material for a 510 connector.

[Lance_Wallen]

So,

Initially I was going to make the 510 connector on my mod out of stainless. Turns out it's WAY to damn hard to make it in less than like 5 hours on my little hobby CNC machine. Between being such a hard material, having to use such small bits for certain parts of hte process it's just not feasible with that particular material with my current set up.

I initially avoided aluminum because it's soft and the whole tarnishing aspect that causes it to start losing conductivity. I didn't want to have to noalox it every couple of days and I didn't want noalox getting mixed up with my liquids (since it'd be INSIDE the connector)

I considered brass but it has the same issues really, it's soft and it tarnishes over time. I want this connector to be durable and low maintenance. Anyone who's made their own connectors in the past and have some "living with metal X" experience would be awesome.

 

[asdaq]

I would say that if it has to be a threaded 510 connector, then it is hard to compete with SS. But you could ask yourself why it has to be a threaded connector at all and at that a 510. If you are making the atomizer and the battery mod yourself then you really don't need either. RCA connections for example. Personally, I've been using a mix of brass, aluminum and SS for connections and leave the surfaces smooth and easy to get to and clean.

 

[Lance_Wallen]

I want to make a 510 mod so I can use my precious boge cartos on it SO... need the 510 threading. Though, the more I fiddle with this machine and stainless the more I'm debating just making it with a built in rebuildable atomizer.

 

[asdaq]

You already have devices for 510 that you can continue to enjoy, so maybe it is time to branch out and experiment. You might be surprised.

 

[Lance_Wallen]

I imagine I'll like a genesis style rebuilable,but I'm building it myself it gives me a good challenge. gonna have to pick up a rebuildable atty or two and look at em to get some better ideas of how they work.

 

[Lance_Wallen]

hrm, turns out most brass has lead in it. That's no bueno. back to the drawing board I guess. I'd just go aluminum but the oxidizing worries me. NO one wants to be sucking noalox up through their carto

 

[Switched]

nothing wrong with brass. If you are worried about CNC and SS, turn 'em by hand

 

[Lance_Wallen]

yeah, I've read some more about brass and it looks like it's way easier to machine, especially c360. I might pick up a bar and try my connector again on it. The connector is an odd shape because of how I'm fitting it to the case so I can't turn it on the lathe, otherwise I would have tried that already with the stainless

Brass will look better on the hardwoods I'm making it out of anyway. Goign to make a second design with a built in rebuildable atomizer anyway just so I have options.

 

[bstedh]

What I came up with to make a good stainless steel connector is to use 3/8 x 24 threaded rod with the center drilled out and tapped. Then secure it with either panel nuts or directly threading the mod.

Search the battery connector failure thread for my ideas.

I never did get around to getting any produced so if you do, let me know.

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using Tapatalk 2

 

[Lance_Wallen]

I've already designed the connector in CAD, I was all set to cut it out of some stainless steel stock and tried and it broke my bit. took it back quite a bit more and the machine just can't handle it without taking it down to a crawl and using lube/coolant which isn't easy on a little desktop CNC. I've got some brass stock showing up tomorrow, I'll try to run the model again on that and see how it works out. If things go as planned I'll have my prototype done this weekend and I'll post osme pictures.

Things won't go as planned though so... see ya in a couple weeks most likely rofl.

 

[zoiDman]

Nothing wrong with making something from scratch, but have you considered just Buying a Connector instead of Making One?

BTW - How are you cutting the threads on your CNC Mill. G84 and a Tap? Single Point. Thread Cutter?

 

[jimbalny]

I wonder if gold plating would be safe with eliquid, would make for a better connection at least.

 

[Lance_Wallen]

I'm not doing the threads on the CNC< I'm just gonna hand tap em later. Seems a little gratuitous to do 5mm worth of tapping with a machine heh.

As for buying a connector... nevar! The whole goal here is to get away from overseas manufacture. The first stage is a 510, second stage is a RBA so I don't have to buy any more cartos/atties either.

 

[Lance_Wallen]

so... tried cutting the brass. Much better results but it's still a LONG program on the CNC machine to get it where I want it. Taking a new approach with some M10x1.5 thread stock as soon as McMaster delivers it. I'll post results "soon"

 

[Switched]

Set up time is most of the job, just saying

Never done CNC but don't you only write the program once? Seems a worthwhile investment of time in the long run

 

[Lance_Wallen]

yeah, you only write it once but you have to run it everytime. The job was going to be close to 4 hours with a tool change in the middle. Totally not worth it time wise. I can turn the same thing on my lathe then manually mill the channels in under an hour easy.

 

[zoiDman]

... The job was going to be close to 4 hours with a tool change in the middle. Totally not worth it time wise. I can turn the same thing on my lathe then manually mill the channels in under an hour easy.

4 Hours ???

What exactly are you cutting and at what Speed and Feed?

 

[asdaq]

I'm curious what you mean by a desktop CNC, Lance. Could we maybe see a pic?

 

[jimbalny]

Good luck with the threaded rod experiment.

If you need an idea for the positive post connection, I've come up with a solderless solution that I'm gonna use in my bottom feeder in the works: pcb screw terminal. I cut off the plastic and fed ss tubing through it which is press fit into the positive post. Figure its also good in case theres ever a need to do some repairs or cleaning that it will just loosen and go free.

 

[Lance_Wallen]

the CNC is a sherline, model 2000 mill with stepper motors, etc.

As for it taking 4 hours, I'm cutting brass, I'm sure I could speed it up a little more but the speed and feed isn't necessarily the issue. It's the resolution of the tool paths. The least number of jobs I could do is obviously 1. but to get the small air channels in the top of the connector and cutting out the relatively small drip well I would have to do the entire job on a 1/16th end mill at like D/17. Rather than do that I'm running a 1/8th end mill for a 'roughing' operation but I still have to run at D/17 to get the ODs mostly smooth and the inside (stepped hole 7mm and 6.5mm) bored out accurately enough that I can easily finish it. After the roughing op on a 1/8th at D/17 I have to run another D/17 operation with the 1/16th anyway but I can narrow down the work envelope to only include the drip well and air channels which sped it up quite a bit.

I'm also not 100% sure how deep of a layer I can safely cut so I was running 1mm layers, which means the entire tool path repeats 8 times on the roughing operation and 3 times on the finishing operation.

I'm also trying to waste as little material as possible just because I think that's the responsible thing to do so I'm not willing to hog out the OD with a bigger bit that could possibly cut faster/deeper because I don't want to waste 1/8-1/4 inches of brass on the outside of my work envelope.

I'm sure I'm missing some obvious effeciencies, I've litterally been using CNC for less than a month. The modeling is easy, the CAM part I'm still coming to terms with. I've cut out a project box with some relatively complicated internal dimensions and it went pretty well after a little trial and error but I did that on a generic peice of pine 2x6 from home depot just to 'test' the process. The finished products will be in delrin and exotic hardwoods, I didn't want to waste expensive material to 'learn' on With the brass though... I sorta had to.



Regarding the threadstock and centerpin, I'll post some details about how I assembled it once I figure it out I've got some M10x1.5 otw from McMaster, should have it tomorrow.