WIP DNA20 Compact 18650 Mod

[asdaq]

From the first 3 pics I though it was milled and brushed aluminum.

For the sake of size, I sacrifice onboard charging too. Those 15 x 58 lipos were the ones I liked before, and they are still on my list. A little longer (8mm) and twice the mah than AW 14500's.

 

[westy78]

Really beautiful work, bapgood. Couple of questions:

Is the faceplate a piece of bent aluminum plate?

Can you tell us more about that connector on top?

 

[bapgood]

Really beautiful work, bapgood. Couple of questions:

Is the faceplate a piece of bent aluminum plate?

Can you tell us more about that connector on top?

Yeah the faceplate is a piece of bent aluminum plate.

The connector is a piece of aluminum with a 9mm x 0.5 threaded hole. Then a piece of brass hex stock with 9mm x 0.5 threads on the outside and 7mm x 0.5mm on the inside that screws into the aluminum piece from the back. The 7mm threads don't quite go all the way through, then I use a piece of delrin for the insulator and a brass center pin with wire soldered to it that presses into the insulator.

 

[westy78]

Very nice. Seems like the commercially available connectors are kind of a weak point in most mods. You've solved it very elegantly.

 

[bapgood]

Very nice. Seems like the commercially available connectors are kind of a weak point in most mods. You've solved it very elegantly.

Thanks!

Typically I do the main piece out of stainless and not sleeve it, but for quick and dirty this way works pretty good.

 

[jmarkus]

really nice work, bap. love it.

 

[Sad Society]

bapgood, that is pretty much the type of 18650 mod idea I've had in my head in the last month to use on the DNA20. Very nice work.

 

[Sad Society]

The connector is a piece of aluminum with a 9mm x 0.5 threaded hole. Then a piece of brass hex stock with 9mm x 0.5 threads on the outside and 7mm x 0.5mm on the inside that screws into the aluminum piece from the back. The 7mm threads don't quite go all the way through, then I use a piece of delrin for the insulator and a brass center pin with wire soldered to it that presses into the insulator.

Does that use a 510 connection? Do you have a link to that particular part?

 

[bapgood]

Does that use a 510 connection? Do you have a link to that particular part?

lol....here you go....harbor fright mini lathe

http://www.harborfreight.com/7-inch-x-10-inch-precision-mini-lathe-93212.html

 

[Sad Society]

Awe thanks. I figured it was custom made.

 

[westy78]

Yeah, we are still waiting to get some ABS so right now we are using PLA. It printed the body piece pretty good but not the bottom cap.

Bap, what do you think about PLA vs. ABS? Was the cap printing failure due to the material or is it a setup/tweaking issue?

I just read the winter 2013 issue of Make mag (on desktop 3D printers) cover to cover while traveling yesterday. I sooooo need one of these! What type of printer are you using?

 

[bapgood]

Bap, what do you think about PLA vs. ABS? Was the cap printing failure due to the material or is it a setup/tweaking issue?

I just read the winter 2013 issue of Make mag (on desktop 3D printers) cover to cover while traveling yesterday. I sooooo need one of these! What type of printer are you using?

We got the dual head cubeX printer.

Overall I'm not that impressed, it prints better on the .25mm layer setting than it does on the "HD" .1mm layer setting.

The cubex software is really closed off compared to other systems, not a lot of adjustments. Accuracy depends a lot on axis, shape, wall thickness, supports, and etc. Several prints and model adjustments may be needed if your looking for very specific dims.

The cubeX uses glue to adhere the first layer of plastic to the base platform, which seems to be inconsistent. So far we have to print a "raft" base before the actual printed object to get a decent print. If we had both PLA and ABS the "raft" and other supports could be printed with one material and the main object printed with the other material and they could be peeled away from each other.

The PLA seems to be a decent material, it has a lower melting point and is an organic material. With PLA being organic, interlocking ABS parts can be printed with PLA in-between and the PLA removed afterwords via an ultrasonic caustic acid wash.

