Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

I've been playing around with FreeCAD, mainly showing off on the AtariAge forums, but I also decided to try modeling a ThunderCat part. This is my first attempt, the blank panel where the antenna or T/C switches go.

I sent it out to Shapeways to see how well it fits. Once I refine the model, I plan to model all three variants, plus probably one with an extra-wide cutout.

I've tried to make a few design improvements along the way. The screw holes are reduced from 5mm to 4.5mm, and the plastic at the holes is 4mm thick. I've also rounded the insides of the shafts so the flat portion smoothly transitions to the sides. Hopefully these will result in much stronger screw-on points.

When I get the model from Shapeways I'll post pics. I chose the cheapest materal, "white, strong and flexible". I have other things in that material: it appears to be very strong, and it's slightly rougher than the stock plastic (nothing that light sanding wouldn't fix). It wasn't cheap ($75!) but the cost is based purely on volume so the blank version would be the most expensive.

seems like you know a lot more about free cad then I do!

if you were willing to give up the stl file, we could try printing it. it would need tweaked to print on a rep rap.

I don't mind posting it, but bear in mind that I don't know if the model is correct until I get the part back from Shapeways. Print at your own risk ;)

There's one problem, though. Although the uploader says it takes .zip files, it keeps telling me it's an invalid file and won't let me upload.

well, after importing it, should be within about that .1 mm's, unless you have a different ruler then I do about;). well have to get together for a phone call one day. could be had much cheaper then safways.

I managed to post it here:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/e6650twqswcgan6/blank_antenna_panel.zip

:roxor:

I got the model today and it fits!

The model could use a little tweaking, but even as-is it fits just fine. There's enough slack in the plastic panel behind it that it didn't need to be perfect, but I'll probably tweak the model in the next few days and repost it.

As the pictures show, the layering is evident, so the model would require sanding. The plastic is not completely opaque like ABS, so painting is required if there will be any light behind it (unless you actually want a glow effect...)

I took six pictures, so three more will follow.

Three more. I did a test-fit with one screw just as a sanity check. The spacing between the two screw holes was perfect, so I didn't bother testing with both screws.

That's some COOL s@*#t there!! My curiosity is highly peaked :D

Nice, that's amazing. Little sanding, primer, and some vinyl paint and you are there. How large of a part are they able to print?

Here's what I found on their FAQ:

How many other guys here know anything about 3d modeling?  We've got to get moving on modelling as many of the plastic parts as possible.  Suggestion for next piece: dash speaker grills.

Okay, I admit it...I couldn't wait. Here is a tweaked model that should be right on the nose :D

http://www.mediafire.com/download/qqpnid67fqda983/Blank_Antenna_Panel_v2.zip

Hmm. Okay, this should be the final one. I had to make the little stops in the middle 0.5mm thicker so the rubber caps will stay on. This should do it...

http://www.mediafire.com/download/9bue7nyu531bfph/Blank_Antenna_Panel_v3.zip

I know a lot about 3d modeling. I use V5 daily. Quietleaf that's a good looking part.

Now we just need to find somebody with a 3D scanner! We've got one at work, but I don't want to go to Leavenworth!

Any idea on the UV resistance properties of the plastics they're using?

It took meseveral tries to get FreeCAD to like the cuts, but here is an updated link to the ZIP file. It includes both the blank and T/C variants. I want to also do the power antenna variant but I won't be able to until I dig mine out of the shed (unless someone can post the differences in measurements from the T/C version).

http://www.mediafire.com/download/9bue7nyu531bfph/Blank_Antenna_Panel_v3.zip

Updated link to the .zip file. It contains an "extra-wide" variant that has a wider-than-T/C cutout. The cutout starts 3mm to the left and ends 10mm to the right compared to the standard T/C cutout. I also moved one of the stops to the right by 10mm to accommodate the cutout. Anyway, the purpose of this one is to support any special modding projects.

