U47-style bodies - who can make one?

[ioaudio]

great work skylar!
i have to learn to make 3-d drawings, looks so cool.

the headbasket should be mounted with three screws at 120° , with two screws it might wiggle waggle a bit.
the headbasket´s base needs a groove to fit in the 3 layers of wire mesh. i dont think it´s possible to make a one-piece head as drawn and to fit the mesh in afterwards.

-max

 

[bradb]

awesome collaboration guys...

 

[Skylar]

Thanks for the kind words everyone.

mitsos,

Note how the mounting rails attach to the capsule mounting disc. If the mounting rails were L-brackets, how would they then attach to the mounting disc? Such a part would have to be machined, which would be a more expensive part than flat rails as designed + separate L-brackets + fasteners combined. Plus, the flat design allows for more flexibility in mic innards.
I


Martin,

On the original u47, it's my understanding that the "hole" for the original Tuchel connector is actually an extruded cylinder with the threads "built-in."
Looks to me as if those end-caps were die-cast.
If we replicated that part exactly, I think it would have to be die-cast, which is prohibitively expensive for our quantities.
Even if we went ahead and did that, the connector options would then be very limited, and it would be tough to try to fit anything in there other than the original Tuchel.
(I think these are reasons why the Flea bodies are so expensive!)

I like the look of the original Tuchel, mainly because it's just freakin' huge!
The Amphenol-Tuchel connector that I've spec'd is a lot like the original, except smaller and with cylindrical pins.
So, using this connector would give you a look similar to the original (the cable connector is even a screw-on type)...just smaller.

Does Neutrik have circular panel-mount connectors? I really dislike the rectangular ones for this application.

Can you give us more info on the military connectors you have found?
Maybe they've got something bigger that would closer match the look & feel of the original?

In the end, I think people will probably want to do different things with the connector, so if we start with a basic, smallish hole, it should be easy enough to enlarge that to your needs.

Just an idea.

Here are some better shots of what the end cap looks like.

ioaudio,

The headbasket does have three screws. There are two on the sides and one in the back.
Originally, I had them set up at 120°, but I changed from a 3-rail to 2-rail inner design, which forced these to change.
The two side screws that secure the head basket must also secure the inner rails, which is why I cannot put these at 120°.

Here's a shot that better shows the screw layout from the rear.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by a groove for the 3 layers of mesh.
Can you post a reference picture of what you're talking about, so that I can add that in?

Thanks everyone!

~Skylar

 

[FerrariT]

For a design such as this, what do you believe the cost will start at?

And lead time?

Just curious?

 

[Igor]

Skylar, these drawings looks impressive!
I am in for 2.....?? bodies depending on quality and price!

 

[bradb]

Skylar,

#1 Awesome work, I think the whole forum is going to be excited about this...

Suggestions:

What about a fourth screw added to the three holding the headbasket down?  Just for additional strength and to be able to iron out any machining differences that may result from manufacture.

I think if we stuck with the readily available Amphenol that would be cool by me.....
http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=361-1076-ND


How does manufacture work, you just give them some hard copy printouts with dimensions?  Or can it be built from electronic version CAD files?  Just curious about the next step.

 

[Moby]

Skylar, this looks amazing. Can you please provide me some files so I can check here for crafting costs?

 

[Skylar]

Just to clarify...

I am simply providing drawings and design here--I'm not organizing the group buy and not (necessarily) doing the sourcing.

Some people have already volunteered to do the sourcing as soon as the design is finalized, but I may be able to help there too.

I definitely do not have the cash to cover the upfront manufacturing expenses.




In my ESTIMATION, cost could easily be something like:

Body tube:$20 (brass)
Head grille:$25 (brass)
End cap: $25 (brass)
Capsule disc: $1 (aluminum)
mounting rails: $2 each = $4 total (steel)
screws: $1 (8-to-12 screws depending upon final design)

subtotal: $76

Then, you'd want to have some finishing, like matte nickel plating, powder coat, etc to cover up the brass.

this would add another $5+

You would also pay for freight, adding an additional amount.

All in all, I think the total could be kept under $100.



If you go with a Chinese manufacturer, the prices could be much lower.
To lower the price even further, some parts could be done with aluminum instead of brass (body tube & end cap for instance).
These are things to think about when getting quotes.

Lead times...not sure...probably less than 2 months depending upon the quantity.


bradb,

I don't think a 4th screw on the head grille is really necessary. The machining tolerances will be close enough that we shouldn't see any issues.
I mean, we're talking about a tenth of a millimeter or less!

If we were to add any screw, I would suggest one in the back at the bottom of the body tube for better security to the end cap.
The original u47 only had one, though, which is what I went with.

That Amphenol-Tuchel connector (and it's mating female and cable connectors) are even cheaper at Mouser.
http://mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?qs=U9djQns6NAqs8dWV82VYqQ%3d%3d


Depending upon the manufacturer, they'll want pdf drawings and/or SolidWorks/IGES/STEP CAD files, which I will provide here.

