Measure TWICE... Mount Once! Satellite Feed Horn Alignment Check Tool by Lonnie Sexton

Hello friends! Today I am sharing a different use for Amazing Mold Rubber and Amazing Crafting Products... Custom Tooling. In layman terms – I've created a custom measuring jig for mounting. This totally takes the guess work out of measuring the alignment. Works great!

R&D tooling can cost a fortune. Fortunately, I have Amazing Mold Rubber… I ran into the need for some basic measurement tooling for Ku Band Satellites. While mounting 1.2 meter parabolic reflectors (Dish), we are constantly measuring the distance between the feed horn assembly and dish to make sure they are aligned properly with each other. A process that until now was always done with a measuring tape one side at a time. This how to isn't necessarily written to make the exact same tooling, but a step by step example of custom tooling using Amazing Crafting Products.

Parts/Tools:

• Amazing Mold Rubber
• Amazing Casting Resin
• Fluorescent "FLO" Orange Dye
• Mixing Cup - (a few are included with the casting resin)
• Mixing Stick - (a few are included with the casting resin)
• Mold Release
• Poster Board
• Hot Glue Gun
• Box Knife (razor for cutting poster board)
• Ruler
• Sharpie
• Feedhorn (Primary)
• Fabric Measuring tapes
• 2 x 4 - 40 Screws

Steps:

1. Create Primary Object
2. Prepare the Part for molding
3. Make the mold box
4. Apply Mold Release
5. Mix and Amazing Mold Rubber
6. Demold
7. Attach Measuring tape

The first casting is to copy the shape of the feed-horn. To do this, I’m going to make a mold box around a section of the Feed horn neck.

Add modeling clay to the contours of the horn neck.

Create a mold box around the area I’m going to mold.

Fill any cracks with modeling clay. (note: I am using clay cautiously with casting resin. The heat will soften the clay.) Apply Mold Release to the inside of the mold box and part so the casting won’t stick to the surfaces.

Mix Amazing Casting Resin, using equal parts "A" and "B" {CLICK HERE to view mixing/preparation}. Fill the Mold Box over the part. Let Cure.

De-mold the Casting.

This casting had a few imperfections and needed a little rework. So I filled some areas in with modeling clay and molded the part with Amazing Mold Rubber.

Mold Box 2

Mix and Pour Amazing Mold Rubber. Let Cure.

De-mold the part.

Mix Amazing Casting Resin and Fluorescent "FLO" Orange Dye

per instructions {CLICK HERE to view mixing/preparation}.

Fill the Amazing Mold Rubber to safe level from the top, let cure.

De-mold.

Drill 2 small holes and attach the tape measures with 4-40 screws.

Attach the block to the mounted feed horn, clip the tape measures to the edges of the parabolic antenna.

This dish is not in alignment by approximately 1”. Likely caused by damage to the reflector or to the mounting tabs. The dish will be replaced or tabs repaired.

Thanks for stopping by. It’s not the normal crafty type project I typically share – but this handmade tool sure does come in handy!   ~ Lonnie S.

Stop by anytime to check out more exciting projects from

the Amazing Crafting Products Creative Team.

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