Nikon RangeX Black rail / arca mount

A 1/4-20 threaded hole 3d printed in PLA isn't going to be very strong and probably wouldnt print in a very high quality. I think it would last untill the first time someone bumped into it.

A threaded hole that is machined, drilled and tapped into metal, etc, and then added to a plastic part, is going to require someone who is willing to take on some capital investment. I can design it, but i dont want to manufacture it.

I was thinking more along the lines of something i could donate a couple hours of my time to design, for the benefit of myself and maybe others.

So, i should add a hollow socket to the bottom, so that folks who would like could make a threaded bung to epoxy in.

Thats no problem..

Im looking at thread insert specs now. Helicoil is wound wire, like a spring. I dont think thats going to work as it requires a pre-existing thread to attach to. It just results in a slightly bigger 3d printed plastic thread that isnt going to be much stronger.

Looking at solid 1/4-20 inserts, im seeing 7/16" being the most common exterior major diameter, so ill create a seperate version with a 7/16"od x .5" deep socket on the bottom.

I'll 3d print a couple before and make any dimensional adjustments needed, before making the files available on www.thingiverse.com.

I have a version with a 7/16x1/2 hole in the bottom. This will allow the user to epoxy in a 1/4-20 threaded insert.



A version with a Picatinny mount on the bottom:




A version with a rail mount on the R/H side, for mounting to spotters with rails such as the Bushnell T Series and LMSS





And a Tri-Mount version for those who really like to accessorize their gear!!




If printed using PLA it should be strong enough to allow the open area on top to flex out enough for the RangeX to snap securely inside the mount, without interfering with the buttons or obscuring the button labels.

The bottom of the RangeX, just in front of the battery compartment has a little taper, so for a secure fit it can only fit into the mount in one orientation, as marked.

This taper also makes a fully enclosed design impossible. If the opening were big enough to fit over the front of the RangeX, it would be a poor fit once centered.

It will require a 10-32 screw, and a nut, in addition to one additional part which i will design later, after ive tested the viability of the design.

There are places that can 3d print things for you, if you provide the file.

I think thingiverse.com may even offer some kind of order and ship service for items that have been uploaded to their site.

Also, i beleive there was a recent thread about a similar mount made to fit a Sig Kilo. Someone there was 3d printing mounts and selling them.

I've heard even Staples is offering this service now.

Because i have no idea what its dimesions are, nor do i have one to measure.

Since i dont have, nor use an arca mount, and i have no intention of making these for resale, i would never recover the cost of buying an arca mount.

But, if someone wanted to provide me with an arca mount or accurately dimensioned drawing, id be happy to design a version so equipped.

Ok, i was able to find Arca dimensions easy enough online.

Ill add an Arca version tomorrow.

Side or bottom?

Or both?

If it isn't obvious, i have no idea what an Arca is.

I thought maybe you had one of these in mind:

image online upload

I've found that drawing and many similar, but im having trouble finding one that shows all 3 dimensions.

assuming that drawing shows all the x and y dimensions, as in length and height, are the z dimensions (depth) nor relevant?

im needing one that shows the chamfers, radii, height of the truncated portion, depth, with an accuracy to at least a couple thousandths of an inch.

something like this:
http://www.hejnarphoto.com/ebay/pictures/M410/M410_drawing.jpg

but, obviously, for the Arca

I found a solidworks cad drawing on grabcad.com that should work.

Ill post updates tomorrow.

How critical is the length dimension of the plate?

I don't have an Arca Swiss head. Will the head accept a dovetail that is 1 inch long rather than the 2.756 length in the drawing?



Is the image visible?

Arca Dovetail

I'm printing an Arca mount version now to test fit to my RangeX.

I don't have an Arca tripod head, so I cant test fit the dovetail. Whoever, with an Arca head, replies first and wants to cover $4 shipping, ill mail an Arca version at no charge.

You can test it for fit, and if it fits, keep it. If it doesn't fit, let me know which dimension is off and by how much.

It appears to fit the rangefinder.

021411 said:

Sent you a private message..

Click to expand...

No problem.

After playing with the previous versions for a couple days and deciding what i did and didn't like about it, I designed a more heavy duty version.

