DIY Ebike S01E05: Home made power tool silicone mold for Kobalt 24V electric bike battery

Fifth video in this Ebike series. This time I will be making a silicone-corn starch mold (mold for Americans, mould for the rest of the world!) to form the base of the power tool so I can insert my batteries in. Of all of the ebike projects, this is the project that consumes the most of my time! (Partly because I failed so many times!) So seat back, relax, and enjoy!

[@fenderstratguy]

You are one of the best explainers on KZbin. You say the minimum number of words but you get the point across very clearly!

[@mgpadi]

My and my kids love to watch your videos. We watch all you ebike and power battery tool videos repeatedly, we are going to power their Razor mx 650 and mx 350 with power tool batteries. I'm also going to convert my wife's bicycle to an ebike because she has a bad knee. Thanks you your videos. We truly enjoy them and please keep Making them. Also a side note my son loves your voice/accent.

[@QuentinQuark]

man, your dedication to DIY is awe-inspiring!

[@vuaeco]

Thanks. Much appreciated.

[@stevekent3991]

I love watching your videos, a combination of great creativity with bits of humour. I’m with you when it comes to keeping the 18650 cells in the power tool battery packs. Instead of going to the effort you have made to make your own terminals I simply purchased a bunch of Makita spare part terminals for my Makita batteries. They are relatively cheap and fit perfect as you would expect.

[@KennethCAdams-zc7zk]

Where did you buy them ?? And exactly what do get ??

[@jimmymac601]

This was fantastic and I was able to make an adapter for some old Skil 18v tools that still work great. I make a couple of changes to the process. One is for the non-stick part and instead of vegetable oil I used vegetable spry (PAM). That got into all of the hard to reach places. The other was to use a plastic food bag and cut the tip and piped it into the tool get 100 percent coverage in the hard to reach places. This works great if you don't have access to a 3D printer.

[@brandonpersing2817]

You are awesome I love watching your videos! You have been an inspiration!! Keep it up

[@jimk4vw138]

I also have two sets of the Skil 18 volt tools. I could make a Makita battery adapter and keep using the Skil for years. The Skil tools do work great.

[@Tonyplat98]

Thanks for awesome video. I'm a lazy guy and would not do this myself but i can appreciate all the hard work that went into making this battery and e-bike

[@vuaeco]

It's hard work but very rewarding. I can feel it when silently I zip through a line of traffic to get straight to the first on the line to go! And yes, lane splitting is legal here! :)

[@Tonyplat98]

That is awesome. I have an e-bike with a mid-drive bbshd and i love it. I'm way faster than cars stuck in traffic jams. and those are very often here in the big city :) cheers.

[@jjackson3240]

Just found this. Very good. I did the same thing with DeWalt 36 volt batteries for my 72 volt ebike back in 2006. Apparently great minds think alike. Oh yeah. It still works.

[@theredneckwizard8738]

Another great video. Well done. I love your ingenuity.

[@Rihtwise1208]

A hack I've been waiting for! Thanks my man! ...Love your channel, btw!

[@georgeherman8826]

Very clever and creative. Thumbs up.

[@roshtatem]

You can get battery mounts on amazon to fit these

[@achmadmunif]

im a big fan, great job mate, keep up the good work !!!

[@JustPeaceLoveAndKindness]

I love it! Thank you for this hack. Hope you are well thru this virus thing!!

[@xedge1757]

Great idea, you're too cool mate!!

[@renosmaster]

Excellent idea , good stuff man . Thanks for sharing

[@vp2777]

Brilliant ! Keep doing similar diy projects :)

[@carloscardova4221]

Amazing Vuaeco Thanks for the video I LIKE IT OH YEAH!

[@suoppsdn9751]

Thanks for the video. Love your accent. I am trying to make an adapter for my craftsman cordless power tools so I can use lithium batteries instead of the old NiCd batteries. Thanks for sharing. I might can figure out how to make an adapter to use Porter cable lithium batteries with my old craftsman cordless power tools hopefully. Or I might try to use cheaper lithium batteries with my craftsman cordless power tools. Thanks again

[@u5T30]

nice work, I'm impressed:-)

[@dehoffe]

thanks for the vidoe, excatly what i was looking for.

[@oldtimeengineer26]

Good job nice way to make better use of tools and such

[@PocketBrain]

I'm using the Kobalt 24V batteries for my ebike build too, but I'm 3D printing the battery docks. ;-) This looks like a great way to make them without dropping a wad of cash on a printer, though.

[@vuaeco]

Yes, 3D printer cost a lot. Not only the printer but also the filaments (ink). Also, this is not a single piece of plastic. It has metal clips embedded inside it. How do you mount the 2 metal clips onto the dock? (I assume your 3D printer cannot print metal?). The advantage of making a mold is once you get a good mold, you can make as many copies as you want, much faster and much cheaper than printing.

