Clippard Reservoir Mount

[team3245]

Hi CD!

I'm sure many of you have seen the Bimba reservoir mounts that clamp around the chamber and have a hole for mounting purposes.

I was wondering how you guys might suggest mounting the metal clippard 2in diameter reservoirs. Of course you can also zip tie them, but our team was hoping for a better solution. Any suggestions?

We were wondering if there might even be a company that sells clamp mounts for these chambers similar to the bimba ones, or if some team might have an stl of a drawing that they use for mounting these cylinders. Our team does have access to a 3D printer!

Thanks,
-Harris Christiansen
Team 3245

[kmusa]

Besides zip ties, we've either taken some sheet metal, and clamped them around the middle, or make brackets with holes to fit the flatted ends.

[Qbot2640]

Originally Posted by team3245

... or if some team might have an stl of a drawing that they use for mounting these cylinders. Our team does have access to a 3D printer!

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:246704

Try this one...let me know if it needs any adjustments.

[Wren Hensgen]

Team 225 has used both metal and plastic "plumber's tape", which is simply a thin strip of material with holes in it that can be bent around the tanks, and bolted down.

[TheKeeg]

Originally Posted by Wren Hensgen

Team 225 has used both metal and plastic "plumber's tape", which is simply a thin strip of material with holes in it that can be bent around the tanks, and bolted down.

We have used this in the past and it works well. Honestly though, zip ties are much easier and more workable. If you are worried about them breaking than you need to start buying better zipties

[M. Mellott]

I sent you a PM. Send me your email and I'll forward you a STEP of our mounting bracket that we also 3D printed...works really well.

[Bald & Bearded]

Here is another example our team built. It is openscad and pretty parametric so it can be modified for almost any tank:
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:246729

[Johnny]

In the past our team has used sections of PVC roughly the same size as your tank, cut a notch of about .75-1 inch in the piece and use it like you would use the brackets. You can mount them with a bolt and snap the tanks on like the normal brackets. Easy, cheap and looks just as good.

[cglrcng]

Both of those thingverse available clip designs would work (but may be very brittle due to voids internally, so slide the tanks in and do not attempt to snap them in). SNAP! is the key word there....

Also in the past, we have also used automotive Gates type worm gear hose clamps just 1/4" in diameter larger than the tank size, and in association w/ the hose clamps (2 of each per tank), we used small alum. fabricated mounting clips we make out of alum. strap stock that are about 1.5"-2.5" long, 1" wide (concave to fit each end of the tank in 2 directions that the hose clamps go around and also fit the tanks and does not allow lateral movement), and are about 1/2" thick w/ 1 countersunk phillips head bolt through the clip for mounting the clips that we mill for the purpose of mounting each tank to the frame or other sturdy mounting place.

I do not have access to a pic of the milled part at the moment, but will post a pic of the fabricated clips and a mounted tank using this process tonight or tomorrow morning. (Once I post the pics the babble will make more sense!)
________________________________________________
To give you an idea of what the mounting clips look like they have a smile like look; Tank side ")" Clamp/frame mounting side, on one end about a 1/4" thick Tank on top/hose clamp on bottom, and are 1/2" thick & rectangular on the other end and the countersunk bolt is on that same end.

See if you can make any sense of the following:

Tank fits here between 2 mounted fabricated clips using 2 Gates
.................V (here)...... hose clamps.... side view of clip below.
___C___
I__B____I-----Clip ends 1/3 of length look on end like a smile")" Clip mounting area to frame is here w/ countersunk bolt through clip.
.... *.......Hose Clamps near ends of tank on both ends.
.... *.......*=Drilled and tapped mounting point. CB=counter sunk bolt/screw.
-----=Convave milled area for tank & clamp. I=Ends of stock

Worm screw on the hose clamps tightens tank to clips. Tank fits in concave "Smile area" and the clamp goes around other side of that area, and clamps the tank to the clip after mounting the clips to the mount point. Simply tighten the clamps using the worm screws to mount tank to the countersunk 1- screw/bolt mounted clips. (Clips are 2 1/2" long X 1 " Wide X 1/4" Thick alum. strap stock) ---Milled on one end to get that concave "smile ")" look" on 1/3 of the length on one end, drilled and countersunk on the other end to mount.

Drilled & tapped anchor points, we use 2 - 1/4" 20 Phillips Head Countersunk bolts / screws per tank to mount those pre-fabricated clips.

The 2 Hose clamps are vertical in relation to the above very crude clip diagram, around each end of the tank and slide over the tank and the clip at the concave points marked ------ and fit between the frame or mounting point and block ends of the tank from sliding or ever moving, then just tighten the clamps using the 2 worm screws. Tank is easy to remove/replace quickly w/ a slot screwdriver. Clips w/ a large phillips screwdriver.

A great solid & tight safe (no slop or slip), mounting for those alum. pnum. res. tanks. (Sure beats wire ties!) The clips, bolts and clamps add less than a few ounces per tank in wt. but are well worth the effort to create.
_________________
(Need 2 Gates Hose Clamps about 1/4" in diam. larger than the Alum. Pnum. res. tank). V (slipped over tank/clips at "V" loc.) V (then tighten the clamps)

****Everything above ends up a lot tighter and a whole lot stronger than those flimsy or hollow plastic 3 D printed parts!

___C___
I__B____I-----Clip ends look on end like a smile")" CB=Countersunk bolt.

And the tank simply fits between the 2 mounted clips w/ 2 hose clamps and tightened in place firmly.

[cglrcng]

___C___
I__B____I-----Clip ends look on end like a smile"Tank)Hose Clamp" and turn that "Smile 90 Degrees".......CB=Countersunk bolt.


Arghhhhh...I'll post those pics later.

[Bald & Bearded]

Originally Posted by cglrcng

Both of those thingverse available clip designs would work (but may be very brittle due to voids internally, so slide the tanks in and do not attempt to snap them in). SNAP! is the key word there....
.

The key with any 3D FDM item is to make sure that the threads of filament as they are printed for the shell are perpendicular to the line of stress. Where I have seen parts break is when the stress would push the layers to separate.

So the models we use are printed on their side.

PLA would be a bit brittle and I would suggest printing in ABS. Although I printed several test parts in PLA and snapped tanks in/out several times with
no breakage.

If you have access to a printer that will do Nylon that stuff will not break.

I print ours with 40% infill and 4 shells and there is nothing we have seen now that indicates they will snap if you make the wall thick enough (1/4" min but 3/8" recommended).