Aluminum Thrusters for 1/100 kits

[fulcy]

So, I've been talking to Mike about this, and now I'm trying to gage interest in these guys.  Some of you have probably seen them:

http://members12.tsukaeru.net/peck/auction/file/mk_2/4/IMG_7537.JPG

over at Peck World - custom aluminum thrusters for MG kits.  He seems to have a couple of styles, like this:

http://members12.tsukaeru.net/peck/esc2/file/prize/r3.jpg

and like this:

http://members12.tsukaeru.net/peck/auction/file/gogg/wr/IMG_7176.jpg
http://members12.tsukaeru.net/peck/auction/file/gogg/wr/IMG_7178.jpg

I've been trying to get ahold of these, but he has apparently had them custom made, and I can't find anywhere that sells them.  So, I've decided to try making my own - hooking up with a machine shop, most probably in Hong Kong, and having them machine up a bunch for me, and anyone else who may be interested.  Mine will differ from Peck's slightly, and will probably be about the same size as the pack thrusters on the RX-78-2 Ka.  If all goes well, I'll probably do several sizes, and possibly styles (I like the second one much better than the first - but we'll worry about this later).  So, to gage interest - who here would be interested, and at what price point (and be realistic - don't just vote for the cheapest option)?  VOTE NOW!

[FichtenFoo]

Cool... glad that you posted this! That'd be great if you can get a bunch at a reasonable price because I know they'd sell well. I'd definitely buy a set or 2.

Seriously guys... post if you're interested!

[Asmodeous]

I am interested in the thrusters but I'm not sure what a reasonable price would be.  Heck I've got a pipe flareing tool handy and I'm sure I can find some pipe that is near the right size...  The problem lies in the bumps on the inside.. that would take come doing.  Perhaps mark and drill holes then insert pins.. If you can get them at a resonable price (ie under $15 a set) I'll see about adding to an order with ya'll.

[oteebzo]

I would be interested in acouple pairs also. It would br hard for me to put a reasonable price on it just like everyone else has said.I would think $10 would be reason able,not that I want to be cheap, but I  know some of the machine shop stuff is expensive, unless we bought a large quanity.

Now if we had a sample to go by or exact measurements, my friend owns a machine shop and I have a friend thats a forman at another machine shop and both of them said if I could get them a sample and or measurements that they may consider hooking me up at a good price. They told me it would be basicly setting the machine up and it would cnc them out and dump them in a barrel.

 So I think that we should look into this further and at least compare prices. We could save on the costly shipping from japan.

But in any case Fulcy if you do decide to work on this and can get them i would take acouple pairs.

[fulcy]

Agreed - if they are willing to do it, then great - especially since I will be drawing up the computer images myself - ask them what file type they prefer to receive the files in, and I can send them over (iges, stl, etc...).

[oteebzo]

Sounds good I will contact them tomorrow and see what I will need and what files they will need to get started. and also how many I will need to make.

I might be able to get a ton of them made and pay later  

Lets see what I can work out first then we will try an outside person and compare priceing and shipping.

they both have done work for me before for my bike and my paintball gun that I needed so this should be a piece of cake I hope .with in the week I will know more

[fulcy]

Ok, cool.  We'll see what they say - and I'm imagining the quantities will be alot, but it'd be better to tackle that once I get the computer files done.  Alright, thanks!

[zerobxu]

I voted for the $10-$14.99 for the 4-pack. Simply put, I'm on the low side of "average modeler" and definitely on the low side of "modest income". I'd love to have something like that, but just can't justify paying too much for "option parts". It'd be great to have a domestic source, though.

Keep us posted!

[fulcy]

I agree - I am trying to not pay an arm and a leg for these guys, because I'd like them as cheap as possible - but I can justify spending a little more money on them - whereas others can't.  This is just a gaging thread - if any of the machine shops come back to me, and say they can make them for, say, $30 per set of 4, then I know it's not a worthwhile investment - almost no one will justify paying that much for them, however cool they are.  But, again, we are getting ahead of ourselves - hopefully I'll have some computer models done sometime this week, to send out to shop.

[oteebzo]

I really don t think they willbe $30 but you never know so if you want to go halfs on this fulcy this might be a venture i would take... i hope all comes back in good news

[mjbolin]

Lets see, a new kit or a 4 pack of thrusters hmm....

Yeah, I might order some If they were around $10, they are really cool.

[nico]

I saw these trusters and well they look very nice. I am interested. I think 17 USD (about 15 € for me) is a good price.

Nico

[heavyarmscustom]

hello
I love this Idea!
I put put down 15 to 20 for a set of four as I know custom machine work is not cheap.
but if get this done I'll go in on 4 sets of four thrusters or more
also are you going to post rendered pics of the thruster types?
    keep up the good work
clifton

[fulcy]

I hope to have a couple prototype designs drawn up tonight, and I'm sure you guys will love them - but obviously I'd love the feedback.  Thanks!

[oteebzo]

Ok, I just talked with the guy at my work and he is going to talk with the programers tonight to see what file extention he will need. Bbut from the drawings I showed him he said it should not be that hard.

I also have another friend that owns a shop I still have not got in touch with him this morning yet.

So I should know what file I will need and tomorrow and I should have an answer by end week from at least both of them

[fulcy]

Sounds good - I have a prototype drawn up, and I'll generate a PDF for them to look at and use to quote.  Here's some jpgs...

http://www.mechaskunk.com/images/fled/thruster06.jpg
http://www.mechaskunk.com/images/fled/thruster07.jpg
http://www.mechaskunk.com/images/fled/thruster08.jpg

Just for a sense of size, the wide end of the thruster is only .35" in diameter, so it's very very small!  There are two internal pieces - the central tube, and what I'm calling the baffles.

[heavyarmscustom]

Looking good Fulcy!!
I'm in to get some
also this sounds horrible but what the metric equivalent to .35" AS I have only worked in metric due to warhammer 40K and gundam

clifton

[fulcy]

Conversion between metric and inches - 1 inch = 25.4 mm - so .35" = 8.89 mm

[tetsujin]

My thoughts:

These could be worth buying if in the "bell" style rather than the "empty soup can/cylinder" style.  I feel like the design JPG's you posted are pretty good except I don't like the thruster insert (the disc with half-circles cut out of the sides...  looks cheap compared to the disc-with-eight-holes-drilled-in-it...  Even better perhaps would be to have something really spindly in there, like spokes coming off of that central tube rather than an entire back wall in the middle of the thruster bell) and I feel like it should be more "bell" shaped (curved on top) rather than conic.

Things that would make it "great" instead of "good" would be radial details.  I'm guessing that simply can't be done as a part of this process (except perhaps as recessed grooves) - the thing about it is, I look at the thrusters and they look sharp, but the fact that there are no radial details seems like a decision made for easier production rather than a decision made because it's the right choice.

The other thing that would make it "great" rather than "good" IMO would be matching parts to sit behind the thruster bell, representing the final stages of the engine before the exhaust.  I don't like having thruster bells simply sit on top of pegs, hinges, or ball joints.  It looks cheap.  There ought to at least be hoses connecting it to something.

[p-trax]

If acheivable for a lowish price I would be interested in taking a few sets :)