FOR SALE NOW: Titanium zipper pulls!

archer6817j

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Mountain View, CA
UPDATE #3

I'm excited to announce Ti pulls are now for sale...until I run out!

These pulls are slightly longer than the previous prototypes. The image immediately below shows the production pulls. I thought they looked better with a little more "meat" and you get more Ti. That's good right? Dimensions are 3/8" in diameter by about 3/4" long. The hole is meant to pass a double strand of 2mm nylon cord and the knot will disappear inside the body of the pull when seated. If you use cord that is different from what I sell, then it may not fit inside.

These are machined at Hirsch Machine, the same place that makes my Ready-Made lights. I had to drop a substantial chunk of my bank account into getting these made, so please, please spread the word to facebook, twitter, blogs, other forums, your favorite retailer of cool gear, or anything that you can think of! I really appreciate the support and none of this works without all of you folks, so thanks in advance.

Pricing:

FREE SHIPPING via USPS First Class

You get to choose your o-ring color and cord color. PayPal is really clunky and can't handle "complicated" shopping cart items so you can't have the option to mix and match colors on "batch" orders. Sorry :( However, I've included an option to order "extra" sets of o-rings ($1 per set) and cordage by the foot (1$ per foot) so it shouldn't be too painful to add a little extra :)

1 pull = $25
3 pulls = $65 (save $10)
6 pulls = $125 (save $25)

Click here to purchase directly from my website.

pulls-600.jpg


Scroll down for more example photos! Please feel free to ask questions.

Cheers,

Jason
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UPDATE #2

Okay, so I'm selling 6 of the prototype zipper pulls :) Someone already picked up 2 in person. I need to keep 5 for samples.

Price is $25 each with your choice of o-ring color, and if you want, a hank of the yellow/purple spectra pictured. I know that's a tad high but keep in mind these are hand made on a manual lathe by yours truly :) The quote I got from the machine shop to do 300 pcs works out to a retail of $27.50 ... so these are a bargain :)

O-Ring COLORS (you get any 3 with your purchase. Extra sets of 3 are $1.00 each):
  • Blue (Fluorosilicone to match the Alpha)
  • Black (Nitrile)
  • Green (High Temp Nitrile)
  • Orange-Red (Silicone)
  • White (GITD Green Silicone)
Cord Colors:
  • Black
  • Orange
  • Grey w/ Black stringer
$25 per pull (plus 1m of cord)

First "I'll take it" puts you in line. Please PM me your PayPal address and your o-ring color (black, blue, green, GITD green, red) and I'll send you an invoice. You'll have 48 hours to make payment or the next person gets your pulls :)

Shipping is free via USPS first class. If you want USPS Priority Mail it will be $6 in the US, $12 for Mexico and Canada, $15 everywhere else that's international.
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Hi all, the original post is below the dotted line. This is an update :)

The image below is my 3rd prototype introduced later in the thread (jump to this post for more images) and I've made a literal handful of these available for sale in this post.

Cheers,

Jason

pull-carhart.jpg


(below) your cord options

cord-3up.jpg


pull-group.jpg


DSC_2248.jpg


DSC_2263.jpg


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Okay, totally random and I should be concentrating on other things but I thought these would be pretty cool. Ti zipper pulls anyone? The image below is just a random design. No idea on the cost...probably in the neighborhood of $20 each with volume discounts available. I'd need to run at least a 12 foot bar of these which would come out to around 150 pcs. If there is enough interest these should be pretty easy to knock out...I'd have these done at a machine shop.

Since I know someone is going to ask, tritium isn't an option unless there is a lot of interest. I'd actually have to find a new machine shop :)

zipper-pull-600.jpg
 
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Joined
Jun 8, 2011
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Location
france
Re: FEELER: Titanium zipper pulls?

How will it fasten to the zip?

But looks really cool!!

Keep investigating, nice, really nice design!!
 

precisionworks

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Benton Illinois
Re: FEELER: Titanium zipper pulls?

Since I know someone is going to ask, tritium isn't an option
You'll sell a ton if trit slots are included. No need to provide the vials as there are lots of places to buy them.

Without slots you'll still sell them. With the slots you'll sell 5x more.

I'd need to run at least a 12 foot bar of these
I usually buy 24" sticks when I'm prototyping anything in Ti 6-4. Why the need to run 144"?

With that clean & simple design it could be run on any manual lathe equipped with flood coolant - and probably keep the price close to the same.
 
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archer6817j

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Messages
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Mountain View, CA
Re: FEELER: Titanium zipper pulls?

I usually buy 24" sticks when I'm prototyping anything in Ti 6-4. Why the need to run 144"?

Mind sharing where you buy your Ti? McMaster is easy but really expensive. I also plan to have these done at a shop with a CNC lathe so it would make sense to run a full bar (all costs considered) if they are going to bother to turn the machine on :)

I was actually thinking you could put GITD o-rings in the grooves of the design above, ore leave it bare. I suppose I could do a different design with trit slots so other folks could install their own trits. When I find 15 free minutes I'll throw up another design if people want to see a version with trit slots :) If you post it will be more motivation to get it done!

