Hi Guys

I present my latest design 3D Printed 'Phantom 3 Gimbal Clamp with Lens Cap'

The most important difference is there are no any loads on vibration dampers. It increase damper life through stability. You don't need to use original plastic case.

You can attach your Propeller Wrench on it.

Good news for US Pilots! My design on sale in NJ,US:

http://fpvline.com/store/multicopter-accessories/282-dji-phantom-3-gimbal-clamp-with-lens-cap.html

http://www.drone-works.com/gimbal-lock-lens-protector-phantom-3/

Or, You can still buy fro Shapeways without RBF tags:

https://www.shapeways.com/product/386HV2F92/phantom-3-gimbal-clamp-with-lens-cap

PLEASE WATCH VIDEO:
[size=14.6666669845581px]

Nice idea but to be honest I have tried a very similar item ( thankfully for free ) and prefer the one that comes with the Phantom.. The original one takes me 3 seconds to put on or take off and does the job like a champ.

£22 for a piece of plastic is a little bit of a ripoff too.. Maybe at £5 to £7 maybe.. Too many trying to cash in on these things lately.. The only good bit of design I have seen 3D printed is ther Elephantom but even thats been copied to death by everyone and their granny with a 3D printer.

Would be nice if people offered the templates for free and contributed to the community..

sploodge Posted at 2015-8-14 16:54
Nice idea but to be honest I have tried a very similar item ( thankfully for free ) and prefer the o ...

Thank you very much for your comment I'm a mechanical engineer and my job about is product design.

This is very important design for phantom's so please don't look just a piece of plastic. I'm still improving this design and hundreds pilots use my design.

Firstly, I design for myself. If the design is success, I share all pilots.

This design takes time and not a ready design. After printing, I make many cleaning process.

Thanks

aemresahin@gmai Posted at 2015-8-14 17:05
Thank you very much for your comment  I'm a mechanical engineer and my job about is product desi ...

I appreciate the design.. I just don't appreciate its benefit over the stock one that comes with the P3 or that DJI sell for £4.

£22 is a little expensive for what it essential is ( a piece of plastic ). This is generally the issue overall with the 3D printing business..

Very creative and looks good.   $24.89 seems a little high. Remove before flight is a nice touch but how about remove before turning on battery.   Why did you stick a wrench on it?  Good luck and glad you and others are making innovative accessories for DJI's.

Interesting design, and it seems to address the concern someone had around storing the P3 on its side, and the dampers possibly getting deformed over time.  Of course, a package of 8 dampers is only $6 USD, and the original gimbal clamp is only $5 USD.  So, the market will decide if $24.89 USD is the right price.

Like Sploodge, I just use the original clamp.  I figure, the thing was shipped half way around the world with no issues.  Why change the one thing that seems to be working perfectly.  haha ...

The reason the item costs $24.89 is that it is manufactured on a 3D printer.  (Makerbot?)  

Unfortunately 3D printing is still a very expensive way to produce a part for sale.  This same part made in a high volume injection molding process would cost pennies per part.
  
Unfortunately the main cost of injection molding is the cost of manufacturing the mold.  (Typically $20,000 to $50,000 for a mold like this.)  So injection molding only works if you plan to sell thousands of parts to recover the cost of the mold.

I would buy it IN A HEARTBEAT..IF and only if it were printed in a material more flexible than nylon.  Nylon seems a bit too rigid for repeated placement/removal on the top of the gimbal I fear.  The wrench hanger is a nice little touch, but really not needed at all.

Shore 00 of 40 to 60, or Shore A of around 10+ would be ideal durometers, and I think still strong enough for this particular design. I know very little about 3D printing - can a softer material be used at a similar (or lower) cost? If so, SIGN ME UP!

And by the way, the Remove tag is unnecessary/almost silly; if you can't SEE this lens cover/gimbal lock, you need to go to the eye doctor as soon as possible. A nice bright color will do the job. Its very presence is all the reminder you need!  BTW - that is why my CLEAR DJI gimbal lock has been spray painted bright yellow!

By the way, this is a gorgeous and elegant design - best I have seen anywhere.  I, too, was an industrial designer for consumer products. This is a winning design in several ways.

HunterBrooks Posted at 2015-8-14 23:28
Interesting design, and it seems to address the concern someone had around storing the P3 on its sid ...

The main problem is original gimbal lock design unuseful. Assembling and dissassembling is not easy. And it can easly loose when your transport...

I like the "remove before flight" on the gimbal lock.  It might save your gimbal in case you forgot to remove it before turning on the battery.  Leaving the gimbal lock on and starting the battery is not funny.  Have you ever looked out of the window of your airliner as the aircraft is pushed back from the gate.  Check out the ground crew member who is notifying the pilot that the tug has been detached?  What is he is holding up for the pilot to see.  

Skater67 Posted at 2015-8-15 01:13
I like the "remove before flight" on the gimbal lock.  It might save your gimbal in case you forgot  ...

Ha, I used to fly, and I love watching airline pilots do their pre-flight.  Well, on someone else's plane anyway.  : )  

But I actually like the stock gimbal lock.  It seems to work well for me.  

aemresahin@gmai Posted at 2015-8-14 17:05
Thank you very much for your comment  I'm a mechanical engineer and my job about is product desi ...

Does this work with push-on ND filters?

AerialLens Posted at 2015-8-15 00:18
I would buy it IN A HEARTBEAT..IF and only if it were printed in a material more flexible than nylon ...

Yeah, I think the "Remove Before Flight" tag started with the original gimbal lock cause it's clear.  I actually forgot it once, and my heart ended up in my throat.  Luckily nothing happened.  Now I just clamp the remote controller strap onto it.  But I do like the painting idea.

Although I like the stock gimbal clamp, it seems invariably it comes loose. When my Phantom arrived the clamp was loose. I have transported it a few times and by the time I get to my destination it has come loose again. Has anyone figured how to keep it in place? Thanks

solsystem7@gmai Posted at 2015-8-25 08:14
Although I like the stock gimbal clamp, it seems invariably it comes loose. When my Phantom arrived  ...

My (original) clamp was loose in the box when I got my P3 but each time I have put it on since, it has never come off. I just slide it over the camera and then push the locating lug firmly up into the slot rather than trying to slide the lug into the slot.

colin.buckle Posted at 2015-8-25 08:37
My (original) clamp was loose in the box when I got my P3 but each time I have put it on since, it ...

Thanks I'll give it a try

mikedaniels Posted at 2015-8-14 22:40
Does this work with push-on ND filters?

Not yet, they have different dimensions. I'm working on it.

The stock version is a bit fiddle to put on, but once you get the hang of it its no different the putting a prop imo.

Hello

I found this lens cap with gimbal lock LINK

It says it is for adv/pro. Is there a difference and will now fit on standard?

Nejkoy Posted at 2016-1-15 16:36
Hello

I found this lens cap with gimbal lock LINK

It will not.

Where can I find something like this for standard version?