GME TX3100 Console Mount

[3doug6]

Finally got my 3D printer running again, so I printed off a UHF mount I designed using SolidWorks.

Here's the CAD drawing:

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=66121&stc=1&d=1380077168

And here's what it looks like when finished:

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=66126&stc=1&d=1380077168

With the UHF inside:

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=66124&stc=1&d=1380077168

And then inside the console:

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=66122&stc=1&d=1380077168

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=66123&stc=1&d=1380077168

I'm not entirely happy with how it turned out, I messed with some things I shouldn't have and that's why I had to spend weeks trying to get it working again. I still want to mess with the calibration to try and get it as good or better than it used to be. If and when I do I will probably print another one.

But at least now I can put my console back in and get my light back. I miss that light.

[VladTepes]

The potential for 3D printers is enormous and I'm sure you'll find plenty of uses for it around Land Rovers....

You might even be able to whip up a few things for fellow forum members as you invent them... :)

Good job.

[3doug6]

Turns out the mount was a few mm on the small side in terms of the plugs in the rear. They were pushing against the roof lining which was pushing the mount out of the console. This didn't happen with the first mount we made (before I had the printer), must have been at a different angle. Anyway, I have designed v2.0:

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=66348&stc=1&d=1380434003

I will print it in the next couple of days and post the results.

[VladTepes]

Silly question No1. Where does the microphone plug in ?

Sensible question: Is that a DIN size radio ? Or 'standard' (smaller) GME radio?

[Dizza]

I was planning on doing exactly that in my Disco....though if you're doing the R&D work maybe i can buy one from you rather than spend the time developing one myself :p

[3doug6]

Arr. The second one didn't really work either. Halfway through the 8 hour print the base started to lift off (I wasn't at home) and the face is warped. Also I don't like the second version as it is too rigid and doesn't fit as nicely as the first one. But I fixed the small problems I was having with the first one in terms of fill, so the quality is a bit better.

I will try the first design again and see if I can just move the UHF out a bit more so it doesn't hit the roof lining.

In response to your questions VladTepes, the microphone just plugs into the front and yes it a smaller (almost mini?) GME radio.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/10/1121.jpg

And Dizza, if and hopefully when I get this right, I would be happy to provide it to people who want it.

And I'll post pics soon to show what went wrong

[Dizza]

Thanks,
I (somewhat prematurely) picked one up ready :p

[KCJones]

That's genius! If you got one working that your happy with I would be happy to reimburse you for you R&D! My mind has just exploded with the possibilities of that printer!

[dullbird]

3D printers are amazing!!! great job y the way...whats the biggest thing you can print on yours?

[3doug6]

I am absolutely swamped with uni this week so I doubt I'll get a chance to print the latest design (fingers crossed it will work) until the weekend. It's basically the first design but the supports have been tilted down so that the radio should protrude into the hole in the lining. (it's a bit difficult to measure as I can't see what angle it needs while the console is in) And it will be as flexible as the first.

The max I can print is 150 x 150 x 125 mm

And yes, my mind has also exploded. It is great having a project for everything now, as I found it difficult to motivate myself to learn CAD properly. I learn't a little last semester designing a chassis but now everything I want to build can be drawn with CAD. I would like to design an electronic centre diff lock as I have all of the other parts, just need to print some gears.

[3doug6]

Hazaa! I have finally completed the mount! Finished my major assignments on the weekend, caught up on sleep (sort of) and worked my way through the jungle that is Skeinforge (the program that converts .stl to g-code).

I printed a mount on Sunday with all of my updates to make the print as neat as possible - got rid of radial overhangs which don't print nicely etc. - but the inner dimensions were slightly off... sigh... 5 and a half hour print down the drain for the sake of ~ 1 mm. Anyway I decided I wanted to really try and calibrate this thing so I could draw it and it would print that size. So I spent all yesterday calibrating the machine and I was pretty happy with what it was printing out, and I could understand which dimensions were undersized.

And today I printed out the current one which works. Here it is vs all of the previous attempts and some of the calibration bits:

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=67475&stc=1&d=1382429148

Here it is inside the roof console:

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=67476&stc=1&d=1382429579

Not sure if you can notice but the angle is the same as the second last one from the previous picture which moves the plugs away from the roof lining

And finally, here is everything put back together. I miss that front light:

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=67477&stc=1&d=1382429703

Another important technique I found out about 2 prints ago was to paint acetone around all of the extrusion bases. This pretty much welds the extrusions to the base as they are the weakest points straight from the print as the layer bond is not as strong as the extrusion bond. This gave the parts significantly more strength which I am happy with.

I am driving to the folks place on Friday so I can test how it survives on the road and I will see how well the speaker hole works.

[snowbound]

I wish I was that smart:( Amazing.

[Dizza]

Jeez mate, looks great. Very impressed.

[mrapocalypse]

I'll take ONE please.

Can you colour code it?

[3doug6]

Took it out to Glasshouse Mountains yesterday and all was tight and tidy. I was happy with the volume of the radio even through the small hole. I have changed the hole pattern though for aesthetics. I have also made a slot for the screws so they don't have to be melted in like I did previously.

At this stage I only have one colour (white) but as I get more of a collection I could change the colours. The nearest colour I can find is brown and I have only seen pictures of it so not sure how it would look against the Disco console. I have seen a filament which is impregnated with wood which looks very interesting and apparently easy to print with.

Those who are interested send me a pm.

[Dizza]

I assume the material is similar to what i have seen printed in the past. (a nylon like plastic) In which case it should be fine to paint.
I plan on having autobarn or similar colour match my console and make a spray pack from that.

[Didge]

3doug6, do you mind if I ask how much the printer was and where you bought it?
cheers Gerald

[3doug6]

The printer I bought was a chinese jobby from Ebay for about $810 (shipped from Aus though). While this was very cheap at the time I wouldn't recommend buying one even though I'm pretty sure it's not available anymore. What attracted me was the rigid, all steel construction which you can't even find in some very expensive printers but the after market support for this printer is zero. And I mean ZERO.

Luckily for me it is pretty much a copy of the Replicator hardware so it only took a lot of time (rather than infinite time and a rigid pile of scrap metal) to fine tune it after I messed things up.

If I were to do it again I would look for a printer with online support (almost anything else). The ones on Ebay from India seem the cheapest with (I think) name brands so should have some online support.

landie1998 was also looking at printers a few months ago so he might chime in with what he found?

This is the one I have
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/12/633.jpg

[Didge]

Wow, thanks for that, I guess I'll have to wait for a while till they come down a lot in price (hopefully)
Cheers gerald

[Didge]

If you buy one from India they'll probably try to sell you a phone and electricity plan as well - hehe

[Dalvo]

Finally got my 3D printer running again, so I printed off a UHF mount I designed using SolidWorks.

Hey sorry if I'm bringing back a zombie thread, but, any chance you could upload the file for it, I just acquired a radio of the same type and am without the mount for it..

Thank you in advance..