INTRODUCTION
This project is the result of compiling the best features of many other designs from within the paddle sports industry as well as other industries, merging them and creating the best paddle/fishing rod holder in the industry.
One of the other "behind the scenes" experiments we tried and now manufacture with is "family molding". We saw an opportunity to mold multiple parts in the same tool at the same time. This saves money and time for several reasons.
1. Fewer tools means less up front cost and fewer set-ups, eliminating X number of set-up charges. Think "plastic models" of old. Remember the plastic car or plane models you built as a kid; same concept. Mold the parts with a common tree, eject them together and simply snap off multiple parts during the assembly process.
2. Designing with this mindset, promotes similar materials across not only parts in this assembly but also across the different brands. Simply put, buying in bulk saves money.
3. Family molding also focuses your design into a simpler form. Complex tooling in family molding is expensive. While we certainly have some complexities that were overridden by aesthetic preference, we compromised and the tools require no hydraulic actuation outside of "line of draw".
Marching orders are as follows:
1. Make it indestructible and look the part.
2. Intuitive
3. Quiet
4. Universal
5. Inexpensive
6. Have fun!
UPDATE as of 07.29.2014
System patent is pending...
INSPIRATION
SKETCHING OUT THE CONCEPT
As mentioned, Elfa's design gave me a starting point. So I used the part we would completely discard as a sketch pad to get and idea of what the "yoke" profile should look like.
Here is a sketch of the injection molded yoke. At this point, it was important to determine parting line location for the sake of draft, tool complexity and tool cost.
the part in the lower right hand corner serves three functions; 1. Retain the mounting screw. 2. Start the screw and eliminate the need for tools. 3. Because this assembly is designed to mount to ANYTHING you can drill a single 1/4" hole into, we wanted to prevent marring of any mounting surface and offer a water resistant rubber seal.
MODELING THE PARTS
Exploded model and assembled model.
Prototype review of the assembly. The yoke and pins are printed parts.
TOOLING
These are the EDM electrodes for burning the screw retainer and lock.
James at Skyline snapped this shot for me. This is part of the heat treatment process and yes, this part is glowing!
I just had to show this picture in a larger format rather than clumping it with other tooling images. It still doesn't do it justice though.
Post heat treat tooling.
PRODUCTION PARTS
An army of yokes waiting to be assembled.
Production Assembly
Production parts in use on a large Werner bent shaft paddle.
Here is a demo video from ACK.
SPECIAL THANKS GOES TO:
Shane Benedict, Sam Spear, Wes Cobb, The Smithson Family, James, Joe, and the rest of the Skyline Plastics team.
Thanks to the whole Legacy Paddle sports team for letting me take control and do something weird.
Thanks to ACK for the great demo video and to the industry for your support.
Thanks to my wife and kids for putting up with the long hours; I love you! You're all awesome!
A final thanks to whom ever invented the long-neck beer bottle. Without you, there would have been no inspiration for the "Tool Belt" and "No-spill Beer Helmet"! COMING SOON!
