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The two-piece version is to make it on a mill - specifically my nephew's CNC mini mill. And the reason is that cutting the slot on the side requires just enough extra travel that the mill can't handle it. But, if I were to send it to Shapeways or some place with s larger mill or a 3D printer I could easily make it one piece. However, the two-piece arrangement has an advantage in that you can cut the hole accurately, place the top and bottom pieces from the proper sides, and trap the carpet between them. In fact, I'm not sure the carpet is stretchy enough to let the ring fit into a hole of the same size.
As for the material, if milling I'd go with stainless. But if printing I don't have an answer just yet. As you know, Shapeways infuses brass into the printed piece when stainless is used. So you get a yellowish stainless, and I'm not sure I would like that. Would you for a piece of trim?
So, I need to try the Almost Chrome powder and see how that looks. Or, go with black? But, I am leaning to going with metal as the trim ring(s) are in an ideal spot to get stepped on and I'm not sure plastic would handle that very well.
I'm going to give y'all an update on my conversation with FabLab in Tulsa as you may be considering getting into 3D printing. If so, you may have a similar place in your area so I would check it out if I were you. First, FabLab is targeted for people who do not have any experience in the use of the machines. And they have mandatory training, typically 2 or 3 hours, for each machine you want to use. The training covers the creation of the file you need to feed the machine, the types of files it will take, how to use the machine, safety, and cleaning up afterwards. So, it is a good way to learn to do 3D printing, CNC milling, laser cutting, etc.
And they do have a small and a large CNC milling machine, although they don't allow milling of metal, 3D printers of several sizes, a 3D scanner, laser cutter, vinyl cutter, and even a sewing machine. Unfortunately they don't have a 3D printer that does metal, so without being able to do metalworking on the mills I'll be limited to working on or with plastic. That'll limit what I want to make there, but it would get me started and let me make some prototypes. And then if I like what I'm getting I can either move on to something like Shapeways if I want metal, or buy my own CNC mill, or buy into a 3D printer. But, at least I'll have gotten some training as well as some experience and can make a much more educated decision.
So, this is where y'all come in. I need to decide what to make initially, and I've sorta decided on doing the shift boot trim ring, although I'm open to suggestions of others. But my reasoning is that I'm basically "there" with the 3D drawing needed to make it. And, it would let me try both the CNC approach, aka "subtractive manufacturing", and the 3D printing approach, aka "additive manufacturing". I could start with printing a version in plastic and see if the carpet will actually allow it to be inserted in one piece. And, how strong it seems to be. And, if that appears good maybe just painted plastic will suffice.
But, if the 3D printing approach doesn't seem to work then I can move on to the CNC mill and make one in plastic - either one piece if the carpet accepts it or two piece if not.
I say: make some replacement 80-81 factory door lock levers & housings.
I thought about that, and might still do it as the first project, although I do intend to do it as a project. However, it is more complex because it requires, I think, using the 3D scanner at FabLab to get a starting point. But, the Makerbot scanner they have isn't very precise, so I expect to have to load the resultant file into TurboCAD and clean it up, add detail that may be lost, like the Lock and Unlock lettering. Further, I want to mod the file to include bosses for screws to hold the retainer on instead of the nibs that get melted over.
So, I'm thinking it might be faster to get something done to print the trim ring which I already have drawn. But I do plan to do the slide lock bezels. Do we also need the slides themselves?
Gary How about the 4 x 7" door Speaker Grille? Could be "simple" to practice on....
I'll check, but I don't think I have one of the ones that go in the fabric door panel. But they look "fiddly" to draw, although they might scan well. I'll check to see if I have one and how complex it really is.
On some of the ones I've seen in the JY, that slide gets busted in the area where the steel rod fits into the hole - the area surrounding the hole gets broken so I'd make it more substantial.
Could also be that people forcefully broke it on purpose, perhaps to get the stuff apart....
Ok. Haven't seen a broken one myself, but obviously they exist. Not immediately sure how to beef it up since the arm can't be too thick or it won't go around the bends of the rod. But, I'll think about that.…
If 3D printing in metal (hosting on Shapeways) that clutch pivot seems to be unobtainium.
Its cc volume is not too great, and if a 'new' one were found, or just modeled in wood or plastic to be scanned, it would help a LOT of people out.
Just ask in the '70's forum.
Now that's a good idea! Not sure which one you mean, but I assume you mean the one for the M/400. That's a big part of the reason I'm going hydraulic.
Ok, if we can find someone who has one, regardless of condition, I could scan it in and "fix" it. Maybe we could put the word out? What's the best way - start a thread in the 70's and 80-86 forum?
Don't know why I didn't think of the 335 forum. Obviously there.
But, I'm not sure what you mean by "the pivot for the throw out arm". Here's the illustration and the one I'm talking about is.…. Well, uploads aren't working right now - maybe my internet. I'll try again in a bit. But, I have the perfect diagram that shows that there are 3 different engine/tranny-side pivots: 300; 302-351W; and M/400. so that part is specific to the 335 engines. Ok, got it.
Yes, that
But also, not too long ago there was a guy who was trying to repower his truck.
In wading through the numbers we determined the M & 400 used diffeerent throwout arms and different pivots inside the belllhousing.
I sent him a pair of flathead black oxide Allen screws to retain it because he couldn't find them.
Calvin - I just read the whole thread. Cool! Looks like we are going down parallel paths. In some ways that's not efficient, but in my case I'm not really thinking of turning it into a business. Anyway, let's stay in touch. I have a lot to learn and you've already "been there, done that". Thanks for chiming in.
Obviously there. 
