Author Topic: What are we missing, what should I make on a VMC?  (Read 439 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline gideon

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Joined: Dec 2017
  • Location: Northern NJ
  • Posts: 526
Re: What are we missing, what should I make on a VMC?
« Reply #15 on: Thursday,May 16, 2024, 04:56:18 AM »
Also thinking of aluminum defrost grills, no more warping in the sun.

The defrost grill sounds like a nice option.  If you do that, try to design something that can be installed and removed with the windscreen in place.   I think they should be black anodized, so you'll want to do a batch of them for anodizing.


Offline Richard48Y

  • Super Member
  • *******
  • Joined: Oct 2020
  • Location: No. Nevada
  • Posts: 1,541
Re: What are we missing, what should I make on a VMC?
« Reply #16 on: Thursday,May 16, 2024, 07:27:30 PM »
Today I was gifted a small Ender 3-D printer.
Going to play with it before getting serious about buying a much larger $1,200 three in one print/laser/mill version.

One of my first items will be defrost vents for the Lotus.
The CAD model for this printer should also be a good start for milling from billet.
What I should really do is make stamping dies for aluminum sheet.
I have a 30 Ton press that might work for that.

EDIT: Ender 3-D basic assembly is complete.
Do not even try to use the cartoon assembly instructions, use one of the youtube videos.
« Last Edit: Thursday,May 16, 2024, 10:10:09 PM by Richard48Y »

Offline GavinT

  • Super Member
  • *******
  • Joined: Oct 2016
  • Location: Queensland, Oz
  • Posts: 1,169
Re: What are we missing, what should I make on a VMC?
« Reply #17 on: Friday,May 17, 2024, 01:53:56 PM »
With a 3-D printer and some stamping dies...
Sounds like a business case for ash tray customers.  8)

Offline Richard48Y

  • Super Member
  • *******
  • Joined: Oct 2020
  • Location: No. Nevada
  • Posts: 1,541
Re: What are we missing, what should I make on a VMC?
« Reply #18 on: Friday,May 17, 2024, 10:45:02 PM »
But Banks/Lotus Supplies are already supplying ashtrays.
I like the idea of aluminum vents to make them less of a throw away item.
Trying to find a printable wax to use with my sand casting outfit too.
With tools at hand and cars to restore I should never run out of "Things to do".
At least not when the power is on, just had another outage most of the day due to a broken power line.

Offline 314159td

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Joined: Dec 2023
  • Location: Hermosa Beach CA
  • Posts: 36
    • Project Portfolio
Re: What are we missing, what should I make on a VMC?
« Reply #19 on: Today at 01:26:36 AM »
IIRC there are some starter motor adaptors that would be handy, I have one designed to put an Isuzu Trooper gear reduction motor in many places the standard Bendix ones goes, haven't poked around enough to know how simple/complex that would be for the Europa engines. Almost certainly just a $50 part though.

Kinda sorta ripping off this outfit: https://www.classiccarperformance.com/products/lotus-europa-renault-powered
They used to be worse priced ($300 a pop) but I pull those trooper starters for $10 so $200 is still a hard sell.