Modern Vespa

Years ago Cncjerry made me some trailtech temp brackets out of aluminum. I have the CAD file but want to try and find someone to make them out of PLA. This isn't a paid gig but we might be able to recoup material costs by selling them to folks on the forum. Just trying to find a hobbyist who will entertain a wild idea and help the scooter community out.

PM me if you're interested.

I can make them in PLA for you.

me and PLA gauge holders just seem to be drawn together...

if it's a flat pattern they could also be waterjet or laser cut from sheet.

Custom Trail Tech CHT bracket for donation

Patrick, remember these? Hoping to make another iteration. I just heard PLA isn't in resistant. Can you print ABS?

Malcolm and I were talking offline about plastics. From my experiences making badges in PLA, it doesn't do well in UV without being painted. If its in direct sunlight, even after being painted, PLA tends to warp.

I'll look at putting some stiffeners on the bracket, making it appropriately thick for plastic vs Aluminum and printing in an ABS plastic (LEGO block type of plastic).

The other challenge will be to keep the fasteners tight when attaching to the headset. There may have to be some kind of crush washer (or use of blue loctite) to allow the fixing bolt to be tightened on the bracket and still keep the bolts from coming loose. It will be a weekend kind of project.

(Laser cut out of perspex may be the better option.)

UV stable would only come into play if you park outside all the time. The other issue with PLA it's brittle, but not overly so.

I ran this prototype of a mirror bracket (without a mirror) and gauge holder in PLA and it held up to the vibration for a very hard 600 miles. I only ran the PLA to test it out, and intend to make the mirror bracket in steel with a nylon printed gauge holder.

for the trail tech I think it could mount on a single bolt and be thicker and it would likely hold up just fine in PLA.

With a 1 hour 20 minute print time + setup time it would take too long to make these if the intent was to mass-produce them and sell them. From a production standpoint it makes more sense to burn the bracket out of perspex on a laser CNC.

*Horseshack*
Will buy a couple if made!

Anyone know where hobbyists can get laser cutting done?

I've had some done at https://www.oshcut.com

they also do bends in sheetmetal

Wonder if a person could use a company like this, to make a swing arm for an electric hub motor that bolts or dowels together. Once it's together, weld up joints. It's been too long since I've used a cad program myself. Would need a structural engineer and a cad program designed to evaluate stresses.

think beyond the flat sheet, the real magic they add is CNC break press.

you could make a box section swingarm in two halves and have them welded together. you could even include registration tabs to make it line up perfect.

Latest update- I needed someone to modify my old files to send off for laser cutting and found a college kid at the nearby JC whose trying to find business. He did the drawings for me and said he could make the brackets out of plastic with some uv coating for $2 a piece. I ordered 40 to help the kid out and you guys can be the Guinea pigs. Should have them all next week.

Will take 2 if possible.