I've finally uploaded the pics to google photos so hopefully i can post them here. I've essentially done 4 upgrades. DIY stand for my stringer, reel and tool holder on the machine, throat/head TPU material contact point replacement with curve, and finally a pic of my reel holder that i made for a corner cabinet that i am using in my little workshop room where i also string.
DIY #1 - the stand
So, i started with an idea. i found an old office chair and broke the base off. the piston was still attached and it had a hole running right through it. so what i did was 3d print a sleeve ( in the baby blue ) and used a threaded bar( that i eventually cut to size ) and large washer, at top ( shown ) and bottom. the sleeve was very tight onto the piston, but the thickness of the sleeve was exactly the same as the inner diameter of the pipe i used ( approx 2.5 inches ID if i remember correctly ). When the pipe fits on top ( had to hammer it on ) and then tighten the nut from the bottom of the base, it actually compressed the sleeve and pushed the petg plastic sleeve outwards and further tightened the piston/sleeve onto the pipe. needless to say, it wasn't going anywhere. the marks on the plastic are when i was partially test fitting the pipe on. you can see how much the inner pipe rubbed off on it.
measuring the hols on the tomcat mount, and also my very first ever attempt at welding. the plate onto the pipe.
here it is all assembled, and painted. i even drilled and threaded the pipe to add 2 bolts on the bottom of the pipe to make sure there was absolutely no play of the base to pipe. bolts painted afterwards.
here's the final product plus new locking castors purchased from amazon in a very messy garage. i was initially going to make a a smaller inner pipe sleeve that i would attach to the plate that i could use to adjust the machine height up and down, but i just cut to height and i was happy with it. i could always go back and do it later on if i want.
i'll post the tool and reel holder next post.
DIY #1 - the stand
So, i started with an idea. i found an old office chair and broke the base off. the piston was still attached and it had a hole running right through it. so what i did was 3d print a sleeve ( in the baby blue ) and used a threaded bar( that i eventually cut to size ) and large washer, at top ( shown ) and bottom. the sleeve was very tight onto the piston, but the thickness of the sleeve was exactly the same as the inner diameter of the pipe i used ( approx 2.5 inches ID if i remember correctly ). When the pipe fits on top ( had to hammer it on ) and then tighten the nut from the bottom of the base, it actually compressed the sleeve and pushed the petg plastic sleeve outwards and further tightened the piston/sleeve onto the pipe. needless to say, it wasn't going anywhere. the marks on the plastic are when i was partially test fitting the pipe on. you can see how much the inner pipe rubbed off on it.
measuring the hols on the tomcat mount, and also my very first ever attempt at welding. the plate onto the pipe.
here it is all assembled, and painted. i even drilled and threaded the pipe to add 2 bolts on the bottom of the pipe to make sure there was absolutely no play of the base to pipe. bolts painted afterwards.
here's the final product plus new locking castors purchased from amazon in a very messy garage. i was initially going to make a a smaller inner pipe sleeve that i would attach to the plate that i could use to adjust the machine height up and down, but i just cut to height and i was happy with it. i could always go back and do it later on if i want.
i'll post the tool and reel holder next post.
notice the single point of contact and gap.
)
