Metal To Plastic

[billymac]

For my uni course I have to design something in plastic that is usually metal and not already been done, any ideas PLEASE would be fantastic.

[TonyV]

What course you doing billy?

[shoota]

Tricky one.
There isn't much that hasn't already been done.
Was going to suggest a magnet, but that wouldn't work.....

[shoota]

Fishing reel?

[TonyV]

Create a plastic to replace titanium aircraft fasteners

[Khandro]

A bicycle, a hand-gun, a safety-pin, a fish-hook.

[Hopkirk]

Coins?

[shoota]

Glock pistols are made of plastic Khandro, (except for key parts, barrel, springs etc..)

[Calibax]

Keys?

[Dizmo]

Khandro: all been done in Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene I'm afraid :)

[Dizmo]

I'd suggest designing a working ratchet spanner in plastic. I've made normal spanners on a 3D printer but never tried a ratchet spanner as it requires bearings. I will at some point attempt to made one.

[Dizmo]

I'm also in the process of having a Morgan wheel nut tool cut out of 316SS to see how it looks. If that works I'm going to make it out of plastic. It needs to be light and it needs to be as small (but still able to do the job) as possible. I've spent hours on AutoCAD designing it so that it is as user friendly as possible.

[TonyV]

Dizmo you mean a tool to take normal wheel nuts of or one for wire wheels with only central fixing?

[Dizmo]

TonyV: Wired wheel for the hub nut. Without looking on my CAD image or going out to the car I don't know the size of the top of my head. I'm take a stab in the dark and say it's 17mm.

[shoota]

There's an idea: a socket set.

[Dizmo]

Ignore all the typos there!

I have a tool already which was supplied by the Morgan retailer however it's impractical without having a hammer (or mallet) with you if you need to change the tyre by the road side. I'm building an extendible tool which takes up the same amount of room then will go through the Morgan Club and sell it to other Morgan owners.

[Slapshot]

Carbon bikes are de riguer now Khandro

[TonyV]

Ok interesting would thought it was larger than 17mm A/F my old TVR was something like 75mm A/F but good idea chat later

[Dizmo]

A plastic socket set has been designed but never released for sale. I've got a photograph somewhere....

The problem is that the plastic (usually ABS) is too brittle. Plastic spanners already exists but I've not seen any designs out there for a plastic ratchet spanner. I'd go with a 10mm and 13mm; 13mm are like rocking horse *$£$ lol.

[TonyV]

Shoota you have one in you boot? Or would you like a light weight nut removal tool?

[Dizmo]

TonyV: You're most probably right, I'm tired and to be honest I've not worked on the design for months. I'll drag out the CAD file and check. It's bothering me now!