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Night Vision 3-D printing a focus fin for PVS-30

Choid

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Feb 13, 2017
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It seems like with the surplus buy there are a good number of 30s out there, and they are uniformly a pain in the ass to adjust focus. Anybody ever thought of 3d printing a ring and fin to go over the scalloped ring and make life a little easier?
 
I have a company 3d printing a second version now. The first one we tried was a little to thin on a lever and was flexing. I made a hasty one out of aluminum recently and works well that we are using as a copy. It can be reached without getting out of position. The pic is before finished off and cerakoted but you get the idea. When installed it rotates allow focus to most all ranges. I'll grab a pic of it finished tomorrow
 

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Yea. It will be a couple weeks I'm guessing . Bit if anyone wants to try one once I get a good design ill let ya know. The hasty made aluminum one I did works pretty good lol. Its ugly but can reach it from behind the rifle and not move from.behind the scope.
 

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I can make ya the most durable printed part, guaranteed :)

We make just these type of things for several thermals. Below is a link to some extra fancy printing for some Pulsars, standard printing can be a bit lower cost. If someone can get me a PVS for a week we can knock it out, nice and refined.



I like calling them a "focus wheel", and running more than one lever on it, easy to find one with your thumb at night.
 
I can make ya the most durable printed part, guaranteed :)

We make just these type of things for several thermals. Below is a link to some extra fancy printing for some Pulsars, standard printing can be a bit lower cost. If someone can get me a PVS for a week we can knock it out, nice and refined.



I like calling them a "focus wheel", and running more than one lever on it, easy to find one with your thumb at night.

Those are nice for making the collars a bit grippier, but the issue with the -30s is how far out they are to the front. Real long arms are required unless you've got a super short day scope you're putting it in front of. Having had hands-on with @LibertyArms' prototype, it's definitely the right idea doing a fin like that to get the controls further to the rear. Will be signing up for one once they go into production.
 
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Those are nice for making the collars a bit grippier, but the issue with the -30s is how far out they are to the front. Real long arms are required unless you've got a super short day scope you're putting it in front of. Having had hands-on with @LibertyArms' prototype, it's definitely the right idea doing a fin like that to get the controls further to the rear. Will be signing up for one once they go into production.


Agreed, Tyler makes good stuff but as far as the pvs 30 goes the Liberty Arms proto is definitely a step in the right direction.
 
I can make ya the most durable printed part, guaranteed :)

We make just these type of things for several thermals. Below is a link to some extra fancy printing for some Pulsars, standard printing can be a bit lower cost. If someone can get me a PVS for a week we can knock it out, nice and refined.

I like calling them a "focus wheel", and running more than one lever on it, easy to find one with your thumb at night.

I'd love to have Tyler make one.............but I'm REAL skittish about sending a $5000 optic through any of the carriers ( UPS - Fed Ex -USPS ) to get it there.

Anyone close to Kingdom City, MO ?
 
I'd love to have Tyler make one.............but I'm REAL skittish about sending a $5000 optic through any of the carriers ( UPS - Fed Ex -USPS ) to get it there.

Anyone close to Kingdom City, MO ?

Someone has reached out offering to send me one already. We will get er knocked out nice and fast. Possibly work on both a printed and billet version.

Guy told me mount it up and I'll very quickly see what needs to be done.
 
Thank goodness. Thanks Tyler, and also to whomever was the gracious soul that offered the loaner.

jwramp has a good point - a lever towards the rear would significantly enhance the ergonomics of the movement ( coming from a guy with short arms :giggle: ).
 
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I'll make sure it works in an ergonomic manner. Are there any clearance concerns beyond the device itself? Trying to determine if I can make it a super slim/low-pro fit and that'll be good to go for everyone.
 
Little update. Got the fitment on the focus dial down pat. It is a no-wiggle fit before any tightening method. We always prototype the fit first, then the rest.

If a printed fin isn't rigid enough, we can have some waterjetted out, the polymer body will be plenty fine.



 
Little update. Got the fitment on the focus dial down pat. It is a no-wiggle fit before any tightening method. We always prototype the fit first, then the rest.

If a printed fin isn't rigid enough, we can have some waterjetted out, the polymer body will be plenty fine.






How's the project going?
 
Alright it's basically done. Just chamfer some stuff, round a few corners. As a bonus, check the surface finish on a new printer I should be getting in around a month :D

Then a real next level printer sometime in the next two months ;)


Jetted metal lever feels so nice. No perceivable flex, binding, etc.





 
So, Tyler at MK Machining worked these up for me. They work great, ergos are hugely improved. Focus is ultra smooth. I think he would consider this a final prototype, but you should contact him if interested.

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Yes, they certainly will. Looking at probably $75 standard price. Working on some prototypes of "hollowed" out lever portions to save weight and look real cool.

My extra fancy printers are coming in this week and will be hooked up in two weeks or so!
 
What's the status with these after shooting at night a bunch this weekend I'm ready for one
 
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Not to jack this topic, but does anyone know if something similar has done for the PVS-27?

That little itty bitty focus nob is a pain in the ass to try and get to and turn.

I am not sure with the limitations of the knob location that much could be done, but anything would have to be an improvement!

Hard to believe that people design a multi-thousand dollar device, and they can't come up with a more ergonomic or effective way to focus them!


Send me one and we'll knock it out
 
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The 27 will be hard to get anything on the knob. Not sure if you can get a lever on the knob itself as close to the housing that it is. The 27 is easier to reach already compared to the 30. It may be possible. Maybe a slip over style ? Something that sticks up and snaps over/on the knob?
 