But all my experience has been with PLA, maybe the ABS will print much different???

We are going to have a new base platform machined so we can add a heater to it. Plus I have almost talked my boss into purchasing some 3rd party hardware and software to give us more control and adjustment of the printing process.

For the money it seems hard to beat the Solidoodle3. Only 1 head, but has a heated platform and good printing software for $800....but they build to order so there is a wait.

However you will need some type of 3D modeling software, but I have heard there are some decent free/cheap ones out there.

All that said, In general it seems hard to beat shapeways. Shapeways uses a different printing technology called SLS (selective laser sintering) which is incredibly accurate. And IMHO shapeways price is pretty cost effective, the wait just sucks.

I'm actually getting close on a similar design to the one in this thread to have shapesways print. It will be fairly intricate with multiple pieces that will have to fit together and etc, so it will be a good test for shapeways form, fit, and function.

Here is a teaser pic.

 

[WillyB]

Got a Fistpack vibe going.

From Nuck.

 

[bapgood]

lol....someone else said that but I didn't know what they were talking about. That's funny, I just wanted a compact and comfortable mod and that's what I came up with.

Is that a portable power supply case to start with?

 

[Robert T]

V2 Walkthrough 2010. Fistpack v2 (variable power) walk-through

 

[bapgood]

V2 Walkthrough 2010. Fistpack v2 (variable power) walk-through

I found a similar page with old links to the power supply. You couldn't buy them but it had dims and they are close.

 

[westy78]

We got the dual head cubeX printer.

Overall I'm not that impressed, it prints better on the .25mm layer setting than it does on the "HD" .1mm layer setting.

The cubex software is really closed off compared to other systems, not a lot of adjustments. Accuracy depends a lot on axis, shape, wall thickness, supports, and etc. Several prints and model adjustments may be needed if your looking for very specific dims.

The cubeX uses glue to adhere the first layer of plastic to the base platform, which seems to be inconsistent. So far we have to print a "raft" base before the actual printed object to get a decent print. If we had both PLA and ABS the "raft" and other supports could be printed with one material and the main object printed with the other material and they could be peeled away from each other.

The PLA seems to be a decent material, it has a lower melting point and is an organic material. With PLA being organic, interlocking ABS parts can be printed with PLA in-between and the PLA removed afterwords via an ultrasonic caustic acid wash.

But all my experience has been with PLA, maybe the ABS will print much different???

We are going to have a new base platform machined so we can add a heater to it. Plus I have almost talked my boss into purchasing some 3rd party hardware and software to give us more control and adjustment of the printing process.

For the money it seems hard to beat the Solidoodle3. Only 1 head, but has a heated platform and good printing software for $800....but they build to order so there is a wait.

However you will need some type of 3D modeling software, but I have heard there are some decent free/cheap ones out there.

All that said, In general it seems hard to beat shapeways. Shapeways uses a different printing technology called SLS (selective laser sintering) which is incredibly accurate. And IMHO shapeways price is pretty cost effective, the wait just sucks.

I'm actually getting close on a similar design to the one in this thread to have shapesways print. It will be fairly intricate with multiple pieces that will have to fit together and etc, so it will be a good test for shapeways form, fit, and function.

Here is a teaser pic.

Thanks for the info. I'm going to be sticking with shapeways for now, but these printers are just so amazing that I want one to play with at home. I'm hoping to convince my company to get one for architectural models. I'd like to play with ABS and ammonia vapor polishing too--makes things smooth and shiny, almost like injection molding.

The CubeX looks like a nice piece of hardware!

 

[Chip_]

I have a question about these DNA 20D mods. I keep seeing these things selling for like $50.00 from Evolv.
Is this what you guys are paying for these little boards?

 

[retird]

Yep....50 bucks unless you buy in bulk quantities....

 

[Chip_]

Yep....50 bucks unless you buy in bulk quantities....

Ouch!! That's way to pricey for me. I think I'll just design my own.