My own Magnetic Power Connector 1.1

Back in October 2019:

I finished off designing the connector blocks.....

The connectors are split into two sections, blue/red & green. This is so that the contacts can be soldered without damaging them. Then the magnets are fitted and the two half's (e.g. green/blue) snap together.
There's still some fine tuning to do but happy with the results. The holes do need to be cleaned out with correct size drill bits, but not by much.

Here's some of the previous design attempts and prints.

I've not had the chance to print out the final design and test, hopefully next week.

Roll on to 2021…..

Can’t remember what happened, but this new idea came up in my mind again, so had a few new ideas which didn’t use electrified magnets lol as they’re prices have gone up 🙄

Next idea was a modified & a bit more simplified as well as scaled down in size.

One magnet this time.

……..another project I need to return to at some point lol.

R4-D4 dome lid modification - part 6 [YouTube]

 All the bonding on the magnets has set and it all looks good.

I filmed the testing and have just uploaded a short video of the lid panel being opened and closed via the servo tester being hooked up.

Click on picture below to head over to my YouTube channel, thanks.

I’ve taken some dimensions and a cardboard template, and can now look at making up a support bracket for the life-form scanner to attach to.

Hope you like the video.

R4-D4 dome lid modification - part 4

 Found some steel washers the right size to fit in the recesses of the servo holder hinge side. These I fixed in place with some Araldite glue. I chose to place these inside rather than on the lid itself, so that the magnets once glued to the underside of the lid would locate the hinge in the correct position.

This is the redesigned holder, which also has a recess to allow a small threaded retainer to be located to have the pivot hinge pin secured in place.

Here’s a test layout picture before it was glued in place.

Next, was gluing the first washer in place on the actual lid panel. I applied a strip of masking tape between the magnet already installed in the hinge and the washer which was being held by it. I then mixed up the glue and applied it to the face of the washer, before clamping it into position.

After testing I found that there was a bit too much play with the locating part of the lid panel magnet. So had to go back and have a re-design......again lol.

This new design does away with this magnet/washer and will hopefully just be fitted directly to the lid panel.

My own Magnetic Power Connector 1.0

3.5.19
After seeing ones available on the Astromech forum, I thought I'd have a go at designing my own as all I need is just power to the dome.

I searched up on eBay and found the magnets needed. I then drew up a few ideas, this is the first test piece.

I printed these off and when I got home, the magnets had arrived in the post. So I tested them out by fitting them into the recessed holes.

This was my first go and was happy it worked. I next thought about ensuring correct alignment & cable fitting etc.

October
I had a break/holiday over the summer and have restarted again with ideas. Some where a bit over the top and a bit to complicated lol.