Today I.....
- Thread starter sco
- Start date
Indeed Steve, if the mood takes. I'm more bothered about water ingress, as I discovered the optional pool in the boot after last weeks torrent of rain.
Birchall
Dick Chown Award 2016
When my wife's car had that problem I thought it would be cheaper to buy some goldfish and make a feature of it!
Two new air vents from Tom (CreweAudi) and dry as a bone now!
Just the thought of removing the bumper was putting me off, but the pleasure of seeing a dry boot was well worth it.
Steve B
Birchall
Dick Chown Award 2016
They are interesting little things too. For those that are unfamiliar with their operation, it is basically as follows.
Their one purpose in life seems to be to enable you to close your door without the air inside the cabin preventing you from closing it properly (As in VW Beetles in the 60s, with those you often had to open the window slightly so that the door would close)
Without these vents when you close the door you would be compressing the air in the cabin and that pressure acts as a resistance and stops the door from closing without extra force.
The vents just open as the air is compressed and let the cabin air out, so the door closes nicely.
The flaps in the vents are VERY flimsy, almost like paper and they are shaped to let air out then close again to keep moisture out.
When the battery compartment is filling with water it is normally just that the seals around the vents have failed (or been disturbed by a minor "fender bender") and the water runs down the body and past the seals into the battery compartment.
Steve B
andrewparkeruk
A2OC Donor
Have just returned from an evening trip in my friend's Tesla model S: the electric windows go down a fraction when the door is being closed, then up once the door is closed. Computer geek designed car 
2work
Well Known Member
Morning Andrew,
I understand windows dropping a little when the door is opened and then returning fully up once the door is closed has been a feature on coupes and convertibles (without a window frame) for many years now. I remember a friends BMW 318 IS Coupe doing it in the early 90s. Im positive it goes back even further.
What was the Tesla model S like, how much can you smile in a silent car!
Kind regards,
Tom
I understand windows dropping a little when the door is opened and then returning fully up once the door is closed has been a feature on coupes and convertibles (without a window frame) for many years now. I remember a friends BMW 318 IS Coupe doing it in the early 90s. Im positive it goes back even further.
What was the Tesla model S like, how much can you smile in a silent car!
Kind regards,
Tom
andrewparkeruk
A2OC Donor
Morning Tom, from my passenger perspective the Tesla was excellent.
It isn't totally silent, apart from the road noise there is the same quiet "swoosh" kind of noise familiar from journeys on electric trams. My friend drove it sensibly, so no sense of how quick the acceleration is.
The satnav system was surprisingly vague.
Andrew
It isn't totally silent, apart from the road noise there is the same quiet "swoosh" kind of noise familiar from journeys on electric trams. My friend drove it sensibly, so no sense of how quick the acceleration is.
The satnav system was surprisingly vague.
Andrew
oneflewover
Member
[rant] Hope not, with their inability to park on the road. [/rant]
Birchall
Dick Chown Award 2016
Today I ..........
Ordered a 3D printer.
Mainly for the Votex Jacking point covers (I now have high definition scan files of each of the 4 covers)
I worked out that I was quoted £280 (Plus VAT) for a set to be printed from the files I now have, so it must surely be cheaper to print them myself.
The money I will save will make these more affordable. I will just need to cover the cost of the ABS filament (around £20 a kilo)
I can then also look at other rare A2 items such as the Flap Actuator on a FSI etc.
I have browsed for days to try and get a 3D printer that is affordable but capable of a quality end result. I figured out that if I get one that gives a very good finish, but not quite perfect I can smooth out the face easy enough (the only visible part of it). ABS seems to have the right characteristics, reasonable resistence to heat, rigid but can flex a little (just like the originals.)
Looking forward to discovering a new skill / hobby, that is still A2 related.
Steve B
Ordered a 3D printer.
Mainly for the Votex Jacking point covers (I now have high definition scan files of each of the 4 covers)
I worked out that I was quoted £280 (Plus VAT) for a set to be printed from the files I now have, so it must surely be cheaper to print them myself.
The money I will save will make these more affordable. I will just need to cover the cost of the ABS filament (around £20 a kilo)
I can then also look at other rare A2 items such as the Flap Actuator on a FSI etc.
