190 replies to this topic

[dspdrew]

Those hole cuts are so clean!  How?

 

I need your cutting process and I need your connectors and plugs ASAP.  Take my money, please.

 

Haha. I keep telling people, just use the proper tools. Soldering irons, chisels, sledge hammers, blow torches, crow bars, chain saws, and grenades are not the proper tools for cutting holes in plastic. They'll make a hole, but it's not going to look nice. Just buy a unibit.

[PTAntFan]

Crystals also recommended a step-bit and I went to Lowes and HD and didn't find and then got busy.  But as soon as I saw your reply I hit AMZ and ordered one, arrives today.

[PTAntFan]

As for the plugs, you're basically taking a vinyl tube with an OD that matches the ID of another vinyl tube, right?  So there's practically no gap, airtight.  Then you cut a hole with an ID that also matches the OD of the inner tube?

 

Inner tube outside diameter = 1/2"

Outer ring inside diameter = 1/2"

Hole in box inside diameter = 1/2"

 

How are you getting precision cuts on the tubing for the rings in particular?  The scissors and PVC pipe cutter I have just do an ok job and I haven't made cuts that thin, so curious.  Thanks!

[dspdrew]

Yes, those basic dimensions are correct. It just happens to be 5/8" instead of 1/2".

 

I'm cutting the tubing with a micro table saw. You'll also need HH-66 cement to bond vinyl tubing together.

[PTAntFan]

You think the bonding is necessary?  Certainly for small species I would consider it, but you lose some flexibility, right?

[dspdrew]

If you are trying to put the tubing together to form a lip on the end like I did, then of course it has to be bonded, or it would just fall apart.

 

Vinyl cement is basically liquid vinyl. When you use this cement, you chemically bond the two pieces together into one; the flexibility doesn't change.

[PTAntFan]

I'm mostly thinking of making couplings and if the rings are bonded after the boxes are joined then that makes the connection fairly permanent vs the rings being partially cosmetic. My assumption is the joining tube is fully flush with the hole in the box.

[dspdrew]

My assumption is the joining tube is fully flush with the hole in the box.

 

[PTAntFan]

yeah, so are the rings even needed? Looks nice and snug.

[dspdrew]

Yes. The rings are what hold it together.

[Crystals]

The rings are insurance that it will not slip when being moved.  He cemented them so they can not just easily slide off. 

[PTAntFan]

Ok, in my experience I have just made cuts that are minutely smaller than the OD of the vinyl tubing so fitting it into the cut is a bit of work because it's tight and in effect the tubing has to be squished a little to fit.  I see in your model the cut is not so snug and the rings are needed.  Sorry if I came across dense there, I just have done it differently many times.

[dspdrew]

The tubing does fit pretty tightly, but at that length it's not enough to hold eight of those containers together well.

[PTAntFan]

Ah yes, I see the complete picture now.  I was thinking smaller for my application, but you're right, if the intent is to be modular it has to be secure enough for the end game even if you start small.

[dspdrew]

Got all the parts printed for the third prototype.
 

[dspdrew]

They hold together very nicely.
 

[dermy]

Looks like it should hold quite a decent sized colony in it

[dspdrew]

Yup. A "hell" of a colony, Dermy.

[dspdrew]

I figured out how I can make the tiles I use in the bottoms of the fungus chambers a lot thinner, so the bottoms won't need to i be so thick. Since I don't have access to a large tile saw that would have the ability to cut a tile into two thinner tiles, and since that would still be pretty difficult even with the right equipment, I came up with a little something I think might work for me.
 
After screwing up twice and wasting tons of resin, I finally got this jig made. It's cast from 50 percent resin and 50 percent very fine quartz sand. I know from experience that when any sand is added to resin, it is very difficult, if not impossible to sand down. That should keep this thing from wearing down when being used. Since I'm using low-fire unglazed tiles, I can sand them down pretty easily. All I will have to do is drop the tile into this jig and start sanding it down until the jig is flush with the disc sander. When finished, I should have some nice 1/8 inch thick pieces of tile.
 

 

[klawfran3]

That's a genius idea! what's the tube on the back for? a place for excess sanding shavings to go down?