I think i'm going to manufacture a small, limited run of this version to sell on Ebay. The body will be 3d printed from PLA polmer. It will be a typical 3d printed design, with a hollow outer shell reinforced with a honeycomb pattern infill.

It has a Picatinny rail mount on either side, an Arca mount on the bottom, and will have a steel 1/4-20 threaded insert in the bottom.

Thoughts?

Does this have the features most would find useful?





I'll 3d print one this evening to test, and if it goes well I will manufacture several dozen to test for demand on ebay.

Im cautious about generating any sales through this forum, as this isn,t the classified section and i dont want to run afoul of any forum rules.

Once i have some available for sale, ill post an update here, then list a couple for sale in the PX forum. Until then, ill post updates on the design and any changes.


I will also post the files on thingiverse.com for free download by anyone who'd like to print their own.

Scocobeach and 021411;

This new version seems to fit the RangeX much more solidly. The picatinny mounts are better as well, but i have no way of testing the Arca mount.

It you two are willing to do some test fitting, and willing to post up a small review, with pics, ill send you each an example of this version at no cost to you.

Ill even cover the shipping.

Ill post pics this evening.

It will be a couple days before they are ready to go. I still need to manufacture and install some hardware.

Send me a pm.

Thanks.

The pics suck. They look nicer in person.
The flash i think.

The hard part of hitting tolerances with a 3d printer is that the plastic extrudes out hot, then cools rapidly. Plastic has a fairly high coefficient of cubic expansion, so things dont come out the same size they were designed.

I tend to print a few test parts, and scale the design accordingly. But, different ambient temps give different results.


But, i think on this newest version, im hitting my design tolerances to within + - .003". At least i hope. The print time is about 6 hours each, so the ambient temps change between the start time and finish time.

The two T&E units shipped today to scocoabeach and 021411.

I've got 8 more ill be posting in the classifieds section, pending review and testing by scocoabwach and 021411.

Awesome. Thats what i was going for!

Very nice.

That looks badass mounted on the spotter!

I think i found a pouch to replace the cheap Nikon pouch, since theres no way i want to be taking the RangeX in and out of the mount, given the tight fit.

And it certainly wont fit in the pouch while in the mount.

This seems to have the right dimensions. Ill report back when the one i ordered shows up.
https://www.stealthangelsurvival.com/products/sa-p5-compact-military-style-molle-system-pouch

Out of curiousity, how close does the center of the RangeX view match up to the spotters center?

Is it close enough to let the Rangefinder work as a quick sighting tool to get the spotter on target?

My favorite eyepiece for my Optolyth spotter is the fixed 30x with the L shaped reticle. But sometimes its a bitch to find the target without any coarse sights. I can see the target plain as day with the naked eye, but through the spotter im hunting through a sea of tree leaves.

Ive thought about making a rail mounting point for my Optolyth, and using the RangeX as a coarse sight to get the spotter on target.

Your welcome.

Solid modeling with programs like Inventor, Alibre Design and Solidworks is very intuitive for me. I took to it like a duck to water.

Designing a part like this mount wasn't much of a big deal or a challenge. 3d printing a useable part was harder.

My final CAD project in college was a multi item package consisting of complete solid models, photorealistic image renderings and a complete technical drawing package for each, a mechanical 3d basketball arcade game, a HVAC system for an industrial building and a 4x4 transfer case.

That shit took a couple months of hardass work.

My 3d printer is a Flashforge Creator Pro. It reasonably affordable and easy to use.

There is a multitude of videos on youtube.

And Thingiverse is a huge repository for .stl files. I have a small library of designs uploaded there. Do a search on thingiverse for my username, ken226, and they should pop up.

I made a couple small modifications to the solid model before uploading it to thingiverse.

I added some contours to the rear surface of the mount for aesthetics, and increased to bottom hole diameter to 3/4" to allow for a bigger and stronger mounting screw insert. None of the models I currently have printed for resale have these 2 new features, and I likely won't print any more of these unless there is a significant demand when I list them on Ebay.

Anyone who wants one with the new features, will need to print one themselves, or perhaps download the file and have it printed by staples or something.

The file is up on Thingiverse.com

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3288149