Armrest by tb
05-24-2004, 12:38 AM
#1
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Armrest by tb
Here's the mount for the armrest painted black. The Armrest itself will be mounted using two rods, like the headrest for your seats. This armrest mount will actually take any armrest you'd like and requires no modification to your center console. It is a perfect fit into you console and is leveled out to make sure the armrest mounts level with the seats. I've been working on this for a little over a week for a few hours a day and finally have gotten something that I'd want to have in my car. Even though you may not see this piece, I still wanted it look like a "real" part.
How many of you would be interested in this if I could start producing them. It would take me a couple days to get them made, but can only probably do them in batches of 2-3 at a time. Don't want to get overloaded and start cutting corners on them. The piece is practically almost perfect. From looking at the pictures take notice of the lines where they meet the console. I will take a pic of it in the console when the paint dries fully.
What do you guys think? Do-able?
How many of you would be interested in this if I could start producing them. It would take me a couple days to get them made, but can only probably do them in batches of 2-3 at a time. Don't want to get overloaded and start cutting corners on them. The piece is practically almost perfect. From looking at the pictures take notice of the lines where they meet the console. I will take a pic of it in the console when the paint dries fully.
What do you guys think? Do-able?
05-24-2004, 05:23 AM
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the armrest (part #21035626) itself does require a little modification to make it useable.
the price for the armrest is $48.49 from Saturn. for the modification to it and the price of GAS (yea, gas
) i'd say $55.00 for the armrest. I have to order them from Saturn and it will take a couple days.
for the mount, i will do a group buy, if I can get enough people involved and sell the armrest and all for $125.00. after that i'd say it'd be probably $150.00 with everything included.
right now i'm trying to expand my options on how to reproduce them. I will be making a mold of the mount and try using different materials, i.e. plaster of paris to fill the mold.
i'll post when i get the armrest mounted to the mount. i'm still playing with ideas to mount the armrest to the mount, so it may be a couple days before i come up with something. i spent a lot of time making only the mount because i figured it could be univseral to use with any armrest with a little modification to the armrest to make it fit on the mount, so in reality you don't really need to use the Saturn armrest if you don't want to, it's just that that's what I'm using so that's what i'm going to sell the armrest kit with.
if anyone's interested with this price then let me know and i'll start working towards making the mold and pushing out some mounts. i'm going to do a group buy for 3 people. if you'd like to see the armrest before you buy it and you live in SoCal area then that's fine with me. Lemme know what you guys think.
the price for the armrest is $48.49 from Saturn. for the modification to it and the price of GAS (yea, gas
) i'd say $55.00 for the armrest. I have to order them from Saturn and it will take a couple days.for the mount, i will do a group buy, if I can get enough people involved and sell the armrest and all for $125.00. after that i'd say it'd be probably $150.00 with everything included.
right now i'm trying to expand my options on how to reproduce them. I will be making a mold of the mount and try using different materials, i.e. plaster of paris to fill the mold.
i'll post when i get the armrest mounted to the mount. i'm still playing with ideas to mount the armrest to the mount, so it may be a couple days before i come up with something. i spent a lot of time making only the mount because i figured it could be univseral to use with any armrest with a little modification to the armrest to make it fit on the mount, so in reality you don't really need to use the Saturn armrest if you don't want to, it's just that that's what I'm using so that's what i'm going to sell the armrest kit with.
if anyone's interested with this price then let me know and i'll start working towards making the mold and pushing out some mounts. i'm going to do a group buy for 3 people. if you'd like to see the armrest before you buy it and you live in SoCal area then that's fine with me. Lemme know what you guys think.
05-24-2004, 06:16 AM
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Nice work man. How does the color match the Scion interior. It's hard to tell from the pictures because camera flash always makes color differences stand out. Any chance of recovering them or ordering them in black? Also, it looks like the e brake is relatively assessable. How easy is it to get to?
05-24-2004, 02:28 PM
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the armrest is actually supposed to be black, or what Saturn calls "black." It's more towards a gray color, but it does match the console's color, I don't think the console is a true black, it's more of a flat/faded black and the armrest matches it closely. I could always use vinyl paint and color them black. The top of the armrest isn't really cushiony so I don't think painting it will be a problem with vinyl paint, since it's flexible paint anyways. Probably better off keeping it the color that it is since it matches close enough.
The ebrake is tough one to call, I think most armrests would be in the way unless it was scooted back more towards the rear seats. The ebrake is accessible and since this armrest has a cut out for it, it can be engaged completely. You do have to reach over to the passenger side of the armrest to get to it, but that would be the case with any armrest. I think it's almost a perfect match for the car the way the armrest is made, the hand rest part fits perfectly over that left slot and the ebrake fits perfectly into the cutout of the armrest on the right.
After I get it mounted I will test the armrest out for a couple days to verify that it will be strong enough to stand up to some abuse, don't want to put out a crap product. I'm going to start a mold today after I get off of work, so I don't have to take it apart later. Then I will start on mounting the armrest to the mount. Still exploring some options, if anyones got any ideas on it, lemme know and I'll give it a shot.
The ebrake is tough one to call, I think most armrests would be in the way unless it was scooted back more towards the rear seats. The ebrake is accessible and since this armrest has a cut out for it, it can be engaged completely. You do have to reach over to the passenger side of the armrest to get to it, but that would be the case with any armrest. I think it's almost a perfect match for the car the way the armrest is made, the hand rest part fits perfectly over that left slot and the ebrake fits perfectly into the cutout of the armrest on the right.
