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Laser cut your own ArduCopter parts

Posted by Chris Anderson on December 23, 2010 at 10:00am

Due to the usual string of code bugs and dumb thumbs, I've dinged my ArduCopter up a good bit in the testing phase. You can get a good crash repair kit from FahPah that has the most commonly-broken parts, or you can make your own. Thanks to Sandro Benigno, at least some of them (the easy-to-crack dome headers) are now very easy: just have them laser cut at Ponoko.

Just click here and add it to your personal factory. Then when you go to have it made, select the following (you'll get four pairs, which is all you'll need for life!):

Acrylic - Clear

3.0 mm

P1 - 181.0 mm long x 181.0 mm wide

Making: $15.10

Material: $2.00

Total: $17.10 <--- (4 pairs + 1 upper)

Here's my stack, which just arrived. They fit great!

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Comments

John C. January 10, 2011 at 8:25pm

Just got mine today. Took a while to get the order approved, etc...but man, this is sweet!

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt311/john_c/plane/IMAG0328.jpg

Would love to see other replacement and alternate parts easily available this way.

I did notice the replacement part stock at the store improved though.
steve December 29, 2010 at 4:19pm

Does anyone have designs for other commonly broken parts like motor mounts or legs?
Sam Warnaars December 29, 2010 at 12:37am

If you want to make it even cheaper you could see if there is a fablab nearby. They usually have lasercutters (check if there is a local fablab near you). It's more fun to do it your self:)
hemanthtguru December 25, 2010 at 3:21am

hi need a quadcopter carry more payload which motors and battery do u suggest
Developer

Jani Hirvinen December 25, 2010 at 2:55am

working with acrylic needs specially designed cutting tools and rather high speed. Another good material is polycarbonate tho it's a bit difficult material to work if you want to have nice surface.
I Heart Robotics December 25, 2010 at 2:03am

I have had nothing but problems with acrylic parts cracking on things I've designed. It might be worth trying wood or ABS.
John C. December 24, 2010 at 7:01am

Awesome. Mine has broken countless times.

Looking forward to this. The $17 doesn't cover shipping. It was $9 to the southern US. We'll see how it works out!
Developer

Sandro Benigno December 24, 2010 at 2:06am

@Chris, great that it fits well on your Arducopter too!
@Jani, I loved the hexa ones. They look like flame rings.

Here goes my laser cutted ones working:
Taylor Cox December 23, 2010 at 12:32pm

@Jani. It didn't break at the very thick part. They broke where the threaded bolt part connects to the spacer.
Developer

Jani Hirvinen December 23, 2010 at 11:28am

Taylor, if you were able to break those 25mm nylon spacer.... I'm happy to send some spares to you. Even I have not been able to break them and I have been even jumping on top of my quads.