1:35 Scale X-Wing Mechanism
- Thread starter Hagoth
- Start date
Hagoth
Sr Member
You can purchase from Japan meaning if you live in Japan and purchase a mechanism I can ship it to you. The two mechanism together will weigh about 100 grams (1:48 ~ 35 and 1:35 ~ 65 grams). Not sure what the international shipping rate would be to Japan. You can email me if you want a quote. My site is very simple still so email is my primary method of notification short of a post here if something gets caught in spam and I don't see it.
I did consider Shapeways but the resins used in their printers (UV cured) are not as hard and stiff as the PLA I use in my FDM printers so the mechanisms, while looking really nice, (I have one) sag over time under the cantilever weight of the wings. Also, they are a lot more expensive and people didn't want to pay $90 (not including shipping) for a 12 piece 1:48 scale mechanism.
Hagoth
Sr Member
Actually I do!
It is integrated into my 3D printed wings concept (1:24 scale) so that when glued into the mechanism it will unfold and fold as the wings open and close. Totally hides the spindle and bearings of the mechanism. I have been playing around with integrating them into a kits wings but it requires a major modification of the wing root and attachment point which makes the wing roots very thin and impractical strength wise. Changing the attachment plane from horizontal to vertical might be the solution.
8 perf
Sr Member
A video of the concept would be a great start. I think what most people would want would be a way to interpolate that data into something that they could build on their own in whatever scale they were working in. Would part drawings or STL files ever be something you would post?
Hagoth
Sr Member
Enough thinking about this and designing it in my head. I decided to go ahead and take the time to make the mechanism with folding wing root panels. As of tonight I have enough parts printed to prove that it works! I already have some ideas to make it better but I'll share what I have so far. Should be pretty simple for others to adapt to whatever scale they are working on. My goal is to have version 2 with folding wing root panels of this mechanism available by the end of the year on my site.
See the attached pictures.
The part that needs further refinement is the hinge material. There is a top hinge between the skinny piece and the main panel and a back hinge at the center line where the main panels meet. It does not need to be very strong and holds very little weight but it does need to flex. Right now the example uses tape. Not good long term. I would like to use a stripe of TPU rubber printed directly into the PLA of the panels but I need to experiment some more with that technique. Another possible hinge material is a bead of rubber cement but this might be thicker than I want since the clearances are very small. Any ideas out there of flexible thin materials that would work as a tiny hinge?
When opened the skinny strips that butt up against the main wing panel notch are supposed to be flat against the wing supports. They are the attachment point for the hinge. If I'm successful with an printed hinge material integrated between the parts the thin strip could be even smaller. As it is it is 2 mm wide.
See the attached pictures.
The part that needs further refinement is the hinge material. There is a top hinge between the skinny piece and the main panel and a back hinge at the center line where the main panels meet. It does not need to be very strong and holds very little weight but it does need to flex. Right now the example uses tape. Not good long term. I would like to use a stripe of TPU rubber printed directly into the PLA of the panels but I need to experiment some more with that technique. Another possible hinge material is a bead of rubber cement but this might be thicker than I want since the clearances are very small. Any ideas out there of flexible thin materials that would work as a tiny hinge?
When opened the skinny strips that butt up against the main wing panel notch are supposed to be flat against the wing supports. They are the attachment point for the hinge. If I'm successful with an printed hinge material integrated between the parts the thin strip could be even smaller. As it is it is 2 mm wide.
Hagoth
Sr Member
Well, that is also a current project I'm working on and can easily adapt the folding wing root panels into it. I have one of those hasbro toys to use as a template. How soon are you needing the units? Aside from finishing the design work and body anchors it will take some time to print that many units even on 3 printers.
Hagoth
Sr Member
Other X-Wing related projects also on the docket in the back of my brain:
1:48 scale MPC model kit version with folding panels.
The 1:24 version will be a completely 3D printed X-Wing with the mechanism integrated into the model. But, I will offer the mechanism alone so someone can scratch build an X-Wing around it. I may make the 1:24 X-Wing files available on Thingiverse without the mechanism included.
T-70 TFA X-Wing 3D printed in 1:24 and 1:48 scales, maybe adapt it for some of the kits (1:48? 1:72?) already out there.
