Neptune Aquatics

Mounting AI Blades to a Kessil 360xe; Calling all 3D printing gurus

B the Nano Reefer

B the Nano Reefer

Supporting Member
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Looking to add two AI Blades to my existing setup for more spread and some additional PAR. Current setup consists of a single Kessil 360xe on a hard Kessil mount. Not looking to alter the existing mounting, so the blades have to be directly mountable to the Kessil 360xe, similar to how they are mountable to the hydras or how the XHO-K15 LED Add-On Kit works on the XR15/30. I’d like the ability to slightly tilt the blades inwards as well, but that’s not a must.

Likely going to have to get something custom made/3D printed, unless anyone has seen something like what I need. Wanted to solicit ideas here. I could have sworn I saw something exactly like what I’m looking for for sale on marketplace, but can’t locate where it was.

Thoughts?
 
I was thinking something like what I’ve roughly scribble together here. You’d replicate the existing mounting bracket for the 360xe but extend on each side by a few l inches and add an additional hole near each end to screw in either the stationary plastic AI blade mounts or I would just grab these swivel attachments which allow you to tilt the blade either way.

Would a 3D printed material support the weight of a 360xe + 2 blades?

Anyone with a 3D printer think they can pull one of those together? Happy to compensate for time/materials.
 

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B the Nano Reefer said:
I was thinking something like what I’ve roughly scribble together here. You’d replicate the existing mounting bracket for the 360xe but extend on each side by a few l inches and add an additional hole near each end to screw in either the stationary plastic AI blade mounts or I would just grab these swivel attachments which allow you to tilt the blade either way.

Would a 3D printed material support the weight of a 360xe + 2 blades?

Anyone with a 3D printer think they can pull one of those together? Happy to compensate for time/materials.
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You going with a glow and grow? I have a grow only on my 12g and the colors are pretty Windexy.
 
B the Nano Reefer said:
I was thinking something like what I’ve roughly scribble together here. You’d replicate the existing mounting bracket for the 360xe but extend on each side by a few l inches and add an additional hole near each end to screw in either the stationary plastic AI blade mounts or I would just grab these swivel attachments which allow you to tilt the blade either way.

Would a 3D printed material support the weight of a 360xe + 2 blades?

Anyone with a 3D printer think they can pull one of those together? Happy to compensate for time/materials.
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Would their bar not work if you just drilled it where you needed it?

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iani said:
Would their bar not work if you just drilled it where you needed it?

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The bar isn’t their product. It’s made by AI to mount the blades to the hydra and has 3 predrilled holes. In theory, yes, it might work. Id probably have to drill at least 2 holes probably close to the existing holes. Definitely don’t have the tools to drill through whatever material that’ll be. Also might look slightly more janky than I’d like since it wouldn’t really be true to size.

Essentially I’m hoping someone can replicate that bar, in 3D print, resized for the Kessil. If that fails, I might just order that bar and see if I can make it work.
 
B the Nano Reefer said:
The bar isn’t their product. It’s made by AI to mount the blades to the hydra and has 3 predrilled holes. In theory, yes, it might work. Id probably have to drill at least 2 holes probably close to the existing holes. Definitely don’t have the tools to drill through whatever material that’ll be. Also might look slightly more janky than I’d like since it wouldn’t really be true to size.

Essentially I’m hoping someone can replicate that bar, in 3D print, resized for the Kessil. If that fails, I might just order that bar and see if I can make it work.
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It's very easy to drill holes if you have a drill?

Metal drilling bit cheap on amazon or self tapping screws drill through and than remove them after if metal isn’t too thick.
 
MichaelB said:
It's very easy to drill holes if you have a drill?

