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Posted
Man qwezxc, you should start building more and selling them, to me prefreably. :D
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Posted
Well my UHMW bar stock and 4041 Al pins arrived today:

http://www.apcforum.net/files/StarplateUHMWandPins.jpg

 

I'll try to drill and assemble the star plates this weekend. They look like they'll be damn near indestructable when put together. Investment so far is just under $70 (including shipping) in material for both. So far, that's a far site better than the $49 and $52 each + shipping a certain site charges for the crappy Chinese plates :)

Nice project. Just curious - did you cut the rods yourself, or did you order them cut? If you ordered them - where did you order from?

Posted

Unless he ordered them cut I hope he has a horizontal cut-off band saw.

 

I failed HORRIBLY without one,

Posted

ravaz, mumbles,

 

I ordered all of the 6061 pins cut to length from www.speedymetals.com.

In 1/2", the cost difference was around $13 for the pins vs. 3 pieces of 18" rod stock I'd have to cut myself - no brainer there. The 1/2" are perfect and will require minimal dressing with emery on the corners; the 3/8" will need some help with a belt sander to even them out once they're pressed into the pin plate.

  • 1 month later...
Posted
I am going to start on a press, what kind of plates should I use? Thick plywood? Also how thick should the blast shield be?
Posted
I finished my star plate today. Pins are made from brass 16mm diameter, plate is acrylic 20mm thick.

Wow! That looks VERY nice!

 

 

Good work!

Posted
I am going to start on a press, what kind of plates should I use? Thick plywood? Also how thick should the blast shield be?

My press is all steel, but solid hardwood might work depending on how much tonnage you plan on using. I'd go with a 1/2" thick blast shield. There's a section on presses in the rocketry section with some good info and designs.

Posted
I am going to start on a press, what kind of plates should I use? Thick plywood? Also how thick should the blast shield be?

Don't use MDF board FYI. I have be recommended to use half inch steel plate.

Posted

Great job Zmuro!

Any progress to report on your star plate yet qwezxc?

Posted
Zmuro, how much did it cost to build that?
Posted
Zmuro, how much did it cost to build that?

The brass rod was 20 EUR (1,5m long) so i had to cut the pins myself. I got acrylic plate from my sisters husband, who knows some guys in a factory where they make all sort of acrylic plates and windows, so it was free :D. It took me about 3 hours of driling to make holes for the pins. You have to use smal rpm (I use 120) for a dril and it must be cooled with water.

Posted

Looking around on ebay, you can find them for around $15 a square foot. Cheaper if you buy full sheets, or find a random off cut that works for you.

 

Dan Williams has a good article about this.

http://www.fogoforum.us/starplate.php

 

If I was going to do this, I would probably use HDPE or LDPE. It's a bit stretchier and much less likely to crack or chip while drilling. Let me forewarn you, you will without a doubt need a drill press to do this. A vertical cutoff bandsaw is convenient as well.

Posted
Don't use MDF board FYI. I have be recommended to use half inch steel plate.

Do you plan on ever moving that 1/2" plate steel press from the place that you made it?

Posted
Hehe, just made my self a comet pump for less than 3$ :D
  • 2 weeks later...
Posted
Wow, how did you make them so nice? Did you cast them?
Posted

It looks lathed, grinded, and polished to me...

 

Insanely nice job on the star plate and crossette pump Zmuro.

 

I have a two plates with holes in them now, but no pins to fill them yet... I think I'm going to order some 3/8" Al\Brass rod stock from McMaster... Whatever is cheaper.

Posted
Those are very very nice. How much did they cost to make?
Posted

Those DO look great.

 

We expect video! ;)

Posted

Wow that is some amazing tooling. And the stars look great also. When can you have them for sale?:D

 

I should CNC a star plate while I have access to the machines. I just dont want to make the pin plate.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

I hope this is the right topic for it.

 

This is my new 18" star rolling machine:

post-4-1208293429_thumb.jpg

Posted
I hope this is the right topic for it.

 

This is my new 18" star rolling machine:

WOAH

 

is that a hand made fiberglass drum you got there or did you scrouge that up?

 

that roller looks very cool.

 

i like the hinged part to allow you to dump the stars when they are done.

 

thats mighty nice work you got there...

Posted

Yes it is a hand made drum.

I used a skippyball for it.


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