Solenoid Cage for Worker Swordfish

thingiverse

This is a solenoid pusher assembly for the Worker Swordfish. One cage assembly is compatible with the Flywheel The World solenoid, which can be sourced by googling them. The other cage assembly is compatible with the generic 35mm solenoid available on aliexpress/ebay/etc. This has also been tested to work fine. Please print the corresponding pusher nub for each solenoid. Compatibility with other solenoids is not guaranteed or implied. **WARNING** This is a one-way deal. If you start to install this, you're committed. Make sure you have all the necessary expertise, tooling, and parts ready to go. You will lose a good portion of your battery bay, so I would suggest using a stock mount battery. **Video of Solenoid Blaster in Action** https://youtu.be/pT_aiZbrsOY (yeah, there's some cool recoil) **Print Instructions** The Solenoid Cage should be printed using a strong infill setting. I actually did mine at 100% with 0.1mm layer height (to ensure dimensional accuracy). The overhangs are critical, so I made sure I had a high % support, with a roof. You absolutely must get the overhangs flat. The pusher nub can be printed at 100% infill using a strong filament. I use Polymaker Polymax. 0.1mm layer height, because there is an internal thread. The template can be printed using whatever setting you want. **Special considerations for the FTW solenoid** By and large, this is a great solenoid, but with the following caveats: 1) Do not use on 4s. Although the coils can handle it fine, the landing pad cannot and you will mushroom the internal pusher bar over time. Within about 1000 shots, the solenoid will jam. This can be repaired with a file. 2) The spring retention circlip is pretty big. You will need to position the gap in the circlip so that it is pointing down. Make sure you loctite on the pusher nub to hold this into position. This is the leading cause of jams. **Special considerations for the 35mm solenoid** These come with a brass and steel nut on the end. You'll need to remove these. They are torqued together, so please use a spanner and not pliers. Right tools for the right job people.. The return spring on these is garbage. You'll need to replace it with a spring that is stronger, but not too strong. I'm sorry, there's no easy answer here. I found a source of 0.8mm x 14 x 45mm springs that fit well. Please thread the nub on all the way. It's fine that there will be some thread out the front of the nub. You'll also need to make more mods to the rear of the blaster, and lose the screw post back there. Also due to the lower build quality, you may have to jiggle with the cage to get it to fit. I have found that they are all a little different. **Install Instructions** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO7tVRDhkeQ (it cuts off at the end, but that's just finishing up the last cut on the top shell - just cut where the shell clashes with the cage, and that's it!) **Wiring Instructions** Well, this is largely up to you. I have seen solenoids installed as directly wired semi-auto setups, but I prefer an Arduino control. I have included my own wiring diagram that gives Bluetooth capability using a HC-05 BT module, and an Arduino Pro Micro. My firmware in included too, which gives all the pin assignments. This is set up for a brushless system (i.e. the Ultrasonic system) and will not operate with a set of DC motors. **Help??** Come check us out over at Making Stuff Awesome on Facebook. **License** Absolutely no commercial use of these models, firmware, circuit diagrams, etc are allowed. Blaster commissions featuring these models are not allowed unless authorized by myself in advance. If you do not have access to a 3d printer, please contact myself, Flywheel The World, or you can use 3dHubs (or similar print bureau). If you have anything else in mind, please contact me. **Change Log** 21 Apr 19 - Update the 35mm pusher cage for better fitment.