I take back every mean thing I’ve ever said about my LDS.

[USdiver1]

Once the DH bug has bit, there is no going back. You are now a stormtrooper, forever allied with the Empire.

Relax, we have cookies and milk.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Have you ever looked into a stamping die? You could go to a lighter gauge stainless while increasing strength if the die rolled all the edges. That would also eliminate your laser cutting costs. Maybe you need a Go-fund-me page for a die set more than a Web site?

I actually have an idea to semi automate the process with laser cut flat stock. It involves talking to a foundry in Petaluma that might be able to cast me a male and female die set with the male die a little smaller to allow the edges of the plate to be manually hammed and rolled while the plate is pressed into shape and held there in between the two dies.
That’s all I am willing to say about it right now.
But if my idea works it will shave off a ton of time without spending a small fortune on the machinery to slam the sheet metal into shape.

 

[lexvil]

I don’t believe, from my own observations in Monterey, that there is any less scuba participation other than what comes from covid caution/fear/restrictions we really won’t know the long term effect until covid is behind us

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Once the DH bug has bit, there is no going back. You are now a stormtrooper, forever allied with the Empire.

Relax, we have cookies and milk.

Oh I’ve already been there!
I already had a DAAM I used to dive all the time.
I think alcohol or heroin are probably easier to quit than vintage gear.

 

[The Ruttmeister]

Cannery Row Aquatics, very cool! thanks for the tip. And you say they knew what it was? That’s even more interesting. Are they members of Scubaboard?
I’ll make a point to contact them and maybe see if they are interested in setting up a meeting.

I don't think they had heard of it before, rather that they were excited at the idea. I have no idea if they are on Scubaboard, although I told them to look here if they wanted to know more.

I actually have an idea to semi automate the process with laser cut flat stock. It involves talking to a foundry in Petaluma that might be able to cast me a male and female die set with the male die a little smaller to allow the edges of the plate to be manually hammed and rolled while the plate is pressed into shape and held there in between the two dies.
That’s all I am willing to say about it right now.
But if my idea works it will shave off a ton of time without spending a small fortune on the machinery to slam the sheet metal into shape.

You should also talk to Universal Foundry Services in San Leandro, I know they do small volume and prototyping. They only work in aluminium and other light metals, no iron casting.
I also strongly recomend talking to MetalFX up in Willits, I don't know if they do stamping (at least the size you would need), but they are a very good sheet metal house and have been incredibly helpful on projects I have used them for. They might have something like tooling to radius the edges.

And you might even be able to get away with wooden tooling... seriously.
Biggest challenge is getting use of a large press.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I don't think they had heard of it before, rather that they were excited at the idea. I have no idea if they are on Scubaboard, although I told them to look here if they wanted to know more.




You should also talk to Universal Foundry Services in San Leandro, I know they do small volume and prototyping. They only work in aluminium and other light metals, no iron casting.
I also strongly recomend talking to MetalFX up in Willits, I don't know if they do stamping (at least the size you would need), but they are a very good sheet metal house and have been incredibly helpful on projects I have used them for. They might have something like tooling to radius the edges.

And you might even be able to get away with wooden tooling... seriously.
Biggest challenge is getting use of a large press.

I’m going to contact them never the less.
Shops might actually be desperate enough now to try anything, even the Freedom Plate, lol!
I’m pushing it as an upgrade for people who want out of jackets but still only want to do single tanks.
Newbs too, but the focus is in selling a new concept to established divers. This should get them all turned on, especially when they learn that I’m doing this on a consignment basis with no up front money out of their pockets. But they do need to buy components to set up a full rig.

I’m going to call a place in Petaluma that does iron casting. I just need to know what material I need to make the plug out of (wax?) and I will make the plugs for the dies I need. They need to be iron about 3” thick.
Very hard wood like iron wood would work for the male die (no jokes please). But the price of some of those hard woods, iron might actually be cheaper!

 

[happy-diver]

More magnificent!

Yeah I know. I’m still trying to decide if all the talk about how diving is dying a slow painful death is fake news or not.

Mate that thread is for middle aged covid influenced depressed people that won't be able to handle retirement



I'm excited, for your inroads Eric, I'm taking your plate diving on Saturday, and after I'll be excited for you again

You know, you are going to have to follow through with this Eric, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

 

[The Ruttmeister]

I’m going to contact them never the less.
Shops might actually be desperate enough now to try anything, even the Freedom Plate, lol!
I’m pushing it as an upgrade for people who want out of jackets but still only want to do single tanks.
Newbs too, but the focus is in selling a new concept to established divers. This should get them all turned on, especially when they learn that I’m doing this on a consignment basis with no up front money out of their pockets. But they do need to buy components to set up a full rig.

Absolutely. More 'bespoke' things like this is probably a great way for an LDS to keep the attention of divers who already have all the normal gear.

I’m going to call a place in Petaluma that does iron casting. I just need to know what material I need to make the plug out of (wax?) and I will make the plugs for the dies I need. They need to be iron about 3” thick.
Very hard wood like iron wood would work for the male die (no jokes please). But the price of some of those hard woods, iron might actually be cheaper!

Wood. For sand casting at least, the plugs are normally wood. You can do it with wax, but I don't think you need the fine detail that you get with lost-wax casting (and carving something that big out of wax will be a bore). You could probably make something suitable with some stacked plywood and some bondo. Don't forget to include holes for locating and alignment pins.
Probably an hour on a laser cutter, or if you have access to a slightly larger 3D printer, a day or two... some bondo and some sanding.

And making the plugs yourself will save you a small fortune.

EDIT:
Talk to the casting people about thickness, I think you'll want to rib and core out or hollow the tool. 3" thick of solid iron is very thick, might have cooling issues and high risk of cracking. Plus you'll probably have to wait a couple of weeks for it to fully settle.

And now I'm thinking back to all the research I did into polymer granite/concrete and wondering if anyone has tried that for press tools...

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Absolutely. More 'bespoke' things like this is probably a great way for an LDS to keep the attention of divers who already have all the normal gear.



Wood. For sand casting at least, the plugs are normally wood. You can do it with wax, but I don't think you need the fine detail that you get with lost-wax casting (and carving something that big out of wax will be a bore). You could probably make something suitable with some stacked plywood and some bondo. Don't forget to include holes for locating and alignment pins.
Probably an hour on a laser cutter, or if you have access to a slightly larger 3D printer, a day or two... some bondo and some sanding.

And making the plugs yourself will save you a small fortune.

EDIT:
Talk to the casting people about thickness, I think you'll want to rib and core out or hollow the tool. 3" thick of solid iron is very thick, might have cooling issues and high risk of cracking. Plus you'll probably have to wait a couple of weeks for it to fully settle.

And now I'm thinking back to all the research I did into polymer granite/concrete and wondering if anyone has tried that for press tools...

You have a really good thinking brain for figuring this kind of stuff out. Rare in this day and age.
I really appreciate that.

 

[The Ruttmeister]

You have a really good thinking brain for figuring this kind of stuff out. Rare in this day and age.
I really appreciate that.

Thanks Its a gift.
Although its mostly having the kind of brain that retains all of this stuff and having talked to a lot of skilled people over the years. That and having learnt from a bunch of mistakes!

And happy if I can do anything to help a product move forward.