Author Topic: HP LED in middle button 3d print?  (Read 977 times)

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Offline coppercone2Topic starter

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HP LED in middle button 3d print?
« on: September 03, 2022, 03:54:47 am »
Well I was cleaning/repairing my 4191A and the usual happened, the buttons got too hot when I was drying them (about 8 buttons had cracked and the metal blade that tensions them were missing so I got switches from another instrument that has too many fucked boards to count). Anyway this means alot of warping and now I canibalized some buttons from some junk but they say weird things on them (I put them in upside down so the labels are ignored) and alot of them are off at different angles so it looks like the instrument front panel is being effected by a black hole or something like that because they started to warp. Some of them also won't push down all the way so they stick up a few mm more then the other ones.  :-[

The ones without the acrylic in the middle are fine, its just that I forgot the setting I used is OK for pure plastic but not ok for acrylic, which warps at a significantly lower temperature.

It looks like it could be 3d printed and make a totally translucent button that would work OK with the LED. Is there a file? For now its mind over matter for me

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/62oAAOSwIM5eEMpX/s-l1600.jpg

Not something I can't live with, but its a shame to have a 3d printer and no way to use it because there is some complicated star pattern they push over.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2022, 04:02:36 am by coppercone2 »
 

Offline Whales

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Re: HP LED in middle button 3d print?
« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2022, 04:12:57 am »
I don't have any files for it, but just some notes that might help:

- 3D print a few samples and make sure they fit
- I can't tell from the photo if those are simple "caps" to switches or integral parts of the switch mechanics.
- Once that's done: order a full set from a commercial 3d printing service (so they all match & you can get them done in ABS or another high-temp plastic)
- I think I recall seeing LEDs with concave or flat nosed cases?  They might be perfect matches.
- Colour matching will be hard.  Again I think the solution is to print a full set so you don't have odd ones.

If no one has a 3d model already then modelling them accurately will be difficult because of their concave face. 

Easy: Make something "close enough".

Hard: Cut up a few of them and flatbed scan their cross-sections (flatbed scanners embed accurate DPI metadata in the image which is surprisingly handy), then trace these cross sections and build a 3d shape around them in your preferred modelling software.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2022, 04:15:59 am by Whales »
 

Offline coppercone2Topic starter

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Re: HP LED in middle button 3d print?
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2022, 04:15:52 am »
no its not a LED its a light pipe that goes down the PCB. I don't care for the light pipe, the whole thing can glow.

I am only going to do this if I can get it from the 3d printer in my basement and if someone already has a print file. If it really bugs me I will just drill holes in them and glue glass rods in the mis colored buttons.

I am not expecting results but it does not hurt to ask. I just don't have time and energy to deal with this problem and its not important enough to spend money on, I have a billion more important expenses then the correct button, but I do have resin and a printer.

The method with the printer is fascinating though, that sounds like a rainy day experiment. It might be useful for making replacement flat gears or something too.

I am thrilled that none of the warping is bad enough that the  button interacts with the front aluminum panel  ;D

I thought this might be a popular button that found itself on thingverse and someone knew about it.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2022, 04:19:31 am by coppercone2 »
 

Offline coppercone2Topic starter

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Re: HP LED in middle button 3d print?
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2024, 04:38:06 am »
the usual happened, error 21.

I hope its the NICAD battery. I forgot to replace it.  :scared:

if I disconnect that PCB it goes to error 20.


If I was a lord I would hire someone to live in a cottage on the edge of the property to maintain this machine and another guy to maintain the stock building next door, eventually resulting in a town that has the machinery to build the machinery to build spare parts

ilike a 4191A-grad town
« Last Edit: September 06, 2024, 04:44:09 am by coppercone2 »
 

Offline coppercone2Topic starter

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Re: HP LED in middle button 3d print?
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2024, 04:10:54 am »
Well I replaced the batteries, E21 persists.

I bought some TC5514P because it say that might be the problem.  :-\
 


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