After I get it mounted I will test the armrest out for a couple days to verify that it will be strong enough to stand up to some abuse, don't want to put out a crap product. I'm going to start a mold today after I get off of work, so I don't have to take it apart later. Then I will start on mounting the armrest to the mount. Still exploring some options, if anyones got any ideas on it, lemme know and I'll give it a shot.
05-24-2004, 02:43 PM
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Alright, I just got an idea on how to mount it very nicely. :D It will use two studs which the mount will slide onto and then nut a washer at the top. The prices may go up depending on how much the materials cost. I will try to buy in bulk to keep costs low for you guys. If the price "were" to go up, it wouldn't go up by much, I'm just trying to figure out time and costs of materials against the sale price. The price may not go up at all, I'll goto home depot today and figure out the costs of the materials. 
05-24-2004, 03:25 PM
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plastic wood? I'd give plastics/wood and other materials like that a try, but I don't have a bandsaw to cut it perfect. That's why I'm leaning more towards some kind of liquid/putty/cement that I can just pour into the mold. The studs will be set into the "cement" and that will make them sturdy enough.
How strong is plaster of paris? I'll ask what other materials I could use while I'm at home depot, maybe someone there will know.
How strong is plaster of paris? I'll ask what other materials I could use while I'm at home depot, maybe someone there will know.
05-24-2004, 05:14 PM
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ahh.. i totally forgot about that stuff, miko suggested that about a week ago.. lol. well, looks like i will go that way with it.
if anyone knows of a company that might be interested in mass producing this item then shoot a name forward, i'd sell the design if it came down to it.
i will probably have a completed armrest in my car by thursday.
anyone know where i can find a similar fabric of the ones that the seats are wrapped in?
Instead of making a fiberglass piece to fit around the bottom of the armrest I'm going to wrap it in the fabric and let it over hang the console so it matches the seats. this will save me time and money and will end up looking better.
if anyone knows of a company that might be interested in mass producing this item then shoot a name forward, i'd sell the design if it came down to it.
i will probably have a completed armrest in my car by thursday.
anyone know where i can find a similar fabric of the ones that the seats are wrapped in?
Instead of making a fiberglass piece to fit around the bottom of the armrest I'm going to wrap it in the fabric and let it over hang the console so it matches the seats. this will save me time and money and will end up looking better.
05-25-2004, 01:32 AM
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okay, i went to michaels (arts and crafts store) and i found that I could do it with liquid plastic, but it will be very expensive, it would probably take two cans to fill a mold and they're 10.99 each. i asked a few people working there about the strength of plaster of paris. they told me that it is strong when it is thick like anything else and to make it stronger to use a resin coating to protect the plaster as well. i think this is the way i will go since i can get a 4lb container of plaster or paris for very cheap. i just bought some builders mold, it's a rubber latex coating you brush on to the mold. quicker and cleaner and it is reusable. so, i am making the mold tonight and then tomorrow after it has completely dried i will try the plaster with the rods and see how it holds up to some abuse.
i'll keep you guys posted when it gets done. it should be done by thursday.
i'll keep you guys posted when it gets done. it should be done by thursday.
05-25-2004, 01:56 AM
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ahha... well, as soon as i make some pocket change on these armrests i'll be over there, haha. i still gotta finish my cruise control and radar detector panel... lol, i got holes in my dash need those two items first, probably gonna get one or the other and get them springs off you.
you get a job over there yet? lol, top salesman for them, haha.
need those two items first, probably gonna get one or the other and get them springs off you.you get a job over there yet? lol, top salesman for them, haha.
05-25-2004, 02:59 AM
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Originally Posted by tbblizzard
the armrest is actually supposed to be black, or what Saturn calls "black." It's more towards a gray color, but it does match the console's color, I don't think the console is a true black, it's more of a flat/faded black and the armrest matches it closely. I could always use vinyl paint and color them black. The top of the armrest isn't really cushiony so I don't think painting it will be a problem with vinyl paint, since it's flexible paint anyways. Probably better off keeping it the color that it is since it matches close enough.
The ebrake is tough one to call, I think most armrests would be in the way unless it was scooted back more towards the rear seats. The ebrake is accessible and since this armrest has a cut out for it, it can be engaged completely. You do have to reach over to the passenger side of the armrest to get to it, but that would be the case with any armrest. I think it's almost a perfect match for the car the way the armrest is made, the hand rest part fits perfectly over that left slot and the ebrake fits perfectly into the cutout of the armrest on the right.
After I get it mounted I will test the armrest out for a couple days to verify that it will be strong enough to stand up to some abuse, don't want to put out a crap product. I'm going to start a mold today after I get off of work, so I don't have to take it apart later. Then I will start on mounting the armrest to the mount. Still exploring some options, if anyones got any ideas on it, lemme know and I'll give it a shot.
The ebrake is tough one to call, I think most armrests would be in the way unless it was scooted back more towards the rear seats. The ebrake is accessible and since this armrest has a cut out for it, it can be engaged completely. You do have to reach over to the passenger side of the armrest to get to it, but that would be the case with any armrest. I think it's almost a perfect match for the car the way the armrest is made, the hand rest part fits perfectly over that left slot and the ebrake fits perfectly into the cutout of the armrest on the right.
After I get it mounted I will test the armrest out for a couple days to verify that it will be strong enough to stand up to some abuse, don't want to put out a crap product. I'm going to start a mold today after I get off of work, so I don't have to take it apart later. Then I will start on mounting the armrest to the mount. Still exploring some options, if anyones got any ideas on it, lemme know and I'll give it a shot.
Dude I want one!!!!! Please keep us posted!
Pb