[@PocketBrain]

My first version, I made channels for some flattened copper tubing. The latest revision will use quick-disconnect terminals (crimped).

[@lifehackertips]

vuaeco you can get 3D printers now for about $100 with free US shipping on ebay.

[@1FishinAddict]

Link to stl files?

[@michaelthibault7930]

Once you've selected a mass-manufactured plastic box (5 sides) that snugly fits around, and just contains, the part you'll be using for reference (e.g. the base of your power tool), does it not make sense to: pour a silicone negative of the interior of the box; pour a silicone negative of that (to re-create the molding box in an easily-removed flexible rubber form); make your first negative of your object, in silicone, within the silicone molding box; and _then_ make the negative of the negative of the object of interest? This way, there's the opportunity to practice with the mix before it's 'complicated' by complex shapes, but also you get the benefit of a long-lived, flexible box that you can re-use. One question I have concerns the apparent shrinkage of the fiberglass resin: does the shrinkage depend on the amount of hardener added? IOW, can less hardener + longer cure times result in less shrinkage with the same net hardness?

[@bamboofarmer439]

hello, I would like to let you know that you have very good videos. ready enjoy what you do.

[@vuaeco]

Thank you.

[@KennethCAdams-zc7zk]

You should mention that using the corn starch helps the silicone set up and dry properly . I tried pure silicone and could not get it to dry where the silicone was very thick . Days later it was still liquid inside . Corn starch seems to cure this problem [pun intended] . Also measuring 30% corn starch to silicone ratio is not easy . how do you measure it ? Eyeball ?

[@vuaeco]

Yes, it was all measured by eyeballs :)

[@KennethCAdams-zc7zk]

Thanks for your video . It inspired me to make 15 epoxy/mesh adapter plates to convert my old Makita tools to use Lithium slide batts

[@RogerBY]

awesome job bud

[@michaelthibault7930]

This is an interesting and useful video as it illustrates, very well, how to create molds to exactly replicate a part in-hand. I can see how it might be used to create a top-and-bottom pair of objects to mate two physically dissimilar but electrically compatible battery systems (e.g. Brand A batteries for use will Brand B cordless appliances). However, this project is really about cabling i.e. creating a means to reliably and securely 'tap' a particular battery's terminals and carry power to some device not equipped with the necessary physical interface. As such, the goal might well have been accomplished more simply.

[@VladimirYerokhin]

when you say "the goal might well have been accomplished more simply" - can you please explain how so? I'm very interested, but don't want to create the mold.

[@michaelthibault7930]

Yoiks! What was I thinking a year ago? Lesseee… The intermediate steps are the making of the negative of the battery terminals and baseplate, plus the pouring of the resin for the positive block that holds the blades of the connectors. That seems to have taken 10 hours for the cure time alone. IIR(emember)C, I thought it would be easier to make the eventual block directly, in one step, using the silicone+cornstarch, pre-positioned blades (with soldered or screwed-down connectors, appropriate dams and dikes, directly on the charger. The inclusion of the locking interface on the connector shown (created) in the video is a nice touch, but it shouldn't be necessary -- strictly speaking. You need 'just enough' of the physical dimensions of the charger interface (the negative space of the battery, in a sense), where the business gets transacted, to be included in the eventual block. The block serves to translate a particular (proprietary) arrangement of conductive blades and sheaths to a more commonly-available connector. Creating the block out of silicone, directly, saves many hours of waiting, and is more economical and produces less waste. Also, since the silicone+cornstarch cures quickly, it's a quick process to create a new one should it be necessary. Not knocking the video nor the creator of the video; there's a lot of useful information and insight in there. However, simpler is usually better, as long as the result is fit for purpose.

[@tohopes]

Where would we be without disposable gloves?

[@Texaca]

I think you needed to use a release agent 7:30 so that your silicone mold will separate properly from the drill.. I give ya 5 stars for effort, thanks for putting on youtube. Oh and should cover your tools 5:20 with Glade Cling-wrap or some kind of Cellophane Wrapper. Good Job

[@yocvegas8397]

Beautiful

[@Feritjk]

Hi, did you use the same BMS in the tool batteries to increase the amperage of the batteries?

[@earthenergyhex]

very clever

[@laserfalcon]

Well done, creative

[@mrgreenswelding2853]

Thats polyester resin not polyurethane. Good video!, keep it up?!

[@mirriulahwaterdog]

Geee... thats a beautiful 'baby' - tool

[@vuaeco]

LOL

[@ericschleicher]

This is great... but you need a 3d printer. If you have access to one, I can send you a 3d-model for a generic adapter for the Kobalt battery.

[@tomvogel492]

I need one of these adapters with a 3d mold. I do not have a printer. Want to sell me a finished product?

