Castable Rubber?

[RB211]

I am not talking about making the mold with mold rubber, been there, done that. I am talking about making a handgrip poured around a metal part, to be fused to it.
Think of the handgrip on a P51D Mustang, the one with a twist grip for the gun site range.
Actually, that is exactly what I am doing, recreating from the original blueprints, a P51 engine control quadrant. Original was molded rubber around a steel tube, I'm doing the same but wonder if I can get away with one of the castable type of rubbers with say a D60 shore hardness? Maybe softer? I don't know.
For flightsim use only(but expecting people to use it in their real experimental airplane despite the warning)

[Rich Carlstedt]

You can buy that at handware stores . it is for dipping plier handles and tools
I think it is called "Tool Dip"
Rich

[RB211]

Worth a try, was thinking of the two part stuff sold by Smooth-On and others

[sid pileski]

Is this for a sim??
would like to see it!

Sid

[sid pileski]

https://imgur.com/gallery/YzHj6

My second favorite aircraft. Got to sit in this one!!

Sid

[RB211]

Is this for a sim??
would like to see it!

Sid

Me too, I'm going into work right now but some materials are already ordered. The part requiring the rubber will be the second or third part I will make. This is the first part circled in red. A nice lathe part from 2024 T351.

[sid pileski]

Wondering why your using 2024?
I guess as opposed to 6061?

Sid

[RB211]

Wondering why your using 2024?
I guess as opposed to 6061?

Sid

The original drawings specified 26T or something, better known as 2024 T3 today. Trying to recreate history here, close as I can get it.

[sid pileski]

How far are you going? Are you replicating the entire cockpit?

[chipmaker4130]

Castable rubber exists (it is probably actually polyurethane). Antique auto restorers used to cast their own weatherstripping. It is a two-part product that will cure without air, and the hardness can be tailored to the job. Trouble is, I can't remember where to get it.

Tool handle dip won't work because it won't 'dry' in thick sections and it would be impossible to get the form right with multiple dips.

[alanganes]

Devcon is one brand that makes a number of castable rubber like products. I think they offer them in a range of hardness, colors, etc.

I don't know a lot about them but maybe a place to start is here:

https://www.itwpf.com.au/devcon/products/

[epicfail48]

Plenty of it out there, including the stuff by smooth-on you mentioned, maybe this: https://www.smooth-on.com/products/simpact-60a/

Probably have to do a little bit of extra work on the core to give the molded rubber something to more effectively grab to, but thats a touch out of my wheelhouse. Im better with the molding side of things

[ed_h]

PlastiDip shrinks a lot in thick sections.

Ed

[RB211]

How far are you going? Are you replicating the entire cockpit?

Well, it's for DCS World which I play in VR. I need the levers and switches which will be muscle memory, won't need any of the instruments. So anything I can manipulate. I'll just start with the engine quadrant, there's quite a few methods of construction that will be a learning experience for me. See where it takes me.

[RB211]

Thanks guys, and if any of you want access to the same drawings and more, I joined the Aircorps Library, 50$ a year or 5$ a month. Do a google search for 60JE-4 which is an illustrated parts catalog of the mustang with drawing numbers, use the numbers with the search feature of the Aircorps Library. Amazing stuff.