Introduction: Part1: Make the Security Support Out of Foam

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What do we make?

Part 1 of a bigger picture to lower a switch. We are now going to make the form we want to later cast it in a stronger material. We are going to make the security support.

What do I need?

foam - ruler - pencil - saw - drill bit 3mm - drill bit 6mm - drill - milling machine - milling head 3mm - clamp pieces (leftovers) - screws - leftover planks - super glue - duct tape - tube 6mm - big tooth pick 3mm

Step 1: Marking and Cutting

What do I need?

high density foam - pencil - ruler - saw

Let's make!

1) Take a piece of foam of 20mm thickness;

2) Draw a rectangle:

width = 83mm (width of the standard switch)
and height = 30mm;

3) Saw or cut exactly that rectangle and make sure the sides are perpendicular to the other sides.

4) With a pull switch, the rope isn't placed in the middle of the switch so measure and mark the X-coordinate where the hole for the rope should come so the rope can hang vertically.

5) Mark the Y-coördinate to find the exactly point to drill. The thickness should be 20mm, so the hole should come in the middle: at 10 mm from the back

Step 2: Drilling

What do I need?

drill bit 3mm - drill

Let's make!

1) Take a drill bit of 3mm and drill through the block at the marked place.

2) Repeat with a drill bit of 6mm but make sure you DON'T DRILL THROUGH the object!

Step 3: Milling

What do I need?

milling bit - ruler - pencil - foam block - milling machine

Let's Make!

HINT: before starting to mill, take a test piece to get to know the accuracy of the milling machine. [pic.1]

1) Mark the top and the back(=the side that will hang against the wall) so you won't make any mistakes in the following steps. If the pull switch its rope hangs down more to the right, make sure the foam block is placed with the hole to the right!

2) Place the foam with its bottom up. Measure and mark the middle and draw the line. Measure symmetrical to that line to each side 25mm and mark those two X-coördinates. There is now 50 mm between the two marks. This means the screws will be 5 cm from each other.

3) Take a milling head of 3mm and install it.

4) [pic.2] Clamp the foam in the milling machine. make sure the bottom (=not the back, but the bottom) is placed up.

5) Set the mill at z-level 0 where the milling head hits the top of the foam. Set the machine from there to a depth of 20mm.If not possible, mill as far as you can, we can drill it out later.

6) Set the mill on x-value 0 where the milling head touches the side of the foam. Start milling 13mm far, the stop. Take the Y-wheel and turn it right so the milling head will move 5mm to the right. [pic.3] Now turn back to the start position (5mm back again) and turn the wheel the other side to mill 5mm to the left. [pic.4]

7) Repeat for the other T-slot. [pic.5]

8) Now turn the foam, measure the depth,[pic.7]

9) mill it out or drill it out! [pic.8] (if not 20mm, drill it out until 20mm).[pic.8]

10) Check if the screws fit in! [pic.10] If not, take another screw or drill some more out.

Now you can form the front like you want. We made it a rounding, but you can make any form. Use abrasive paper to form the foam.

Step 4: Making Box for Mold

What do I need?

leftover planks - saw - super glue - duct tape - foam block - tube 6mm - big tooth pick 3mm - pencil - drill - drill bit 3mm - drill bit 6mm - ruler

Let's make!

1) Take any wooden or plastic leftover with a maximum thickness of 20mm

2) Measure and mark: -Draw 2 equal rectangles: width = 120mm ; height = 50mm

-Repeat with: width = 40mm ; height = 50mm

-Draw the base: width = 120mm ; height = 40mm+(2 x thickness)

3) Saw the rectangles (make sure the angle is 90°!)

4) To avoid silicone in the hole of the foam, it has to be filled. Take a tube of outside diameter 6mm and a stick of 3 mm outside diameter (can be a brochette stick).

5) Tape the two sticks carefully together and place them through the hole of the foam. Make sure the total length of the sticks is larger than the width of the box for the mold.

6) Take at least 10mm between the foam and any wall of the box. Mark the X-coördinates on the side of the box where the tube has to come through. The tube will make sure the foam doesn't sink to the bottom of the box.

7) Because it is an open mold, the back of the foam is placed up, equally high as the sides of the box. The hole in the foam is placed at 10mm from the back, so the Y-coördinate is 10mm from the top of the upstanding side since the back is placed up.No silicone can cover this side!

8) To avoid misalignment, place a piece of double sided tape on the back(=the back you marked in step1) and stick another leftover to it so the back of the foam stays horizontal.

9) Clamp the two biggest rectangles together and mark where the hole has come for the pipe that is placed through the hole in the foam.

10) Drill a hole of 3mm through both sides.

11) Take one side and drill with a drill bit of 6mm trough the hole of 3mm.

12) Glue the rectangles on the base plane, check if the two holes are perfectly aligned and make sure they are all tight together to avoid big leaks.

13) To avoid the small leaks, place Duct Tape over each overlap so the silicone won't get away.