Metal drilling bit cheap on amazon or self tapping screws drill through and than remove them after if metal isn’t too thick.
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I have a drill and can definitely get the appropriate drill bit if needed. I’ll look at that option if I can’t get one 3D printed to fit. I’d prefer a cleaner look so resistant to get something than I know doesn’t fit and try to make it fit
 
B the Nano Reefer said:
I have a drill and can definitely get the appropriate drill bit if needed. I’ll look at that option if I can’t get one 3D printed to fit. I’d prefer a cleaner look so resistant to get something than I know doesn’t fit and try to make it fit
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Cool just making sure the lack of a drill wasn't preventing you lol, I was going to offer you one if you needed I have a extra one.
 
B the Nano Reefer said:
I have a drill and can definitely get the appropriate drill bit if needed. I’ll look at that option if I can’t get one 3D printed to fit. I’d prefer a cleaner look so resistant to get something than I know doesn’t fit and try to make it fit
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Anything 3d printed probably will not look cleaner that something manufactured if that is your goal. That product is likely made from aluminum which should be very easy to drill.
 
iani said:
Anything 3d printed probably will not look cleaner that something manufactured if that is your goal. That product is likely made from aluminum which should be very easy to drill.
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By clean I meant more so the right size, length, no extra holes without a purpose. I appreciate that most 3D prints are not very “clean”.
 
Pretty much exactly what I’m looking to be 3D printed in the piece in red. Long shot, but if anyone has this specific piece or even this whole setup, I’d be interested
 

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B the Nano Reefer said:
Pretty much exactly what I’m looking to be 3D printed in the piece in red. Long shot, but if anyone has this specific piece or even this whole setup, I’d be interested
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I think that’s actually two pieces - the one in the middle is the standard Kessil gooseneck adapter that I believe @Darkxerox just picked up.

I don’t know if this matters to your mission at all, just FYI.

Edit - never mind, I see you have that already and want one piece to replace it all. My B. I would say just use some 80/20 though.
 
derek_SR said:
I think that’s actually two pieces - the one in the middle is the standard Kessil gooseneck adapter that I believe @Darkxerox just picked up.

I don’t know if this matters to your mission at all, just FYI
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Yes, it’s two pieces. The gooseneck adapter is what I have on my light currently.

Looks like there is a second piece that lays under that adapter and extends outwards to attach to the LED Bars. This latter piece is what I need designed/printed unless someone wants to get creative and merge both the adapter and this piece together so it’s just one piece.
 
3d printable probably, but would require using filament that can support the weight and maybe more importantly the heat of the lights without warping. Maybe ABS or ASA filament. I personally don't have that on hand, and ASA seems to require a good filtration system (I've never tried that one).

The design would require measurements of all the things, and probably someone borrowing all of it for awhile to print various test pieces.

As a 3d printer owner, I'd probably recommend drilling the purchasable one and if you want to wrap the pieces in plastic to make it all enclosed that might work.
 
richiev said:
3d printable probably, but would require using filament that can support the weight and maybe more importantly the heat of the lights without warping. Maybe ABS or ASA filament. I personally don't have that on hand, and ASA seems to require a good filtration system (I've never tried that one).

The design would require measurements of all the things, and probably someone borrowing all of it for awhile to print various test pieces.

As a 3d printer owner, I'd probably recommend drilling the purchasable one and if you want to wrap the pieces in plastic to make it all enclosed that might work.
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All that being said, if you have an that measurements I can print you at least some test pieces for sizing. I might even have some ABS somewhere.
 
richiev said:
All that being said, if you have a that measurements I can print you at least some test pieces for sizing. I might even have some ABS somewhere.
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Thanks! Didn’t at all think about the heat element tbh. The light + blades itself wouldn’t weight very much, but the fact that the attachment would have to be pretty thin + the heat and then the weight on top of that, not sure if just any 3D printed material would work.

I have an idea to try to actually make this with a thin aluminum bar that I can cut to size, drill the necessary holes, and hopefully bend into shape. This bar that is 3/4” x 1/16” might work just right. That’s about the exact width and thickness needed. Cut this down to about 9”, drill the necessary holes, add the blade brackets at the ends and I think I could have something functional… I think.

 
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