Maybe I can make a couple of aluminum ones just to see what they look like in person.
 

precisionworks

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Re: FEELER: Titanium zipper pulls?

where you buy your Ti? McMaster is easy but really expensive.
McMaster is my normal source because they carry all the standard diameters in Ti 6-4 and delivery is next day. EBay is the first place to check but diameter selection is hit or miss - there was some new material on EBay in .750" OD but my job needed .625" OD. I did a quick cost out that compared the McMaster material (which was near net size) and the EBay item (which needed to be turned down .125" every time a part was done & the material was pulled forward out of the collet) - McM cost far less when the cycle times were compared. IF you can find the correct diameter & the length you need EBay can be less expensive.

I could do a different design with trit slots so other folks could install their own trits.
Trit slots are a big deal today. Keep a bottle of NOA61 in the shop & some of your customers will want you to install their trits. If you decide to offer this service be careful how you price it as trit installation is a real time eater.
 

persco

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Toronto, ON
Re: FEELER: Titanium zipper pulls?

These look fantastic. I agree that trits (w/installation service) would be a very, very attractive offering.
 

AZPops

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Jul 9, 2011
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1,640
Re: FEELER: Titanium zipper pulls?

Cool, but aren't there other projects you should be working on? ....
thTappingfoot.gif







Juuuust Kidding! ...
Smokinsmiley.gif
 

egrep

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right here
Re: FEELER: Titanium zipper pulls?

I'll take one or more. Trits are a plus. Steve charges $2 for trit installation. FWIW.
 

archer6817j

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Mountain View, CA
Re: FEELER: Titanium zipper pulls?

Hi all, still on the brain but not sure when it will happen. I might put up a trit design and do a poll on which one people want to buy. If there is enough interest in both I can do both. In the mean time feel free to bring up any ideas or encouragement you might have :) I don't think I'll even do prototypes on these...just go from 3D model straight to production...so weigh in if you have thoughts!

I'm going to say these are 30-60 days away so warm up yer wallets :devil:

Right now I'm thinking the version as depicted above will accept GITD o-rings in the slots...add as many as you want and retail for about $20. The trit version (we haven't seen yet) will probably be $25 not including trits. These prices are also a total guess so they could go up or down but I think it's a reasonable starting point.
 
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archer6817j

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Mountain View, CA
Re: FEELER: Titanium zipper pulls?

Okay, I had a couple minutes to throw away in the shop yesterday and I made a zipper pull. When I started my intent was to do the teardrop shaped one, but after making some cuts I was liking how this "pill" shape was turning out. Nice, simple, functional. Anyway, what do you think? Obviously this one can't accept trits but it does take GITD o-rings! Or black. Or blue (fluorosilicone) to match your Alpha :) A trit version might be down the road but I thought this would be a good place to start. Any interest/comments/suggestions?

If I make any of these I'd do nickel plated aluminum (again, matching the Alpha) as well as some Ti beads. Please post your preference (or both) so I can get a feel for the level of interest.

No idea on cost at the moment but expect it to be close to "industry" standard. Ti should be more than the nickel aluminum.

Also, keep in mind these are zipper pulls and not lanyard beads. On this first prototype the hole is sized to pass two strands of 2mm spectra. If you "must" be able to use these with paracord, let me know and we can take that into consideration. However, because of the grooving, there is a max size for the through hole...unless I make the entire thing larger.

Diameter (over the o-rings) : .375:
Length: .5"

Cheers!

Jason

pull-2.jpg


pull-1.jpg


pull-glow.jpg
 

JAYKAY75

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Mar 6, 2012
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Zurich, Switzerland
Re: FEELER: Titanium zipper pulls?

Hey Jason,

Beautiful, defenitely count me in for some Ti.
I like the "pill" shape a lot more than your initial "teardrop" design, great work :)
Where would I get the o-rings?

Cheers,
Jan
 

archer6817j

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Joined
Aug 9, 2010
Messages
830
Location
Mountain View, CA
Hey Jason,

Beautiful, defenitely count me in for some Ti.
I like the "pill" shape a lot more than your initial "teardrop" design, great work :)
Where would I get the o-rings?

Cheers,
Jan

Ah good question. At this point my plan is to supply them, barring any sourcing issues :)
 

Bigmac_79

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Kansas
Re: FEELER: Titanium zipper pulls?

That looks very impressive!

Just my 2 cents, it might look good if you make it slightly larger (or use slightly smaller o-rings) so that the o-rings are more on line with the rest of the body, giving it a more sleek look, instead of a ridged look.
 

sassaquin

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Mar 10, 2011
Messages
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Location
Massachusetts
Re: FEELER: Titanium zipper pulls?

Very nice, really like the simplicity of the pill shape. I'm in for two if you offer the blue fluorosilicone o-rings, that shade of blue looks so classy against the nickel plated aluminum on the Alphas. :)
 
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