I think the most important issue at this stage is how to pay for 100 or so of these mics up front?
I personally don't mind paying in advance and waiting a month or so to see the finished product.
Of course, I'm sure we'd all like to see prototypes first!

 

[rodabod]

This is awesome work.

Without meaning to sound cynical though, I'd be careful who you give the design to in case you end up seeing a company making big bucks from the work you have done.

Roddy

 

[Skylar]

Moby,

Yes, I will send you files as soon as I have tweaked a few things.

Just a couple things left on the design I want to improve a little.

Also, putting together the dimensional drawings always takes a solid day or two of work.

Thanks for your patience.

 

[bradb]

Or, conversely... it could be pitched to a manufacturer like this, "hey here's a killer U47 copy which EVERYONE wants, do with it what you will but give us 200 pcs free (or at reduced cost)...."


Up to Skylar of course...

 

[Skylar]

Moby,
ALSO, I really need to hear back from ioaudio about how to best attach the mesh to the head grille.
There will probably need to be changes made to that part.


I was kind of thinking along the same lines as bradb...here's a u47 design--you can use it, but give us 200pcs or a steep discount.
Over time, we could probably even work with the manufacturer to improve the design or do additional designs.
Maybe a pipe dream...

Alright, now you got me paranoid, Roddy!

 

[Martin B. Kantola]

Does Neutrik have circular panel-mount connectors?

Yes they do, like this, but only up to 5 pins (which is enough until you want to switch patterns remotely...):

Can you give us more info on the military connectors you have found? Maybe they've got something bigger that would closer match the look & feel of the original?

Have to look it up again, but the other idea I had was to shape the bottom bell so that together with the standard Neutrik XLR 5-pin cable connector in place it would approximate the shape of the whole huge Tuchel assembly. To my eye, the microphone doesn't have the right balance with a tiny weeny... Maybe I'm just getting carried away.

In the end, I think people will probably want to do different things with the connector, so if we start with a basic, smallish hole, it should be easy enough to enlarge that to your needs.

You make a lot of sense.

Martin

 

[Martin B. Kantola]

Here's the connector place: http://www.mselectronix.com/

Martin

 

[FerrariT]

Moby,

Yes, I will send you files as soon as I have tweaked a few things.

Just a couple things left on the design I want to improve a little.

Also, putting together the dimensional drawings always takes a solid day or two of work.

Thanks for your patience.

do you plan to upload these to the groupdiy ?
in one hand your willing to fork over the design to a chinese manufacture for a steep discount.
on the other you wouldn't want another company to just take the design.

imho.
does anyone not think that a company could just do the same measurements in house?
how long as the u47 been around again? 

just food for thought!

skylar i tried to find your old thread in the "drawing board" with no success ...

nice!

 

[seavote]

Martin. you said you could supply some more measurements as some are missing. can you tell us the following?
1:height of the head basket grill? 45mm? why the question mark?
2: distance from the top of the top horizontal rail (headbasket) to the top of the grill
3: the measurement of the radius on top of grill
4:width of the vertical headbasket rails?(this determines the width of the headbasket grill)
5: on the headbasket drawing you have measurement 7 as   3mm(3.5mm?) on the written list it is 4.4
can you clarify?
6:thickness of the plate connector and distance from the bottom of the headbasket to the bottom of the connector plate (determines how high in the basket the capsule will sit)
7:distance from top of capsule to the bottom of the headbasket?

wow thats alot! didnt relize. its a lot to ask so whatever you can do is greatly appreciated.any in the long island brooklyn area want to supply a u47 i'll take the measurements myself. can definitly get to within 1/128".

 

[natek]

Great Job Skylar you do nice design work!

 

[Skylar]

Thanks Nate!

 

[mitsos]

I can't believe all the work that's been done here in just the last few days... Thanks to everyone.. Hope this works out!

skylar, back to the L-brackets.. I am really bad at explaining things... I was thinking either a long L or maybe just a couple of (threaded) tabs bent over from each rail, so that the PCB could be more easily added on. Anyway, if you think it won't work, then I'll shut up.

I can also check around my neck of the woods for manufacturing if you want.. labor is cheap here... not as cheap as China, of course.

I'm more than happy with the Amphenol connector.

Thanks again Skylar for all the design work!

 

[Skylar]

mitsos,

I think I see what you're saying.
I'll draw up a part, and you can tell me if it's what you imagined or not.
We could always have both styles of inner rails quoted;
if the price difference is negligible, we might as well just use the one that would work the best.


I'm looking into other options on the connector.
Amphenol has a 97 series that is much larger, and would probably look more "balanced" as Martin put it.
The cost will likely be twice the Amphenol-Tuchel C091 series.
But we're still talking about $10 a connector--still affordable in my opinion.


I think the goal should be to have these made, finished, and shipped for $100 USD or less.
That's not bad, right?
China would probably cost half that much, but you get what you pay for.