Enjoy :D

http://www.mediafire.com/download/9bue7nyu531bfph/Blank_Antenna_Panel_v3.zip

That's great!

Here's something that might be good to have; the basic style (NON TC) door handle cups. The little plastic piece that goes under the inside door handle. Those little suckers break if you blink at them.

If you need one to measure, I have a good one I'd gladly donate to the cause. If it's something with merit, PM me your land addy, and I'll get it on the way :)

I have a couple of NOS sets. I actually modeled one, but I got the angles wrong and will have to start over. There's hardly a straight line on them and it makes them a bear to measure.

if you ever want a part made for free, all you would have to do is ad support to your cad files.

I don't have any idea how its done, but my dad talks about it a lot

Updated the file and link again. It now contains all four variants:

Blank
Power antenna cutout
T/C cutout
Extra-wide cutout

Mirroring the .stl files along the X-Z plane for right-hand-drive applications is an exercise for the reader ;)

http://www.mediafire.com/download/9bue7nyu531bfph/Blank_Antenna_Panel_v3.zip

I have good news and bad news.

The good: I got my T/C panel from Shapeways today, in "black, strong and flexible". The layering is a lot less apparent than the white version, and overall it looks very good. It's just a tiny bit darker than the stock panel, but when it's mounted it's not apparent. I haven't looked at the comparison in direct sunlight, though.

The bad: there is a design flaw in my model. The screw holes are plenty strong, but where the cylinders attach to the panel face isn't strong enough. There appears to be a seam there, and when I screwed the panel in place one of the cylinders broke off. I have super glue on it at the moment and I'll try it again tomorrow, but the models need revising. I plan to start on that tonight.

I've posted updated models that I hope will fix the problem...

http://www.mediafire.com/download/ie4hjriu17p7m9p/Antenna_Panel_v4.zip

Changes:

- Eliminated the seam on the mounting hole cylinders (the likely cause of the failure)
- Increased the cylinder height 1mm to lessen flexing of the panel when it is screwed in place. This also increases the plastic thickness at the actual screw hole to 5mm.
- Increased the outer radius of the mounting hole cylinders from 8.5mm to 10mm. This should provide a much stronger interface to the panel face.

If this isn't strong enough, nothing is.

This thread is the shiznit.

Very Nice! I've been messing around with this in my spare time as well. Currently working on a few unobtanium interior parts for the Lincoln car world, that if successful, I'm about to start re-popping and selling.

I've started modeling a cupholder part based on the JDM Toyota one I have. So far I've modeled the tray and had one made at Shapeways.

This is a drop-in replacement for the existing JDM tray, with a wider cutout to accommodate the new wider Mountain Dew bottles (thanks a lot, Pepsi :mad:)

Eventually I'll model the sleeve (adapted to our dash), cup arm, and retaining pin, but one step at a time. I'm a little concerned about how SLS nylon powder will hold up over time, and I'm open to suggestions.

For this one I'm going to try plastic primer, paint, and clearcoat once I make a trip to Lowe's later this week.

Black parts are ABS from the original JDM piece, white parts are 3D printed :D

The black sleeve is actually 3 pieces, and there is also a bottom cup support not shown here, but I might model the bezel next, which is basically a stock lighter panel with a cutout for the cupholder face. It's really worth modeling, because getting the cutout right on my original one was the biggest pain in the whole process. I also might model a single-piece sleeve+bezel, but I'll have to think about that. It would solve a lot of problems, though -- maybe towards the end. The sleeve itself needs to be a little different for our cars: to let the cup support clear the console lip (so it can drop down into the storage area), the tray must come out an extra 1/2". The simple solution was to cut out part of the sleeve so the tray stops can come farther out. When I model the sleeve I'll build that change in. Needless to say, this cupholder only works for column shift cars.

The metal guide pin is basically an aluminum or steel  wood screw with the last 1/4" ground down to a smooth pin. I have no idea where we would acquire those, but it's a necessary part.

