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Also note that in this first batch I probably won't have enough for everyone...so maybe ones and twos to start.

Note that I am not making buttons (yet anyway) just clips. I got the clips waterjet cut from thicker annealed spring steel with longer legs for forming. Now we are working on making the forming dies - then once formed we will heat treat into hard/springy state.

getting closer

Got a new guy at work to help on this. Figured out we need to make the legs longer for forming. Back to the Waterjet...

Working on it again! :roll:

Yes, hopefully just some fine tuning and then off to be heat treated from the annealed state back to spring temper.

Status is still the same. Still on my desk waiting for play-around time. Current work situations don't look promising but I'll see if I can make some time. Keep reminding me.

Still fiddling with bending die designs. Not as easy as hoped and got too busy to give full attention.

Maybe the plunger sticks up and the next time the cam comes around, it hits the button on the side and knocks it off.

Agree. I think that's why mine wouldn't start after sitting 20 years. I recommend soaking with kroil or whatever before startup. But why do they sometimes fall off when the truck is being driven regularly? Debris in fuel? Chunk of filter media or even fibers maybe could wedge the plunger.

UPDATE (finally!) I finally have a lull in the machine shop, so I have one of my guys making the dies to bend the legs of the clips.

Update: Have a trial run of 10 pcs waterjet cut and need to get in the machine shop to make the bending/forming jigs, but we are overbooked for a while. Having a hard time finding good manual machinists.

Just a quick crude bend to test the material. I'll be making a jig for forming of course.

Got test piece from waterjet, I'm liking it. Forms/bends well and is nice and strong even before heat treat. Going to have him add some more meat to the O.D. and then we'll make the forming jig.

Got the annealed sheet in...now off to waterjet...again.

The little three-pronged clip that holds the little rocker button on the end of the shaft.

I got the sample parts from Seth (thanks!) and finally got some time to work on making a jig to form the clips. Gave one of my guys a promotion to take some load off me. Turns out the waterjet guy cut them from spring steel not in the annealed state, so they break when I attempt to form the...

This has been a frustrating one. First someone lost the clip sample gimp sent me, so he sent another. Waterjet guy cut the clips and sent them to me but not without consulting me re: Heat treat etc. also kept the sample clip. I have an IP I found laying in the dirt at a boneyard but I can't get...