Making an alloy tube with internal grooves

[maxiboy]

Is it possible to recreate this plastic part in alloy..

looked on ebay and a 2.5 inch oil filler cap can be had which is about ideal

but machining an alloy tube with the internal splines .. can this be done

tube is 28mm around 3mm wall thickess

asking as original part NLA

 

[Barking Mat]

Can't you buy one?

Looks complicated internal splines.

 

[hotponyshoes]

Its possible. What tools have you got?
If you had to do it by hand and it's a one-off then I would look for a bit of alloy tube the right size make a couple of guide blocks from sheet alloy/wood and cut the grooves out with a set of files.
A belt on an air file cut to the right width would do a lot of the work for you..

What's it for?

 

[Hood]

If the original was plastic why not get it 3d printed?

 

[hotponyshoes]

I have seen things a lot like that on car seat adjusters.
Maybe go for a wander round a scrap yard.
Are the spines even vital, could you just get something else that fits and glue/bond it on?

 

[Dee J]

There's always ways. Depends if you want 1, 10 or 10000. For 1, as a repair on a machine then there's plenty of labor intensive tricks which could work (eg index on lathe and use lead screw to advance a custom ground cutter). For 10 then there are commercial broaching techniques for blind holes, for 10000 get them die-cast.

 

[maxiboy]

Can't you buy one? nope it no longer available

Looks complicated internal splines.

yes thats why i was wondering it got three splines either side rest is smooth

I have seen things a lot like that on car seat adjusters.
Maybe go for a wander round a scrap yard.
Are the spines even vital, could you just get something else that fits and glue/bond it on?

its a car seat adjusters im not sure i can find another might try a scrap yard visit splines are vital

 

[maxiboy]

If the original was plastic why not get it 3d printed?

yes i might if i can get it drawn up was just wondering about alloy ones

 

[Ruffian]

What's it off of??

 

[Agroshield]

Do you have access to the male spline? Is it steel?

Make a thin wall alloy sleeve that is a close fit on the male part and then put it in a wire rope swaging machine and squeeze hard (a cheap cable crimping machine might do, with a custom circular die or a decent press).

You might have to experiment with the thickness of the squeezed part. It would 100% need to be smaller than the finished OD of the part, but you can loctite your splined part into a suitable larger dia. piece both to give it strength against spreading out again and to get to the final dia. required.

 

[Brad93]

As said if you have a lathe you could use the gears to index the splines and use the carriage to broach the part.

If you know someone with a slotter you could set the part up in chuck on a dividing head and slot the splines.

 

[bricol]

Bore out the alloy, glue the plastic splined bit in it.

 

[Munkul]

What are the splines to do? Just for friction? If that's so, then forget the splines altogether and use a single machined groove with an O ring in.

EDIT: just realised I misunderstood, it's not an oil cap itself is it lol

 

[8ob]

Ali casting?

 

[Hood]

yes i might if i can get it drawn up was just wondering about alloy ones

Should be easy to model, if you give me the dimensions I will give it a go.

 

[maxiboy]

What's it off of??

its of the lumber support mechanism for a seat in an alfa gta... parts no longer made..

have ordered the lumber supoort mechanism at a cost of 150 quid so will get a better idea of the matching part ( also Plastic ) ( both snapped ) when it arrives in a week and will get some dimensions up then.. thanks

 

[Ruffian]

If you got the other spine part,
Then can cover it in releasing agent and make a mould from it and can do it that way.

Ie resin inside a pipe and make the spines that way.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

its of the lumber support mechanism for a seat in an alfa gta... parts no longer made..

Sorry to ask the obvious question, but aren't they available from specialist breakers?

 

[MattF]

Sorry to ask the obvious question, but aren't they available from specialist breakers?

You didn't ask the other obvious question: Why is he supporting wood on the seat?

 

[slim_boy_fat]

You didn't ask the other obvious question: Why is he supporting wood on the seat?

Just you behave yoursel'