurements and I can’t match all 6”

We got one that was really really close but the inside groove diameter was too wide so it wouldn’t fit the flanges

Looks like unless I can figure out machining rubber I’m stuck paying for them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top