[@gerardjachymiak5822]

a 3d prited version would not be a rugid

[@Pushyhog]

Polyester resin with hardner. Any auto parts store. U can use cotton flox too./cheap. Aircraftspruce. In corona.

[@biggregg5]

Excellent. It does seem like something I could screw up though. 2 questions: For a less screwupable alternative, you could embed the aluminum clips in a block of wood and strap them down, couldn't you? and The middle metal clip you don't need to put in....it's only purpose is for charging, and the piece is on me for discharge....Am I correct?

[@biggregg5]

.....the piece is on only for discharge....is what I meant to say.

[@vuaeco]

1. Yes, a less screwupable alternative is to use a block of wood and embed aluminum clips in it. I made that video a while back and you can see it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6uldZWBl7Sdb9k 2. The middle clip is for charging only-without removing the battery. But then I'll need to connect the clips to the 3 pins on my charger to charge it. The middle clip is not necessary to be on the casting mold. You can just remove the battery and put in your charger to charge it.

[@biggregg5]

+vuaeco ok....I understand now. I was assuming that you were going to pull the batteries to charge....but you don't need to with the middle clip in.....got it! thanks. Every time I think you haven't thought something through, you prove me wrong.

[@BenjasUberHobby]

New sub I LIked your video :) I have been enjoying your bike build :) Thanks for sharing :)

[@geamanuentertainment696]

on you bike connected with 2 battery , have more volt or amp?

[@StudentTrader]

How much run time you get out of this? Love the videos man really help me out!

[@rachidziadi5050]

Great job.

[@oscar33127]

Ok thank u my freand love u videos keep up the good work u diy r the dest 😉😊

[@vuaeco]

Thanks Oscar. :D

[@biggregg5]

whether I do it or not exactly like you, I'm not sure, but I admire you creativity, and am sure that when you are finished with the series, you videos will definitely be my guideline for making electric bikes for my grandchildren. Then for me. I'm a big guy 250#, so maybe at some point, when the time comes you could advise me on a frame that won't break when I'm going 30 mph so I don't die. 😍 Also, kits for small bikes for small children?

[@vuaeco]

Don't know if its a coincidence or not but I've been also thinking about making a smaller ebike. One that's small enough for small children to ride. But comfortable enough for an adult so that I can bring it boxed and checked in baggage to an airport when I'm flying. That way, when I get off the airport, I just need to unbox my ebike and off I go. No need for a taxi, uber, or waste anyone of my family time to come and pick me up at the destination airport. That would be a cool way to travel!

[@biggregg5]

+vuaeco I'll stay tuned to see what you come up with. Maybe, one if these days, I'll be able to return the favor and have an idea that you find useful.

[@christopherlastname7638]

I used play doe to make a molded !

[@vuaeco]

Good choice.

[@gordocar3520]

amazing...

[@chefkendranguyen]

You're just practical. I appreciate that. You come up with solutions for stuff without over engineering everything. Quick question, can you buy all this stuff in this project from Home Depot or Lowes?

[@vuaeco]

Thanks Chef. All this stuff was purchased from Lowe's with the exception of the corn starch which I stole from my wife! Home Depot would sell the same things but I used Lowe's because I had coupons and discounted gift cards that significantly reduced the cost.

[@chefkendranguyen]

Cool, thanks. I might try this because I simply can't help myself. lol

[@vuaeco]

Great! If you need help, just message me and I'll help you if I can.

[@chefkendranguyen]

Cool, I'll keep that in mind. :)

[@oscar33127]

Hey my Freand can I use 2 of the same battery for a 36v pack on a scooter schwinn 350 watts ??

[@vuaeco]

You can use these for your 36V motor. But you probably need to upgrade your motor controller to 48V. Installing these on a 36V controller might burn it.

[@paul1349]

good job

[@buymygoods9757]

24:18 charging tool battery packs

[@atticus2581]

Hook up those little 5 volt friction generators...... ebike with an alternator lol.

[@powerbatterychannel4315]

Great! Thanks!

[@minivantraveling7857]

Wear a vent mask, then you no get headache.

[@vannakr25]

Well done!! Watched til the iPhone battery died... lol

[@conservative1342]

I just stick two pennies into the connectors and let the current weld them on LOL

[@Pushyhog]

What about the harbor freight drill, lot cheaper.

[@vuaeco]

HF drill is ok, not a lot cheaper though. They have brushed motors. But the biggest downside is they are 20V, not 24V. Most electric vehicles are 12/24/48 or 72V. So 20V is like an odd ball. :D

[@jyotirani8232]

its bulky, better to use pvc

[@vintagecameras9623]

cool

[@kadircinkaya]

💯❤

[@immrnoidall]

You could have bought it cheaper ,on ebay/amazon. just sating.

[@vuaeco]

Not in the year of 2017

[@jerryjordan677]

🤨

[@gudrunhiemisch3469]

RV

[@Feritjk]

Vu