FANATICO
Sr Member
What material would you be making them out from?
Another example …..top left pic is real leather. Other two pics are man made fake leather sandwiched and sewn to a cloth material backing or so it appears.
The Wand Company TOS Tricorder is coming!
- Thread starter Jediwannabe
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What material would you be making them out from?
Another example …..top left pic is real leather. Other two pics are man made fake leather sandwiched and sewn to a cloth material backing or so it appears.
Simonized
Active Member
Personally I would go with (and have gone with) real leather. It's inexpensive to purchase and I find it more durable, especially since the faux one that the trike came with started cracking and splitting on me in no time at all.
There are different types obviously. The one I have on now is a softer leather that will roll up nicely while still being very strong and is one side finished other side nubuck. I have another piece that is more rigid and more finished both sides. Going to see about getting them stitched later today.
The experiments continue
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I bought these for my wife’s purses. Very affordable
smithjohnj
Sr Member
After a few more prints and tests here are my versions of the “center” and “right” compartment dividers. These are companions to the “left” divider I provided in post #5070 of this forum thread. I would advise starting with that post, .stls, and information (which I will not repeat here.) I started this project as a basis for modifications I wanted to make to the lower tricorder compartment. But I believe they may have some value of their own.
Before using my dividers, I would recommend watching the installation video provided by TWC and inserting the TWC supplied dividers. This way you will know what to do and how things are “supposed” to work. Whatever combination of dividers you use – carefully examine all edges which will contact your props. This includes the front and back edges of the dividers, and the cradles of the Medical Scanner dividers. 3D printing can leave rough surfaces or threads which might scratch the surfaces of your props. I did not have that problem with any of my prints – but I want to provide the best advice I can. The original TWC dividers are ABS plastic. I had originally planned to use the same, but ABS is a harder plastic which is more likely to cause the type of damage some members have reported. I recommend PLA as these parts do not need the added strength nor the post-print processing which can produce the improved surface quality ABS can provide.
As always I welcome all comments and criticism, so I can make improvements for future versions or future designs.
Before using my dividers, I would recommend watching the installation video provided by TWC and inserting the TWC supplied dividers. This way you will know what to do and how things are “supposed” to work. Whatever combination of dividers you use – carefully examine all edges which will contact your props. This includes the front and back edges of the dividers, and the cradles of the Medical Scanner dividers. 3D printing can leave rough surfaces or threads which might scratch the surfaces of your props. I did not have that problem with any of my prints – but I want to provide the best advice I can. The original TWC dividers are ABS plastic. I had originally planned to use the same, but ABS is a harder plastic which is more likely to cause the type of damage some members have reported. I recommend PLA as these parts do not need the added strength nor the post-print processing which can produce the improved surface quality ABS can provide.
As always I welcome all comments and criticism, so I can make improvements for future versions or future designs.
mach7
Well-Known Member
Mine is very, very quiet. I have to hold it up close to my ear to hear it.
But then I have spent the last 43 years around jet engines.
smithjohnj
Sr Member
This is from the TWC Tricorder Update #9
We’re not sure of the provenance of the strap currently fitted to the tricorder we studied in Los Angeles. What we can say, though, is that that particular strap was 19 mm wide, about 1.5 mm thick, and had a visible length of 1350 mm. It was stitched along both edges and was folded over but otherwise unfinished, so it had one neat edge and one raw edge which showed the back of the leatherette.
Our leatherette strap matches the critical dimensions quite closely at 1350 x 19 mm but is a little bit thicker at 2.4 mm. It has stitching down both sides, but for neatness is finished on both edges.
We’re not sure of the provenance of the strap currently fitted to the tricorder we studied in Los Angeles. What we can say, though, is that that particular strap was 19 mm wide, about 1.5 mm thick, and had a visible length of 1350 mm. It was stitched along both edges and was folded over but otherwise unfinished, so it had one neat edge and one raw edge which showed the back of the leatherette.
Our leatherette strap matches the critical dimensions quite closely at 1350 x 19 mm but is a little bit thicker at 2.4 mm. It has stitching down both sides, but for neatness is finished on both edges.
Simonized
Active Member
Yes what smithjohnj posted. Additionally I don't think you're likely to get any information regarding any of the other straps used as theyre long gone. Only reference is the one they scanned.
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FANATICO
Sr Member
Well if there are no other official materials references other than TWC…..since straps varied…then I’m ‘leaning’ towards the real natural leather with a smooth black finished side and with unfinished tan edges and rawhide back and no stitching….
Btw….it just so happens that a majority of stitched leather watch bands are 19mm wide!
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Simonized
Active Member
Yes it's easy enough to get 19mm width straps and they fit perfectly but if you have a strap that's even remotely too thick you won't get it through the side panel slots.
The one I currently have on is as you've described and as pictured but has a black raw nubuck inner and not brown.
