6S 18650.  First picture is battery holder.  Second picture is latch toggle.

Very cool. Bar set very high on the cool factor as always. I really like the open frame batteries and have been using similar design since seeing your version last year or whenever the first one you posted. The airplane in my photos here is a top load airplane and I used a slightly different approach to the battery retainer. The clip is actually very easy to operate. The battery rocks in and out. The frame helps stabilize the battery and prevents it from being inertially being rocked out of the clip. The whole assembly works well with a duct to blow air through the battery. This is one of the reasons I like using the cheek cowls is that I can provide cooling air directly to the battery and this installation makes it easy to see.

Thanks for the great idea to follow Howard. Full cred to you.

I too am a fan of open batteries.

Howard can you show your battery holder and how the batteries are connected? Need more details please.

Very cool approach, I use a simpler design with a Velcro pad on the bottom of the pack on the plywood mount plate (keeps it from shifting) and two industrial Velcro straps around the battery that pass through the mount plate, this has worked well and never had a battery come lose.

Quote from: Mark wood on August 16, 2026, 06:25:14 AMThe airplane in my photos here is a top load airplane and I used a slightly different approach to the battery retainer. The clip is actually very easy to operate. The battery rocks in and out. The frame helps stabilize the battery and prevents it from being inertially being rocked out of the clip.

That's a better way, I think.  You are reacting the maneuver loads with fixed structure.  The clamp doesn't have to take a very big load. 

Quote from: Paul Taylor on August 17, 2026, 06:07:02 AMHoward can you show your battery holder and how the batteries are connected? Need more details please.

Picture's on my phone.  I think it's in the shop somewhere.  I better find it anyhow.

Quote from: Howard Rush on September 01, 2026, 05:26:14 PMThat's a better way, I think.  You are reacting the maneuver loads with fixed structure.  The clamp doesn't have to take a very big load. 

I don't know if it is or not but it is nice. Want one? And it should work nicely side load. Chuck Lee was going to put one in the model he was building for me.

Quote from: Mark wood on September 01, 2026, 05:49:54 PMWant one?

Thank you, but my batteries are too fat for it.

Quote from: Paul Taylor on August 17, 2026, 06:07:02 AMHoward can you show your battery holder and how the batteries are connected? Need more details please.

Found the phone.

Quote from: Howard Rush on September 01, 2026, 08:42:46 PMFound the phone.

Why not stack them? Cooling?

Howard you are dangerous with your printer.

Cool looking.  I don't use 3D printed parts in structural roles, except for motor mounts that are intended to break at about half the force that'll bend a motor shaft.

I should probably get over that (the not trusting the 3D printing, that is).

Quote from: Paul Taylor on September 02, 2026, 07:55:28 AMWhy not stack them? Cooling?

These are equally spaced (if there were 7, it would be like the cross section of a control line cable).  I think I picked the spacing that gave the same vertical CG as the Thunderpower Prolitex 6s 2800. 

Tim, you would appreciate PETG more if you tried to pry off a PETG part that was stuck.  That's tough stuff. 

Quote from: Howard Rush on September 02, 2026, 06:34:09 PMTim, you would appreciate PETG more if you tried to pry off a PETG part that was stuck.  That's tough stuff. 

I'm still stuck (as it were) to PLA.  I'm buying a hood and a filament dryer for my printer, but it'll be for ABS.

Turns out that PETG gets wobbly at 65C, which I don't think is good enough for a motor mount, so I'm going with ABS, which is supposed to be good to 95C.

Quote from: Howard Rush on September 02, 2026, 06:34:09 PMThese are equally spaced (if there were 7, it would be like the cross section of a control line cable).  I think I picked the spacing that gave the same vertical CG as the Thunderpower Prolitex 6s 2800. 

Tim, you would appreciate PETG more if you tried to pry off a PETG part that was stuck.  That's tough stuff. 

Two tricks for sticking parts. First use some liquid glue like the bambu lags. I rarely have sticking issues with PTEG on PEI plates and liquid glue. Second is to stick them in the freezer. For ten minutes or so. Another is to use some water and a plaster scraper. If you're using a BL printer the that comes in the preloaded memory is great.

Quote from: Tim Wescott on September 02, 2026, 07:46:48 PMI'm still stuck (as it were) to PLA.  I'm buying a hood and a filament dryer for my printer, but it'll be for ABS.

Turns out that PETG gets wobbly at 65C, which I don't think is good enough for a motor mount, so I'm going with ABS, which is supposed to be good to 95C.

I have used PETG CF for motor mounts and it works until the motor gets really loaded. ABS, PC, and PAHT (nylon) work well. The PAHT doesn't glue so well. ABS is less UV resistant and Bambu labs has a variant ASA which has UV protection additives mixed in and is supposed to be better. The ASA CF is the material I've been doing a lot of structural type parts in and seems to be reasonably strong. All of the "good" ones need to be in enclosed chambers for best results. Nylon can be seriously picky but makes good sturdy parts. 

Quote from: Tim Wescott on September 02, 2026, 07:46:48 PMI'm buying a hood and a filament dryer for my printer, but it'll be for ABS.

I don't think you'll need the dryer for ABS.  I don't use a hood, but people think I should.

The most annoying thing I've seen with ABS is its tendency to shrink when it cools.  In particular, It curls up at the bottom, pulling loose from the base on the edges of the part.  PETG is better about that.  PETG doesn't stop extruding cleanly, leaving little threads when the extruder pulls away, so I use ABS for tiny parts like wee VGs. 

Quote from: Mark wood on September 04, 2026, 12:53:42 AMTwo tricks for sticking parts. First use some liquid glue like the bambu lags. I rarely have sticking issues with PTEG on PEI plates and liquid glue. Second is to stick them in the freezer. For ten minutes or so. Another is to use some water and a plaster scraper. If you're using a BL printer the that comes in the preloaded memory is great.

I was thinking of pressed-on battery end caps.  They are hard to remove from batteries.

Quote from: Howard Rush on Yesterday at 01:13:46 AMI was thinking of pressed-on battery end caps.  They are hard to remove from batteries.

My bad...  I totally read that as sticking on the plate. PETG usually doesn't on PEI but I have ruined a couple of plates with over adhesion and being too aggressive with the removal. If you have sticking, don't fight it. Put it in the deep freezer if you have one. That normally works.

I glue the end caps on with hot glue. Not as neat as your way. Maybe I need to step up my game some and once again follow your lead.

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