Steve Thomas
True Classic
Some more pics.
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Printed Fluid Reservoirs
- Thread starter Steve Thomas
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ladaspeed
Low Mileage
I was thinking more about washing the inside to create a non permeable surface...
Steve Thomas
True Classic
Fair enough. But I will use Nylon and that will be non-permeable
KBabcock
True Classic
ARe you doing two pieces to simplify printing?
Steve Thomas
True Classic
No. It would be a backward step, just adds difficulty later when it comes to joining the parts.... I am confident that one part print is doable.
3-D printing constantly reminds us that everything we've learned from subtractive machining is wrong....
Steve Thomas
True Classic
Successful print of the brake reservoir in white PLA:
1. On the printer bed as complete with supports.
2. Supports stripped off.
3. Held up to a light to show internal division.
Print is reasonable. I left the wide flange around the top off and also the low level line purely to reduce print time [came down to 14 hours from 20]. The wide flange is the original joint in the OEM item which was made in two parts.
I have ordered a kilo of PP and a kilo of PA12 [both in white] and will learn by doing. Won't arrive for a few weeks which gives me time to get a dryer set up. Fun!
1. On the printer bed as complete with supports.
2. Supports stripped off.
3. Held up to a light to show internal division.
Print is reasonable. I left the wide flange around the top off and also the low level line purely to reduce print time [came down to 14 hours from 20]. The wide flange is the original joint in the OEM item which was made in two parts.
I have ordered a kilo of PP and a kilo of PA12 [both in white] and will learn by doing. Won't arrive for a few weeks which gives me time to get a dryer set up. Fun!
Steve Thomas
True Classic
The PLA sample does hold water - at least for a few hours so far
But it is only a draft print with thick layers and a non-functional material. I expect no issue with proper materials and performance rather than speed print settings. I will bench test fluid retention of course. Any item that won't hold water will not have adequate inter-layer strength anyway.
Steve Thomas
True Classic
which materials, settings etc? Very happy to learn from the experience of others!
Alex(Tenerife)
True Classic
How does it look to fit in the mounting bracket in the car? Do you have a car with no brake fluid reservoir to check it on?
Steve Thomas
True Classic
ahahahahahaha
I have 4 cars that are fully dissassembled by others.... It will fit exacty as the OEM item does as it is dimensionaly identical. I measured an OEM item in the first place. I will see if I can find a bracket
Steve Thomas
True Classic
Actually, I have a 78 awaiting restoration that is complete [been sitting for more than a decade before I got it]. I will do a step by step take the OEM setup apart and rebuild with printed parts. Will be a useful exercise.
as in fill with brake fluid and set it aside for a month or so?
Dr.Jeff
True Classic
Going by my very poor memory, I believe that flange around the perimeter also acts as a 'rest' for the mounting bracket, to prevent the whole reservoir from slipping down too far.
Matches my memory as well. The bracket is a belt around the slightly narrower waist.
Steve Thomas
True Classic
Yes, exactly. I think I will do some sort of over pressure test too. These reservoirs never see pressure but it is a good way of checking integrity.
Steve Thomas
True Classic
Just left these features off for the PLA test print. Intent is to produce a part in the engineering materials with complete OEM geometry. That said, I reckon these are routinely installed incorrectly. My intact 78 has this reservoir installed as you describe. nSitting down in the bracket with the flange preventing it from sitting any lower. But. If you look closely at the reservoir and bracket, you will see that on the short ends of the reservoir there is an obround protrusion and there are matching slots in the bracket. Clearly, the reservoir is designed to be installed with these protrusions captive in the slots. Installing like this [as designed in my view] also means that the ridge around the centre of the reservoir is above the bracket and thus visible - which it needs to be as it is the minimum fluid level line. This ridge is quite large and it sits against the top of the bracket too.
Steve Thomas
True Classic
You are thinking of the clutch reservoir I reckon. That has a distinct narrow waist and its bracket is a belt
Dr.Jeff
True Classic
Actually no, I was referring to the brake reservoir. And I see why we have a different take on this. My original ones do not have those protrusions, and the mounting brackets do not have those corresponding slots in them. But that is a nifty design on yours.
So I guess there must be different designs, perhaps for the US market vs others? My current X's have been converted from the original reservoir to a custom layout, and at the moment my old original reservoirs are buried in storage boxes, so I'm not able to post any pics. Maybe someone else can so we can see how they might differ.
However it really isn't that important, I was just making a note of what I perceive to be a use for the ridge - other than mating two halves together.
So I guess there must be different designs, perhaps for the US market vs others? My current X's have been converted from the original reservoir to a custom layout, and at the moment my old original reservoirs are buried in storage boxes, so I'm not able to post any pics. Maybe someone else can so we can see how they might differ.
However it really isn't that important, I was just making a note of what I perceive to be a use for the ridge - other than mating two halves together.