The white pieces need some minor finishing for smooth operation, mainly due to the manufacturing process. I had to clean out the pin guide channel a little with a precision screwdriver, and gently smooth the inner circle of the white pin holder so it spins freely (very important for smooth operation).

Cool. I guess we can print some wheel skirts (for other cars) and seat belt sleeves with these things then huh?  Some cool power mirror housings too.  And some ground effects.  And a custom dash and door panels.

Who knows what will be possible in a few years?

Next: the combo lighter/cupholder bezel...

shifter would get in the way ;).

How about a blank panel to snap into the dashboard clock housing?  I just started a thread for ideas on what to use this hole for, but 3d printing a blank panel would turn the clock housing into a project box and the options would be far wider.

Foe, what about making these door handle parts?
(http://obrazky.trinom.org/obrazky/8931_krytky_sroubku.png)
If you don't have them, I can measure mine and draw a sketch. This should be easy for you, what do you think?

Center consoles and trim.  Maybe the center piece that houses the seat, mirror and window buttons.  You could change things up a bit and make provisions for extremely thin breakthroughs for lighting of letters and lines and stuff or make it out of a clear chunk of acrylic or whatever.  Then, paint or cover most of it but leave certain features uncovered and light it from underneath or the edges or whatever.  That stuff can have the light source on the edge or somewhere but will radiate evenly throughout.  We have a lot of little clear plastic parts throughout the dash components that do that very thing but on a smaller scale.

The door lock buttons too maybe.

It can be done with the original bezel... with a new face plate and some ghetto engineering!

By the way... I love this thread!  Keep up the good work!

How much for one in green (to match the rest)?

Support arm is done...

Hey, can these things create stuff out of wood?

How about making those little interior door handle cups!  Hey, we all need those and they are small enough to churn out with this!

And the power seat recline button shroud that runs along the outboard side of the front seats.  Is that small enough for this printer?

I just realized you are sending files out to Shapeways.  I'll have to go check them out to see what the limits are.

No, lol.

I plan to make them separately available for download, but I didn't want to do that until I can verify that everything is correct. Once I have a complete cupholder from Shapeways using all printed parts I can be sure of that. I'll make the ones that I've verified so far public on their site.

I just finished the internal left and right guide pieces and ordered a set. I altered the design in an attempt to make it more robust. The last part to model is the sleeve itself, which won't be cheap to print.

I got a few more pieces and they were close enough that I made the revised models available on Shapeways. The only piece I have left to model is the sleeve itself. I made some mistakes on my bezel model so I'm waiting for the revised one to arrive in the mail before I can sign off on it. The tray, support arm, pin holder, and inner guides are all A-ok, though.

The inner guides take thin metal strips as springs; the idea is that they push up on the tray sides to give some tension. Just about anything a little stiff will do, though. In this pic I gave clear plastic strips cut from plastic packaging a try and they work fine.

you need a reprap or a makerbot.

you could have built one for what you paid for these peices.

For myself, I only want one set, and I don't mind eating some extra cost to get the design right. Once it's done, it's done. What you do with the models is up to you :D

It turns out I still didn't have the bezel correct, but now I'm certain that it is. This is what I get for not modeling all parts and performing a virtual test fit. I'm confident enough that I've made all the models available on Shapeways for either download or purchase (they're pricey, I know...feel free to try a reprap or something else). Anyway, it looks good now, and I double-checked the tray travel to make sure that the bezel allows enough room for it to be pushed in.

I made this in about an hour. It's up on Shapeways, for anyone interested, and the model is downloadable as usual...

Well, I meant the piece under the screw, not the screw cover, but it's OK, this piece is usefull too.

if he isnt talking about the chrome 88 only part that holds the screw cap, we need one of those too.

Unfortunately I can only model pieces I have :(

I don't even have the upscale door trim, but I have one each of the '86 and '87 screw cover pieces.

