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New Klixon switch covers


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I do a lot of 3-D printing and have two machines.  I have printed some switches in ABS plastic and Nylon.  The switches fit fine, but cosmetically, they are not that great.  I even tried sanding them, but the look is still not as good as an injection molded piece.  I have also tried to put lettering in the switch face, but the details are a little too fine.

When 3-D printing the first thing to ask is what kind of printer someone is using.  The second is what kind of plastic.  Third is the color.  The build orientation will also have an effect on the final part; some sides will be smoother than others.  Hopefully, the operator knows which finish per side should be which.IMG_20160420_164127760.jpgIMG_20160421_101959990.jpgIMG_20160426_125111494.jpg

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HI all

im flying a 1980 M20K and have the Klixon switch covers. I ordered a cover from Shapeways and sent it to a buddy who said he would  try to lasar etch it. He just finished the process and is not happy with the finished product due to the graininess of the switch. He suggests using a different material ( Ultra Detail). If he can get the 3D file, he is happy to order a new switch with the new material and lasar etch the lettering with black infill. He thinks the cost of this new material would not be significantly more. If someone has the 3D file and is willing to make it available, we may have a new, better alternative.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 8/31/2016 at 10:59 AM, Ah-1 Cobra Pilot said:

I do a lot of 3-D printing and have two machines.  I have printed some switches in ABS plastic and Nylon.  The switches fit fine, but cosmetically, they are not that great.  I even tried sanding them, but the look is still not as good as an injection molded piece.  I have also tried to put lettering in the switch face, but the details are a little too fine.

When 3-D printing the first thing to ask is what kind of printer someone is using.  The second is what kind of plastic.  Third is the color.  The build orientation will also have an effect on the final part; some sides will be smoother than others.  Hopefully, the operator knows which finish per side should be which.IMG_20160420_164127760.jpgIMG_20160421_101959990.jpgIMG_20160426_125111494.jpg

What if you print switches, albeit they are rough looking but in perhaps abs so it is temp. appropriate.

Then a finishing step can be done by hand, such as printing labels on paper, gluing them on the face, and then covering with thick coats of clear "dope".

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I have a new printer on its way.  It has a dual extruder, so I can make switches with two colors built-in.  I will keep you informed of my progress.

This one uses the lettering 'cut' into the switch surface and orange nail polish as a 'fill'.  I only had clear ABS, so it might look better with white filament.

IMG_20160923_160303720.jpg

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Black nail polish looks better.  I do need to try some white filament, though, so I just bought a grab bag of four rolls.  They were blue, orange, green, and gray.  Sheesh! 

If anybody wants to send me a roll of white filament, I will send you a whole printed set.  (You have to do your own nail polish.)

IMG_20161004_153419760_HDR.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...
Update: I have some samples that have been shipped to me, I'm just waiting for them to arrive so I can see how they look and fit.

Ok, already.  It's been over a week.  How long does it take to install a switch cover?  Come on, pirep please!


Yeah! Don't force me to find FlyDave and fly down to LA personally supervise this installation!


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Update: I have some samples that have been shipped to me, I'm just waiting for them to arrive so I can see how they look and fit.


I got tired of trying to find FlyDave, so I decided to paddle down from San Francisco to you. Only made it to Monterey Bay before some otters needed to drag me ashore. They were even so kind to snap a picture of me.

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On 10/3/2016 at 8:10 AM, rbridges said:

Marauder probably let his girlfriend sit in the pilot seat, and her fat roll crushed the cover.

man there is a lot of fat shaming on this site.  And I, for one, approve.  ;)  wife wont let me put a "No Fat Chicks" sticker on the back but I do keep trucknuts hanging from the rear tiedown.

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Let me guess the other half put in a life insurance claim, you have built a secret room to live in, and are moving to Panama.
Confused?.... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Darwin_disappearance_case 



No Darwinism here. It was a team building exercise or an attempt to do a workforce management program.


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Ok, I got a batch of switch covers from a fellow Mooneyspacer who was willing to give it a try. I sent him one rocker switch and cover to make a 3D model and here's my opinion of the results.

First the material is stronger and feels more durable than the Shapeways printed switch covers I bought for $6 each and they feel stronger than even the originals. These new printed ones feel like they would last longer than the Shapeways which felt grainy and brittle. Albeit none have broken on me and I replaced all my switch covers about a year ago.

Second, they have very fine longitudinal lines running down the switch cover itself from the printing process. I am not bothered by this but I imagine some of you may not like it. I have not tried to sand these down to get rid of the lines yet to see what kind of smooth texture I can get but I may experiment with one next week with some 80 grit and 400 grit sandpaper.

Third, they are very difficult to fit onto the switch itself. Some of them would not fit at all because they were just a tad to narrow to physically fir over the actual switch. On the ones that did fit, I needed to use dental picks to clean out the excess plastic material left over from the printing process. Once cleaned out I could not get the clips on the top and bottom of the covers to fit onto the switch body itself. Instead I had to CAREFULLY soften the plastic using a stove and carefully widening the clips,on the switch cover. I ruined one switch cover by accident doing this when I warped the plastic but was successful with the second try and got it to fit quite well and snug.

Fourth, the producer of this batch tried labeling some the switches with "BOOST PUMP" and painted one but there was some bleeding of the paint. Perhaps this could or would look,better with a thicker paint and more work.

What I ended up doing, which I think I liked best, was using some black vinyl switch cover labels I purchased a few months ago from Higher Graphics in FL and placing them directly on the switch cover. They look professional and clean. Only problem is they only provide enough labels for the switch face and none for the top so you can see the label when looking at the switch when it's in the off position.

Overall I was happy with them but they need some work. If you're looking for a turnkey solution to put snap right on these may not work. The Shapeways covers are more turn key and will snap right on but might be a little loose. I used the vinyl labels on those and they looked nice as well since you don't see or feel that grainy look with the vinyl labels.

Here are some photos of the switches. I have a different set from the guy I met at Airventure who said he sent the original set to the wrong address which caused a delay. I expect to have another set of switch covers in a couple days with a separate PIREP to follow.

 

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Edited by NotarPilot
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Kind of reminds me of my prom date.  Looks good from a few feet away but maybe not what you want to keep around, based on the pirep.  Please keep us apprised of how the next set looks when you get them.  The set you show still looks better than what I have at present.  The lettering does look good on the stick ons.  Any idea how long they might last without the lettering rubbing or peeling off?

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6 hours ago, helitim said:

Kind of reminds me of my prom date.  Looks good from a few feet away but maybe not what you want to keep around, based on the pirep.  Please keep us apprised of how the next set looks when you get them.  The set you show still looks better than what I have at present.  The lettering does look good on the stick ons.  Any idea how long they might last without the lettering rubbing or peeling off?

You really need to look closely at them in order to see the imperfections. I'm pretty happy with them. The vinyl placard and label set was $60 but then you need to carefully cut them. You can also replace old labels and placards in your plane which I have been doing for a more modern look. One problem I've discovered is that some of their placards are larger then the originals and therefore do not fit. I let them know and Karen at Higher Graphics said she will send me some new ones with the correct size free of charge on their next run. I also let her know about the labels for the switches.

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Does the switch have to be removed from the panel to instal the replacement covers?  I just got two of the covers from Shapeways. The cover on my Elec Trim switch is cracked and falls off pretty easy. I pulled it off, but wasn't able to get the Shapeways cover to install.  I might need to try again, but any suggestions or experiences would be appreciated.

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