The 27 will be hard to get anything on the knob. Not sure if you can get a lever on the knob itself as close to the housing that it is. The 27 is easier to reach already compared to the 30. It may be possible. Maybe a slip over style ? Something that sticks up and snaps over/on the knob?

Honestly I'd need to see some videos and close ups in action. The pictures via my google-fu really aren't cutting it.
 
Ah, now I see what you're referring to.

Yes I'll need to know the amount of clearance, and what can be accomplished with 180°. If that isn't sufficient.....well we're out of luck.
 
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I just received my PVS-30 3D/Metal Hollowed Throw from Tyler and Adam at MK Machining....Beautiful Perfect Fit & Fix!!!!!

I love it! Great Job!
Thanks!!!!!!!!

This is the answer...Worth every penny
 
Oh hey everyone. Yes, these are ready now. Been damn busy but if you email [email protected] we can do custom orders that way.

As for FDE you can paint the parts and we are also exploring getting things cerakoted, but that will come at a small fee.

Curtis can probably post up a picture on his rig so you can check them out. The powdercoat on the metal lever section is not a perfect match "tone-wise" as the polymer section, but powdercoat is better than regular paint!
 
I’m sorry...

I meant to take a picture of it, but my girlfriend was mad at me about something, breathing down my neck while I was installing it and I forgot. The PVS-30 is out at my ranch and I’m leaving to fly for a couple days. I’ll take a picture as soon as I get back and post it. Again I apologize to you guys and Tyler for not having that pic ready...it’s perfect! You need this!
 
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Got it done...Sorry for the wait
 

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Some mounted photos
 

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I just received my PVS-30 3D/Metal Hollowed Throw from Tyler and Adam at MK Machining....Beautiful Perfect Fit & Fix!!!!!

I love it! Great Job!
Thanks!!!!!!!!

This is the answer...Worth every penny
Just received mine - perfect fit and execution. Works great. Best thing to happen to my PVS30 since I got it. Laying prone and moving the focus ring is super easy now.
Great job Tyler and Adam. (y)
 
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I keep mine in an FDE CNVD-T Pouch I found it on EBay for 27.50 and it fits perfectly, has an extra zippered pouch for batteries and accessories (Better than the Std Issue Black pouch it came in)...The Lever is a good size for me? Ask Tyler at MK Machining, maybe he’d consider a slimmer version? He and his team are capable, talented and great to work with. He’s busy, but always come through for me on the unusual custom stuff. I’ve had nothing but good experiences with them. On the custom stuff, you have to be patient with them, time wise to be able fit the weird custom requests in. They’re damn good though.

I think an LWTS pouch would work too...I’ve seen those on there as well for cheap. Way better bags! I used the LWTS Bags to fit PVS-14’s, USGI 3x Magnifier, paperwork and accessories in the same bag.
 
I keep mine in an FDE CNVD-T Pouch I found it on EBay for 27.50 and it fits perfectly, has an extra zippered pouch for batteries and accessories (Better than the Std Issue Black pouch it came in)...The Lever is a good size for me? Ask Tyler at MK Machining, maybe he’d consider a slimmer version? He and his team are capable, talented and great to work with. He’s busy, but always come through for me on the unusual custom stuff. I’ve had nothing but good experiences with them. On the custom stuff, you have to be patient with them, time wise to be able fit the weird custom requests in. They’re damn good though.

I think an LWTS pouch would work too...I’ve seen those on there as well for cheap. Way better bags! I used the LWTS Bags to fit PVS-14’s, USGI 3x Magnifier, paperwork and accessories in the same bag.
Thanks for the tip, scooped up the last one.
 
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I got my PVS-30 throw lever a few weeks back.
I was impressed with the attention to detail and innovation.
There are 2 compatibility issues with my particular PVS-30, which was recently purchased, and has the battery compartment that accommodates AA or CR123 batteries.

One compatibility issue is that the post on the focus ring that the split in the ring and lever register on is at 9:00 at close focus when viewed from behind the day scope. If the focus ring were rotated clockwise towards infinity, it could never reach infinity because the lever would hit the picatinny mount first.

I was okay with this detail (contingent on some testing) because I figured I might never need the entire sweep of the focus, then I tried to turn the lever past the battery compartment cap (which is the new dual battery configuration with the tall compartment cap) and discovered the lever will not clear it, and that I am limited to approx. 115 degrees of the 240 total available on the focus ring. To become compatible with my PVS-30, the clearance on the underside of the lever will need to be longer and deeper to clear the battery compartment cap and battery compartment.

I spoke with Tyler at MK and we agreed that the way to achieve a solution to accommodate all variations of the PVS-30 is to tap into the pool of users at SH. Should MK offer two styles of levers to accommodate the different battery compartments, and what is the best way to guarantee that the system will afford all users the entire range of their respective focus rings?

We discussed adding holes every 30 degrees or so (so that users can choose the orientation of the lever on their particular PVS-30) or, if there are essentially 2 variants out there, manufacture 2 variants of the ring and 2 variants of the lever.

We'd like to hear from SH members that own PVS-30s.

Thanks in advance.
 

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Not sure I have enough info to make a solid suggestion, but how does it work with a illuminator mounted up on a diving board ring top? Obviously, it depends on ring height, the amount of travel in the focus ring, and the "normal" ranges of that focus ring, but would it be an additional benefit/deconfliction to having the multiple holes for orientation?
 
Whoever is ready to pony up and get this alternate model in my hands will get a free lever. Not quite an even trade....but the best I can do :)