I can send pieces if you can return them when you're done.

Can you first just post a pic? Ideally, with an 86 or 87 one next to it.

No, I'm talking about those black plastic pieces marked in that photo.
(http://obrazky.trinom.org/obrazky/8931_krytky_sroubku.png)

Can you post a high-res pic, preferably showing the screw cover as well? That would show me the relative size. Measurements in mm would be great too.

I have the 86 style as well, will try to remember next time I make it out to the garage.

I got the remaining pieces in today. Overall, the fit is pretty good, and everything works. I made a couple of minor tweaks to the models on Shapeways to make it all a little easier:

1. Made the screw mounts on the bezel a little smaller to make it compatible with existing cupholder sleeves (and made the corresponding holes in the sleeve smaller).

2. Enlarged the screw hole at the back of the sleeve (for mounting the pin holder) to make it easier to put a screw in.

3. Added a little tab to retain the spring on its holding pin to keep it from coming off (for the existing model, just use a spring that is a little tight or add a drop of glue to hold it on).

4. Moved the pin holes on the tray down 0.5mm to try to make it compatible with existing arm pieces.

5. Widened the wedge-shaped guide at the top of the sleeve by 2mm for a better fit with the small guide pins at the top of the tray.

6. Pulled the retention hooks on the inner guide pieces in by 0.5mm for a tighter fit.

7. Rounded two edges on the bezel mounting points to make it compatible with existing sleeves.

One thing I noticed is that since the spring is off-center, it causes the tray to turn just a little, as seen here with the bezel. I'm not sure yet what to do here, but a washer on one the bezel's mounting pins should correct it, I think.

Edit: Change #6 might straighten out the tray when it's under tension.

Edit: Here is a pic with an existing sleeve. I scrounged up a couple of aluminum PC screws and trimmed the bezel with a Swiss Army knife for changes #1 and #7 above, and put it all together. I'm very happy with the fit; it's nearly perfect.

Nice!!

Please make me a pair of side view mirror interior trim pieces with a tweeter insert pointed at my face. kthxbai! :hick:

Draw one up in a cad file that can be converted to a stl file, send it to my email when your done and ill have my dad print one up. he bought a new printer with a .1mm resolution. out quality has gone up 10x with this printer. if your okay with a bit of sanding and tpuppies, it will look fine painted to match. i can print it out of abs or pla plastic.

I'll add it to my 2055 to-do list. ;) 

I'm behind on 3D printing technology. We've got some old machines at work. I assume the sanding is from the surface roughness and the tpuppies is from the extra gizzlebits from the table-part interface? We've got a nice 3D scanner at work, but I'd rather not go to jail for misusing taxpayer monies.

:iagree:

It prints on a heated sheet of glass. the first layer or two have some squish to help it stick and stay put. ocassionally you get small stringers because the extruder does not use a valve, and finally, the part is the proper shape, or the holes are the correct radius. its nearly impossible to get both. since most holes are easily and simply drilled out rather then filled or cleaned up, we opted for correct part size.

the surfacr is not perfectly flat. fluxuating temps, humidity, and actual size/density of plastic all all factors in printed quality. the surface is smooth enough to write on, but a two second dip in acetone or a bit of sanding/filing.gives you a perfectly smooth finish.

it is after all a 3d printer. imagine squeezing a tube of tooth paste and making a perfect figurine. mechanically, there really isn't much differance. the new .1mm resolution greatly increases build quality, but simply its just because there is less overall thickness so the radius of the squirted plastic is less, and also makes minor imperfections quite a bit less noticeable.

you have to remember this is a home built hobbiest toy. it was built with all thread and smooth rod from home depot riding on skateboard bearings. its amazing what technology is capeable of.

we mainly use ours for custom mounts for model airplanes. you can also make things that are impossible to cast or injection mold, and you can design and modify things on the fly. i prefer to call our rep raps rapid prototype machines rather then a 3d printer.