I have 2 I'm getting stitched. One is identical to what's on my trike and the other is slightly more polished and the inside is not completely finished but smoother than raw nubuck.
Attachments
FANATICO
Sr Member
You’ve stated that 2mm thickness is what you recommend?
I’ve seen various strappings offered at these two sizes 2mm~1/16” and 3mm~1/8”…your saying essentially, 2mm is the right thickness and 3mm is too thick? Did you try 3mm to rule it out completely? Just curious… 2mm~1/16 seems really thin imo.
JiminSTLouis
Sr Member
This was posted on FB. I removed my strap for measuring and ordered 5 feet of this leather. They don’t specify the thickness so we’ll see.
LINK: Weaver Leather Supply
LINK: Weaver Leather Supply
FANATICO
Sr Member
If TWC measured a width of 19mm (.748 inches)….that’s closer to 3/4” versus 5/8” per your link…..imo.
Nice strap though…certainly seems to fit the TWC post “It was stitched along both edges and was folded over but otherwise unfinished, so it had one neat edge and one raw edge which showed the back of the leatherette.”
EDIT: Here’s the link 19mm~3/4” black stitched strapping from the same company (not cheap). You’ll have to contact them for thickness info which is not shown…since thickness could be an issue.
A suggestion….since the strap openings (cutouts) are at the bottom of the strap wells in the side panels….and are not seen in general, you can always file them to accommodate strap thicknesses and widths if desired.
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smithjohnj
Sr Member
I had already taken my strap off when there was the recent question about the dimensions. I quoted the TWC Update #9. I examined my actual TWC strap and there is a difference in the actual strap and the early TWC Update post. The Post #9 indicated the strap "would be" 2.4 mm - my actual strap is 2.1 mm. I would recommend any replacement strap be ~2 mm thick in order to fit through the side panel. Also to be precise, the actual strap is not folded like the strap which was scanned. The flexible nature of actual strap material makes measurement of the stitch length a little variable. My approach was to measure the length of 10 stitches at various point along the strap and divide and average. This provided me with a standard stitch length of 4 mm. which most sewing machines can produce. If your machine uses "stitches per inch", this would be 6 stitches per inch.
Simonized
Active Member
The strap I have on now is 1.5 and is very sturdy and not too thin, however if you were to use a simple nappa soft leather it would likely stretch too much.
I wouldn't go anywhere near 3mm thickness, wands faux is 2.5 but I have tried a little thicker and it won't feed through.
Depending on the type of leather I'd say 2mm is the max but if you can get a sample to test first would be better, I had to go through a bit of leather to get it right.
I've included a short video, at the end you can see the leather stretch slightly because of the force I'm using but just in carrying it doesn't budge.
smithjohnj
Sr Member
For those looking to make a leather strap, the leather thickness is normally "sized" and sold based on the "ounce", with one ounce roughly equivalent to 1/64th of an inch or 0.4 mm. So a single leather strip strap should use 5 oz leather. If you are going to fold , cement and stitch, I would recommend 2 oz, as the cement (like Barge) will add a little thickness. Also the location on the hide where the leather comes from can be important if you have the choice. Leather from from the belly can stretch (I can testify this phenomenon is not limited to bovines). Leather from the back is firmer and thicker and probably heavier than 5 oz. Also the weight is just an average - as a natural product the thickness WILL NOT be constant across a piece of leather. A professional can take a heavier leather and skive it to the correct and consistant thickness. The most critical thickness will be the ends (approximately the last 70 mm on each end) which must pass through the panel side slots. This will reduce the effort of skiving the entire length, and allow the center of the strap to be thicker if desired. Also note only the ends could be narrowed to the critical 19 mm width and the center of the strap set to fit your own requirements.
EDIT: Also consider the recess of the side panel if you make your ends wider than 19 mm. They can taper wider in this recess and beyond ~ 105 mm from each end can be as wide as you wish.
EDIT: Also consider the recess of the side panel if you make your ends wider than 19 mm. They can taper wider in this recess and beyond ~ 105 mm from each end can be as wide as you wish.
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FANATICO
Sr Member
I can’t play your vid on my crapple iPad…..perhaps the link is corrupt or it has to play on a pc….who knows
JiminSTLouis
Sr Member
Here are some dimensions of the side panel opening and the 5/8” replacement strap (ordered) vs. the original strap. I might have ordered the 3/4” if I had noticed they offered that width. We’ll see how the 5/8” looks. The difference will probably be unnoticeable. The 3/4” might be tight getting it into the side panel opening.
EDIT:
One more measurement, 4mm hole in the end of the strap.
EDIT:
One more measurement, 4mm hole in the end of the strap.
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Simonized
Active Member
You've ordered a 16mm so providing your leather isn't too thick it will feed through. I prefer the 19mm as it just looks a better fit to me personally. Yes it is a bit tighter getting in but as I've already shown it does fit.
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