H960 blank panel clips

[Tothwolf]

On Mon, 27 Jul 2015, John Wilson wrote:
> On Mon, Jul 27, 2015 at 11:58:36AM -0400, Noel Chiappa wrote:
>
>> Saw this auction for a pair of H960 blank front panel clips:
>>
>>  http://www.ebay.com/itm/391207099375
>>
>> and though I'd pick them up... until they went for $30 (including 
>> shipping),at which point I decided I'd go back to my previous plan to 
>> fabricate some out of some scrap wood, and a pair of screws.
>>
>> Time to find someone who can do injection molding... (I don't think 
>> these could be 3D printed, the necks of the bulb-heads are under a lot 
>> of stress when removing panels, they often snap off; will 3D printed 
>> parts be that strong?)
>
> This is a great idea!  I feel bad for never getting around to 
> investigating injection molding, since it seems to be one of the few 
> surviving industries (that and making wire) here in Western Mass., and 
> I'd love to be able to fix (or build from scratch?) lights-'n-switches 
> front panels.  I only got far enough to find that there are eBay vendors 
> who will make molds for you.
>
> The only thing here is, it's a *terrible* design.  Those damn nubs snap 
> off so easily (I'm sure decades of outgassing haven't helped), even when 
> you're expecting it and being super careful.  Making more of the same 
> seems like just more heartbreak.  So I'd be inclined to do a better 
> design where the posts are made of metal (or at least have a screw or 
> stud through them for extra strength).

Are the original parts made of nylon? If so, that might explain the 
tendency for them to break. Nylon 6/6 is hygroscopic, and over a long 
period of time, it could very well be swelling up just enough so the bulb 
portions are more likely to break off.