PVC NiCad battery holders for cordless drills

[Norm]

Worked some more on 14.4 cordless drill PVC NiCad battery holders.
For TomW and my 14.4 cordless drills .
Now to make holders to hold and connect to the drills.
Fun
Norm.

[tomw]

Worked some more on 14.4 cordless drill PVC NiCad battery holders.
For TomW and my 14.4 cordless drills .
Now to make holders to hold and connect to the drills.
Fun
Norm.

Can't wait! I keep missing you on IRC but heard your Doc Wattson arrived.  Hopefully you can read my hen scratching notes.

Tom

[Norm]

It works biggest problem attaching it to original top container tonight even that will be all right
enclosing it might be difficult I don't want to make the mistake that I did on the E-cane.......
who would have thought that painting it with that plastic paint would have shrunk the PVC so
you would have to drive the batteries into the tube with a ram rod ?......but it did !
    So I'll have to make a fiberglas container with a waxed cardboard form the shape of the 
4 tubes that it will contain.
     Don't want it to look like some bailing wire, twine,duct tape, and hot glue contraption.
I figure about a week more but it will be well worth it ....promise !
Norm

[Wolvenar]

Cant wait to see pics :-)

[Norm]

For most anyone that has ever replaced the cells in a NiCad cordless drill PAC,
this PVC tube PAC will be really appreciated .....
 One of the cells gone bad ? even with 3 cells in a unit you can quickly spot
which one has the bad one in it and since you have a bunch of standby units
you simply replace the 3 cell unit .
  It's kinda hard to explain here unless you've experienced it for yourself.
I just finished replacing the cells in 3 PACs by the regular way took me all weekend.
all these cells were tested with PVC NiCad battery holders to make sure that they
would ALL be good ....cause it sure is a PITA if you find that you have a bad one
after all that soldering tabs.
  Now if I can ever convince people that this PVC way is better than buying replacement
PACs at $25 or so ...........
I'm going to start making the fiberglass body to hold the PVC tubes today 
(brrr.. it cold out in the shed today 42F gonna need lots of nice hot coffee )
Norm.

[Norm]

everyday I work on the cell holder for cordless drills ....cold weather has been slowing me down
not to mention the endless modifications.....I've finally settled on a good model that I'm going to stick with.
I've decided to not use the tubes for others use .....looks too bulky and clumsy ......I've made a container
that holds 6  batteries  2 cells stacked endwise in each and although the batteries can be removed and
replaced ....later on they will remain in the container unless some of the cells happen to go south the user
of these will have 3 or 4 containers that can be kept charged and ready to go .
The end plates have two wooden dowels that run from one end to the other as shown.
one end plate has contact points and the other end has springs.
   Right now I'm working on the top where the base of the drill is slid on and plugged in
Once I go into production on this type I'll use a router to make the channel that the drill slides into .
Here are some pictures of what I have so far ....crude but not pretty.
 
Hope you like 'em .
Norm.

[tomw]

Hey, Norm;

That drill looks very familiar!

What is the box made of?

Can't wait to try one.

Tom

[niall]

looks good Norm....

"later on they will remain in the container unless some of the cells happen to go south the user"

its nice to pick the good cells from the bad ones ...and keep the pack going ...i like model planes, so one bad cell can ruin your day .......

there was a company here ( alas now defunct i think ...that made beautiful custom hardwood pc casings .... ) ....the idea was to be renewable .......a walnut or cheaper beech aged pc casing ...something you would want to keep ...not like steel

.......and throw away

[Norm]

BTW this is the first step I take when replacing cells in cordless drill batteries
http://www.anotherpower.com/board/index.php/topic,858.0.html
then when I get enough I solder the one end to the neg. end of the next battery
in the series.....simple process once you get the hang of it .
actually the part about them saying you have to have a spot welder and spot weld
the tabs on is just another couple of ways to either sell you a spot welder or let
them do it for $$$$s actually soldering I think provides better contact and doesn't
damage the cell by heat as they would like you to believe.
Norm.