Then there is the manual actuation concept I want to apply to some of the scales 1:35 and larger. I have an idea for a simpler way to motorize any of the units in any scale that I want to test out as well.
...I will never be bored.
1:48 scale MPC model kit version with folding panels.
The 1:24 version will be a completely 3D printed X-Wing with the mechanism integrated into the model. But, I will offer the mechanism alone so someone can scratch build an X-Wing around it. I may make the 1:24 X-Wing files available on Thingiverse without the mechanism included.
T-70 TFA X-Wing 3D printed in 1:24 and 1:48 scales, maybe adapt it for some of the kits (1:48? 1:72?) already out there.
Then there is the manual actuation concept I want to apply to some of the scales 1:35 and larger. I have an idea for a simpler way to motorize any of the units in any scale that I want to test out as well.
...I will never be bored.
Hi Hagoth, I am impressed with your recent efforts.
Is a 1:48 size mechanism with a root panel available?
Or is a mechanism with a storage space for the root panel available?
I have the idea of applying a magnet to the hinge (see image).
Semi-circular magnets can be created, making them more compact.
Hagoth
Sr Member
Hi Jpress, I hope everything is well for you over there in Japan.
The 1:48 MPC version of the mechanism with folding wing root panels is not yet available but is in progress. It does work. I'll post some renderings of it later.
As for an open storage space for the panels in the mechanism, the Nov 12th post above - third picture over- left side of the mechanism, provides what you are looking for. The units come assembled but not glued together and the wing root panels are not glued in so they can be replaced with whatever panel design will fit in the space. In the 1:35 scale mechanism the space is 2.7mm tall. With the required 0.1mm clearance on each side for tolerances you actually have 2.5mm of working space. As you can see the panel hinge design I selected is very compact.
Your magnetic hinge idea is clever. I think there are ways to make it very compact by switching around what is magnet and what is steel sheet. I would suggest to use steel pins or very thin rods at the hinge points. I'll post a separate response below with an illustration of the idea mods I think could be used.
One of the problems with making this work and look representative of the reference pieces is the location of the inner pivot point. Since the pivot is on the inside of the panel folding point it needs to be as thin as possible. Even with the 0.1mm thick hinge on my solution there is still a small gap down the center contact point when opened. You can see it in the second picture of the referenced Nov 12th post above as a thin white line. I think after painting and weathering it will not be detracting as it gives it a functional mechanical look, but it is still there. Flipping the hinge to the inside of the panels turned the gap into a small flattened area with a crease along it and I didn't like the look plus it required an absolutely tight crease which upon opening and closing over time would weaken the hinge. This same blending effect of the hing point worked very well is masking the transition to the outer hinge points next to the wings plus that hinge point does not get folded over double.
The 1:48 MPC version of the mechanism with folding wing root panels is not yet available but is in progress. It does work. I'll post some renderings of it later.
As for an open storage space for the panels in the mechanism, the Nov 12th post above - third picture over- left side of the mechanism, provides what you are looking for. The units come assembled but not glued together and the wing root panels are not glued in so they can be replaced with whatever panel design will fit in the space. In the 1:35 scale mechanism the space is 2.7mm tall. With the required 0.1mm clearance on each side for tolerances you actually have 2.5mm of working space. As you can see the panel hinge design I selected is very compact.
Your magnetic hinge idea is clever. I think there are ways to make it very compact by switching around what is magnet and what is steel sheet. I would suggest to use steel pins or very thin rods at the hinge points. I'll post a separate response below with an illustration of the idea mods I think could be used.
One of the problems with making this work and look representative of the reference pieces is the location of the inner pivot point. Since the pivot is on the inside of the panel folding point it needs to be as thin as possible. Even with the 0.1mm thick hinge on my solution there is still a small gap down the center contact point when opened. You can see it in the second picture of the referenced Nov 12th post above as a thin white line. I think after painting and weathering it will not be detracting as it gives it a functional mechanical look, but it is still there. Flipping the hinge to the inside of the panels turned the gap into a small flattened area with a crease along it and I didn't like the look plus it required an absolutely tight crease which upon opening and closing over time would weaken the hinge. This same blending effect of the hing point worked very well is masking the transition to the outer hinge points next to the wings plus that hinge point does not get folded over double.