I have browsed for days to try and get a 3D printer that is affordable but capable of a quality end result. I figured out that if I get one that gives a very good finish, but not quite perfect I can smooth out the face easy enough (the only visible part of it). ABS seems to have the right characteristics, reasonable resistence to heat, rigid but can flex a little (just like the originals.)
Looking forward to discovering a new skill / hobby, that is still A2 related.
Steve B
depronman
A2OC Donor
There is a 'plastic' material that is flexible like rubber, but it is very expensive and difficult to print with. Whilst it is technically possible to 3D print a mud flap the cost of the flexible filament and the high risk that the print will fail means that it is not cost effective.
Something that I have considered is printing a mould in 2 halves that could be used to cast a suitable rubber polymer to re manufacture mud flaps
It would mean modelling the mud flap in CAD, which is not easy or quick, a more practical solution would be to cast a mould in fiberglass of an original set of mudflaps, then use this mould to cost the new mudflaps using a suitably flexible polymer
Cheers,
Something that I have considered is printing a mould in 2 halves that could be used to cast a suitable rubber polymer to re manufacture mud flaps
It would mean modelling the mud flap in CAD, which is not easy or quick, a more practical solution would be to cast a mould in fiberglass of an original set of mudflaps, then use this mould to cost the new mudflaps using a suitably flexible polymer
Cheers,
depronman
A2OC Donor
Hi Steve,
I made my own 3D printer about 2 years ago, when I say made I don't mean assemble a kit of parts I mean designed from scratch a 3D printer, cut out all the parts mainly on a laser cutter and assemble, calibrate and test.
It as been reliable from day 1 and produces nice quality parts.
PLA is the lest problematic material to start with, then ABS which is a little trickier to get to stick to the bed and not warp, then the sky is the limit with regards to more exotic materials
If you need any help, tips etc getting your first few print done then feel free to get in touch.
Top tip for ABS is heated bed at 90 to 100 deg C, I use a glass bed with glue stick on the glass to aid adhesion, also a warm draft free room for the printer is a must (unless it is fully encased)
I use Spaceclaim as a 3D modelling program this produces good quality STL files and Simplify3D for the printer controll
Cheers,
Birchall
Dick Chown Award 2016
Hi Paul
i am impressed.
The technology is pretty cool and to build one from scratch!!!! Fantastic.
Mine has a heated bed currently set to 110 for ABS with a nozzle temperature of 230 and it does seem to be settling down nicely.
It has two extruders which may prove useful when I gain more experience.
It is so easy to operate, I have the STL files for the covers and I just have to open them in the program that came with the printer and export them to an SD card, pop that in the printer, select the file and away it goes.
What impressed me most is the way that I can build the cover side on upside down or even upright and it build supports for any overhang automatically.
I am finding it very easy at the moment and I am printing the third cover of 4 while I am at our sisters fir a barbequeue.
It takes 7 hours fir each cover at full definition and I am sure that one will go wrong part way through soon, but so far so good.
Thank you for the offer of help and advice. I am sure I will need lots as I start to push the boundaries more.
I need to to find the best way to get items scanned. Scanners are expensive and quality is not fantastic, so I might use some scanning services.
Cheers
Steve B
i am impressed.
The technology is pretty cool and to build one from scratch!!!! Fantastic.
Mine has a heated bed currently set to 110 for ABS with a nozzle temperature of 230 and it does seem to be settling down nicely.
It has two extruders which may prove useful when I gain more experience.
It is so easy to operate, I have the STL files for the covers and I just have to open them in the program that came with the printer and export them to an SD card, pop that in the printer, select the file and away it goes.
What impressed me most is the way that I can build the cover side on upside down or even upright and it build supports for any overhang automatically.
I am finding it very easy at the moment and I am printing the third cover of 4 while I am at our sisters fir a barbequeue.
It takes 7 hours fir each cover at full definition and I am sure that one will go wrong part way through soon, but so far so good.
Thank you for the offer of help and advice. I am sure I will need lots as I start to push the boundaries more.
I need to to find the best way to get items scanned. Scanners are expensive and quality is not fantastic, so I might use some scanning services.
Cheers
Steve B
A2Steve
A2OC Donor
Fitted my new sun visor which was surprisingly easy.
Thank you for the speedy delivery Steve
No problem, glad you are all sorted.