Canopy release Pushrod

I'm having trouble fabricating the pushrods. My holes are not parallel. When I tried cutting the slots they weren't perpendicular and the cuts were not centered. Any tips? PG 35-16 for reference.

Waking this thread up - Same Problem

Does anyone have any hints on how to do this? This is 35-16 for reference. Despite making two sets of these, I am still having trouble getting the slots and holes to line up. Clearly I won't quit my day job and apply down at the machine shop

So far I have tried to put a bolt in a piece of wood thinking that would help give me a reference once the first hole is drilled but because it tends to pivot a little it still ends up with holes that are not aligned. Also cutting the slots parallel on both sides seems like a difficult task. How did people achieve this, or am I just looking at the problem incorrectly? This seems like a part which would be great to have pre-fabricated by Vans.

Thanks!

JDBoston said:

Does anyone have any hints on how to do this? This is 35-16 for reference. Despite making two sets of these, I am still having trouble getting the slots and holes to line up. Clearly I won't quit my day job and apply down at the machine shop

So far I have tried to put a bolt in a piece of wood thinking that would help give me a reference once the first hole is drilled but because it tends to pivot a little it still ends up with holes that are not aligned. Also cutting the slots parallel on both sides seems like a difficult task. How did people achieve this, or am I just looking at the problem incorrectly? This seems like a part which would be great to have pre-fabricated by Vans.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

I used the bolt idea in the first hole, which helped align the second hole in each of those rods. Use a drill press, not a hand-held drill, and clamp down the rod in a v-shaped channel to limit lateral motion while drilling (I made a v-shaped channel in a piece of wood). Drill slooowly, checking the alignment often. Small pilot hole first, and final-size with a reamer. Then for the slots, use the bolts to help with horizontal alignment to start cutting the slot using a bandsaw. Once the slot has been started, remove the bolt on the side being cut, but leave the bolt in the side not being cut to aid with alignment. The slot won't be wide enough, so expand using a dremel with a cutoff wheel and/or a thin file. Hope this helps.

-Alex

If I remember correctly, I marked the cut lines including the depth one. Then I put it in a v block and fed it into the bandsaw. I used the bandsaw to nibble away at the material until I got it right. It worked surprising well.