Cast iron or cast aluminum cyclops nose replacement?
 

Has anyone ever looked into having the cyclops nose/grille reproduced in either cast aluminum or cast iron? This would add some weight to the front (albeit not a bunch, but something) and more importantly it'd resolve the very common problem of the plastic ones constantly breaking.

I wonder with the new upsurge in 3D printing if parts can be printed in the near future. I would love to print parts as I need them.

To be perfectly honest, 3D printing that nose piece in plastic would be quite simple, but so-too would be to bring it to a local injection molding place and have them replicate it.

I only asked about a cast replacement because it'll be far more stout than the plastic and won't become more brittle as it ages.

Could it be done for, oh, say, $20?? :bigthink:

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...863640x446.jpg

I have seen that pic about 20 times in the last two days.

haha...


It's a great conversion, and looks nice and clean.

...but I'd like to keep the look of the cyclops exactly as it is, just make it a bit more stout.

I have found through 20 years of experience with the plastic front ends that the plastic holds up very well if you don't ram the tractor into anything solid, haul it on the road backwards and cause the hood to fly up and last but not all inclusive, don't sit/lean on the plastic.

:ThumbsUp::ThumbsUp:

You could always do this:

http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=36031


As far as your original question..... no, you won't be able to have a cast or an aluminum one made. The cost to have the die made for a one time casting would be horrific. Good luck finding someone willing to buy 100 of them to keep cost down, plus.... paying for it up front. Having a someone do an injection mold, or even a specialty fiberglass shop (someone on here does that) make one would be your best, least expensive venture.

What Mike said. I've bought plenty of them with busted plastic. I have never had a problem with one myself. The 2182 I'm working on now has a broken grill, I'll probably put a new grill on it for around $140.00. Just my 2 cents but a decent bumper would be cheap insurance if your prone to running into things. :beerchug:

I hear what both you and Mike are saying, but your post also helps make a case for it. "I've bought plenty of them with busted plastic."

I know to be careful of the plastic nose and as such, will be careful and should be able to avoid busting it. However, I don't think anyone would dispute the fact that they are not all that strong and 8 out of 10 are in some way shape or form, cracked.

That said, I do completely agree with the fact that they'd be prohibitively expensive to have reproduced without the support of many. One person shouldering that cost would be too much of a burden unless they have 10k of disposable cash lying around burning a hole in their pocket.

Think of it this way though: If the earlier IH models had plastic instead of cast iron or aluminum noses, how many of them would be damaged? Although we've all seen damaged cast noses on the IH's, they're fare more uncommon than the plastic ones.

I tried to find a picture of a bare Cyclops nose.
So assuming it is not a complicated part, it could be cast in aluminum relatively cheap. The mold can be made of sand or even made of high temp mold making RTV silicone.
Use an existing nose as a pattern to create the mold.
Melt the aluminum and pour it.