1940s Lucas Battery Box replica

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AndrewM
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1940s Lucas Battery Box replica

Post by AndrewM »

I thought I should mention that I have designed a 3D printed replica of a 1940s Lucas Battery, which fits two modern Lucas LSLA4-6 batteries in parallel for 6v or series for 12v. Files are all open sourced at: https://github.com/AJS-1946/16m/tree/main/Battery%20Box

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Les Howard
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Re: 1940s Lucas Battery Box replica

Post by Les Howard »

Superb. Best battery box I have ever seen. Well done, very clever :) PS: Pity this Forum is unique in not having a "React to Post" voting button. I'm sure you get dozens of :thumbup: which would give you at least some feedback and "reward" for your effort :(
AndrewM
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Re: 1940s Lucas Battery Box replica

Post by AndrewM »

Also should mention I have an accurate design for the AJS/Matchless battery strap which I think was used from the 1941 G3L to about 1948 for G3L, G80, AJS 16M and AJS 18M. It includes a dxf file which can be used to laser cut the strap from 1.2mm steel sheet. Github repository is at https://github.com/AJS-1946/16m/tree/ma ... ry%20Strap

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SPRIDDLER
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Re: 1940s Lucas Battery Box replica

Post by SPRIDDLER »

Excellent. Almost too good. ;)
There must be opportunities to reproduce other parts.
Purely out of curiosity and ignorance, how long does it take to produce the battery box and what is the cost of just the plastic material to make one and what is the capital cost for the equipment?

The 3D printing process still seems like alchemy to me. :?

I reckon it would make an interesting article for the Jampot mag.
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AndrewM
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Re: 1940s Lucas Battery Box replica

Post by AndrewM »

SPRIDDLER wrote: Sun Jan 29, 2023 12:13 pm Excellent. Almost too good. ;)
There must be opportunities to reproduce other parts.
Purely out of curiosity and ignorance, how long does it take to produce the battery box and what is the cost of just the plastic material to make one and what is the capital cost for the equipment?
That's the problem, the materials cost for the battery box would be 5 to 10 quid, but the total printing time on a 3D printer is about a day and a half, so if you are getting it done commercially it may be pricey. On the other hand if you have a mate with a 3D printer it is cheap.

Once printed it is a bit of sanding, filling and painting with spray cans to get a finished item, cheap and easy.

My 3D printer is a PrusaMK3s https://www.prusa3d.com/category/origin ... a-i3-mk3s/, which cost about $800 for the kit, so you wouldn't buy one just to make one battery box.
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Les Howard
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Re: 1940s Lucas Battery Box replica

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I would imagine that the printer which must be extremely expensive would wear out if it had many to do? :(
SPRIDDLER
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Re: 1940s Lucas Battery Box replica

Post by SPRIDDLER »

AndrewM wrote: Sun Jan 29, 2023 12:27 pm That's the problem, the materials cost for the battery box would be 5 to 10 quid, but the total printing time on a 3D printer is about a day and a half,
Hmm. Thanks for that.
Perhaps the process will become faster over time and the cost will come down, but it is a remarkable result you've achieved. :thumbup:
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Pharisee
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Re: 1940s Lucas Battery Box replica

Post by Pharisee »

My '56 G80CS has a very similar hard plastic moulded case. The bike came from the USA and the battery case was on it when it arrived back in the UK. Interestingly, it appears to have military connections with WD as it has 'extra' legend engraved into it. Also, it looks like some information has been erased from the bottom segment of the logo. It's unlikely that the bike itself was ever a military machine so I'm not sure where the box came from.
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AndrewM
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Re: 1940s Lucas Battery Box replica

Post by AndrewM »

Pharisee wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 6:40 pm My '56 G80CS has a very similar hard plastic moulded case. The bike came from the USA and the battery case was on it when it arrived back in the UK. Interestingly, it appears to have military connections with WD as it has 'extra' legend engraved into it. Also, it looks like some information has been erased from the bottom segment of the logo. It's unlikely that the bike itself was ever a military machine so I'm not sure where the box came from.
That looks like it may be a battery box made by taking a silicon mould from an original WD battery. Very authentic result and widely used on restored WD bikes.

My battery box is modelled on the postwar Lucas battery, and is not a perfect re-creation, for example the typeface used for the word LUCAS was impossible to find so I used a more generic typeface with the same overall proportions.

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AndrewM
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Re: 1940s Lucas Battery Box replica

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Les Howard wrote: Sun Jan 29, 2023 2:11 pm I would imagine that the printer which must be extremely expensive would wear out if it had many to do? :(
They will run happily for thousands of hours as there is very little load on the print head, so the linear bearings and toothed belts don't get a lot of wear and tear. Not like a CNC milling machine which has to be constructed very solidly due to the loads on the cutting tool.
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