AGC glass fuse to blade fuse converter

[Jeff Berk]

It might be handy to have a few of these on hand in case you need a fuse and don't have the correct glass fuse on hand. It will also be handy to use with a fuse buddy to track down issues with popping fuses.

https://www.thingsnotable.com/

[zKars]

Been searching for this solution for a long time. Too bad the price is crazy. Buying 12 (comes in packs of 3, so for 10 you need to buy 4 packs of 3, or 12) are $50 USD. With exchange and shipping getting near $100 CAD. 

[Jeff Berk]

I communicated your concern with the manufacture. Note that I have no relationship financially or otherwise with him. He said that he would get back to me with a price break for club members. I'll post the details at that time.

Edited August 25, 2022 by Jeff Berk

[zKars]

9 hours ago, Jeff Berk said:

I communicated your concern with the manufacture. Note that I have no relationship financially or otherwise with him. He said that he would get back to me with a price break for club members. I'll post the details at that time.

Thanks for doing that! I fully understand the cost of developing new products on small scale and related costs, I am not surprised at the current asking price. Being is Canada and the related added costs is something I just have to factor in.

Hmmm wonder what kinda little jig I could make to bend those little clips myself….

Edited August 25, 2022 by zKars

[Jeff Berk]

I suspect that the metal clips are extruded so I have no idea how to make something like this.

[zKars]

I was thinking they are spring Stainless steel formed in a press of some sort. Would need some tension to retain the fuse blades. Just dreaming mostly.

Waiting for Captain Obvious to chime in…..

[Captain Obvious]

LOL! I was going to respond earlier, but I was out of computer time. Beer to drink and all that...

So I'm speculating that those parts are formed and NOT extruded. I would guess they are formed in the annealed state and then heat treated to a more springy condition after forming. The fact that they look completely closed where the fuse blade is inserted is interesting. My limited experience making such things says that would be difficult to achieve due to spring-back of any material when you are forming it. Hats off to them for achieving that and I'm not sure how they did it.

As far as the material, stainless is not generally known for awesome electrical conduction properties compared to copper based alloys. Stainless is also not known for great forming properties either. I would have guessed they were chrome plated brass, but their website says they are " high-strength steel", so it seems my guess would have been wrong. 

All in all, a neat idea and a well done implementation. I'm guessing the investment in tooling to make those things was not trivial. Going to have to sell a lot of them to recoup that investment.

[zKars]

AGC fuses are 0.25" diameter.

ATO fuse blades are 0.025" thick.

Buy 0.25" OD brass tubing at hobby shop, slit it the long way with a 0.020 slit, cut into AGC fuse minus 0.1" lengths 

Press the fuse blades into the slit of the little itty bitty tubie thingy. Should be tight press fit. Make slit smaller if 0.020 is too loose.

Repeat for other blade. Ensure space between tubes and total width = AGC fuse width. 

Put in AGC fuse holder. Capn Obvious will make us little plastic rods with spacers on his little itty bit lathe to go between the two tubie slitty thingys.

Done. $1.00 each.   Now where to by 0.020 slitting dremel cutting wheel or equiv.....

 

Also thought of just a generic 0.25 roll pin that already has a slit by its very nature and kinda springy in the same way. Probability of the slot being the right width is small, but if it's too small, we can fix that. Or if too big squish it in a vise until its the right size.

Looking at some roll pin spec tables, NOBODY seems to list the slit width. Just because when you use them for roll pins nobody cares how wide the slot is, jeezzzz...... Come on.... Don't make me go buy the Princess Auto/Harbor Freight variety pack, please....

Edited August 26, 2022 by zKars

[Jeff Berk]

I just received this from the inventor/distributer:

Hello Jeff, sorry for the delay
The members discount is “value15”.
This will save members 15% off the entire order.
Thank you

[Captain Obvious]

6 hours ago, zKars said:

Capn Obvious will make us little plastic rods with spacers on his little itty bit lathe to go between the two tubie slitty thingys.

I'm in.

Oh, and "Two tubie slitty thingys."    I dated her in high school.   

 

[Jeff Berk]

Although tempting to try and reverse engineering this, I think I'm going to just buy a few to keep in my tool compartment behind the seats as a just in case item.

[Captain Obvious]

Yeah, I agree. My biggest point above is that looking at this part, I would not be surprised if this seemingly simple part is more complicated than it appears because of real world materials properties.

I mean, if someone wants to try to make one for their own use, go for it. But I'm not intending to get into the fuse adapter business.