a couple printed widgets

[A2022]

this RV14 headset jack cover is a printed part that prevents dirt ingress for a vertically oriented headset jack. it also fits in my RV9 because it has the same jack spacing of 1 inch. pushes in with a light grip but is very secure. a couple test flights in my 9 were successful but no loops or rolls.

if you are printing these at home. pin spacing is 1 inch and 0.195 pin diameter works well.

[A2022]

a wheel chock with a rope attachment method to secure the chock for high wind conditions. these are made from two printed parts, a chock and a latch. attach the latch with a spring.

[A2022]

RV12 - rudder pedal extensions. these are 1.4 inch offset from the bar and I believe it is one of my most technical printed parts because it is very strong and very light weight, coming in at 68 grams each, less the bolt weight. to print nylon / carbon fiber, I found that my retraction settings are critical and also the speed of the retraction. typically I use 1.4mm and 20 mm/s.

the trouble is the USPS website is unable to process transactions for several hours. possibly due to cyber attack?

[A2022]

Tailwheel chock. thinking about the roll-on angle for the chock. my thinking is that the wheel should roll on to the chock to provide some weight and set the chock to the ground. also, if the tailwheel rotates, the chock must rotate with it, hence the tall vertical sides.

[A2022]

this is a printed 9 prong coffee widget that my daughter wanted, so we made it together. it orients strong wire at specific angles and lengths. it makes me wonder if there is some use for a device like this for engine maintenance, but I don't know what that would be at the moment. this was a one off print so the print was not optimized but is fully functional. I thought it was cool.

[A2022]

Tail wheel mechanical chock. just kicking some ideas around....

[A2022]

another pin orientation version. better to have the pin in shear. optimally, it would be better to have double shear but difficult in this configuration. this configuration should allow for easy pin access.

[A2022]

the bolt acts as a pin and does not require any clamp force. since I want to maintain bearing thickness material on the lower hinge and not use a nut I am thinking of a set screw to simply hold the bolt in position.

[A2022]

tail wheel chock. I believe this one is ready for a test print.







added a thumb location to swing arm

[bullojm1]

Very impressive! I have always wanted to get into 3D printing. Does EAA still give away a free copy of SolidWorks with a valid membership?

[A2022]

Mike, you have to pay a small amount now for solidworks but I use solidworks and freecad. nice to hear from you. I plan on being here a long time. Now to see if this tail wheel chock will actually work. Steve

[A2022]

setting the print routine.... and the parts will appear as if by magic. after all these years, I'm still blown away by this. I suppose you could call it a passion to change the world.

[A2022]

tail wheel chock. well, that was easy. this was designed to use a 1-inch-long quick release pin, but I only had a 1.25-inch pin available to test. needs a functional test on an aircraft.

[A2022]

tail wheel chock. tire size missed. I designed for 5.5 dia x 1.5 wide. it should have been 6.0 dia x 2.0 wide. the tail wheel in the photo is worn and I noted the bushing interference, so a recess was made to clear this area when the wheel is worn. overall, the concept was received well by the test aircraft owner. I'll make the adjustments and try again. complete weight of this unit with all hardware = 156 grams (5.5 oz). that's not too bad.

[A2022]

tail wheel chock. switched this to UV resistant plastic and gave it the Ohio State Buckeyes colors. still working to optimize the print. ready for another test fit.

[A2022]

tail wheel chock. added a small ledge for the swing arm to rest for easier pin alignment. added a plastic nut for pin lanyard attachment. I still don't know if this widget will work but I think it may.

[A2022]

tail wheel chock.... not too bad. estimated 50 lb of force required to move the aircraft fwd and aft on smooth concrete. sanded the base some, the force was about the same. the chock rotates with wheel very well. time to install is about 10 seconds.

for a worn wheel....











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for a new unused wheel.....

[A2022]

tail wheel chock.... reduced the side wall thickness a small amount. working to keep this unit weight under 6 ounces.





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I decided to add a series of recessed areas on base to increase grip. it probably will not increase grip for smooth concrete but may for rough concrete or asphalt.

[A2022]

CH-750 from our friend down South. unbelievable!

[A2022]

tail wheel chock.... I am happy with this version. I'll do a pull test on the aircraft to understand if the recesses on the base make a difference. the swing arm ledge makes it easy to align the pin. total weight = exactly 6 ounces (170 grams).