This is NOT a coffee cup!

TexasJeff · Nov 3, 2000

You forgot them RED ones

Harv · Nov 4, 2000

Actual field test this weekend, but so far so good. 

NOT!!!

I was just packing the car for the trip -- brought the Chalkley Cup out and casually set it on the rear fender to free up a hand. When I picked up the cup again, the magnets stayed on the fender!!! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

What did we learn here? Don't use epoxy! Althought it is said to be very good at sticking to smooth, hard surfaces, it can't seem to get a good hold on the plastic used by Aladdin for these cups.

So I guess the mastermind for these cups was on the right track when he said to use "Goop" (Marine Goop, if you can find it). I'm re-gluing it right now so's I might be able to field test it Sunday afternoon.

This R&D stuff sure has its ups and downs. /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

MattB · Nov 4, 2000

Thanks Harv, for the permission to use your pictures. We've added the Chalkley Cup to the website in our recently added customer's demontrations file..

It can be viewed at http://www.fieldlines.com/other/chalkley.html.
I would like to see a picture of it in use, on a tractor though...

Please send other magnet uses/ideas. We would love to see more of this stuff!

Cheers, Matt

gordon · Nov 4, 2000

WOW the Chalkley cup is famous!!!!
Who would have ever thought all this and its not even a coffee cup! Sure wish it was a coffee cup because I'd get one but since it's not I'll stick with what I've got for now. A plain jane coffee cup but it works for me./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Gordon

MChalkley · Nov 4, 2000

Matt - Cool page! (But I'm a little biased... /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif)

Feel free to use any of my pics in the first part of this discussion. You may not want to because I technically didn't use your magnets, but if it's any consolation, I'm making a cup for a friend of mine and I'll be using yours for that one.

MarkC

MChalkley · Nov 4, 2000

Gordon - Not to worry - there's an Aladdin cup that holds about 16 ounces that'll be perfect for you. What do you think is a fair price for the "ForceField" version?

MarkC

MChalkley · Nov 4, 2000

Matt - I forgot to mention that one of the pictures shows the cup mounted on the fender of my tractor, which is, I think, what you wanted.

MarkC

MChalkley · Nov 4, 2000

Harv - See? When you decide to modify somebody else's design, sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

I'm sorry the epoxy didn't work, though. Truth is, if it had, I was considering using it on my Version 2. I think I'll stick with Marine Goop...

MarkC

gordon · Nov 4, 2000

Mark not to worry I've already got a twenty ounce version that I made myself last Christmas. When I bought the magnets from Forcefield I used one on the cup and it's held up well. Remember way back in this post when you first started the cup r&d that I wondered how long it would take before you got the hard drive magnets out?

Now a fair market price for a plain jane twenty ounce cup with a magnet base. I would say 6-8 dollars with no logo on the cup.

You could name it the Chalkey jr. or better yet the Chalkley poppa bear,Chalkley mamma bear and the 20 oz Chalkley baby bear Forcefield cup. Can you tell I've got kids./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Now the next thing that has to be perfected is the dust lid. I use a plastic small bowl that I swiped from the wife. It fits loose over the cup and keeps most of the dust out.

gordon

MChalkley · Nov 4, 2000

Gordon - It sounds like it should be called the Gordon Cup. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

MarkC

scruffy · Nov 4, 2000

IF you contracted with Alladin, one of your spefications could be a dustcover be included with the cup.

gordon · Nov 4, 2000

Mark not only do you have r&d but you also have to consider marketing as well in any venture. Now if you wanted a cup not to sell you would name it the Gordon coffee carrier. So I do believe if you wanted the cup to sell leave well enough alone and keep it the Chalkley, got a different ring to it, if you know what I mean. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Or it could be the Megacup. See my next post below.
Gordon

Edited by gordon on 11/4/00 10:16 PM.

gordon · Nov 4, 2000

Not only would a functional dust cover be a must it also would be a key selling point for a cup used in extreme conditions.
Gordon

gordon · Nov 4, 2000

Mark,your new plate could be----Megacup. See attachment.
Gordon

Rch · Nov 5, 2000

Harv, just speculating on a little modification; get two Chalkley cups and cut the lower outside bottom off one so it fits over the bottom of the other( is it tapered enough?) and put the magnets between the two bottoms and glue the new bottom on good (lots more surface area for glue to hold)

RCH

jimmoore · Nov 5, 2000

How about "The MChalkley Magna-Cup"?

Harv · Nov 6, 2000

RCH -

Interesting notion about using two bottoms on a Chalkley Cup. Not sure I would buy an extra cup just to whack its bottom off (bottomectomy?), but I think eventually I might have an extra or damaged cup.

My current concern is for the proper adhesive -- extra surface area won't help much if the glue doesn't stick properly. When the epoxy pulled loose from my last cup, there wasn't a trace left on the plastic side. It simply hadn't "bonded" the way you'd like to see a glue do.

The epoxy did, however, bond to the magnets -- had the devil's own time chipping it off so I could re-use the magnets.

Maybe the smart move would be for me to contact Aladdin and see what they suggest for gluing to their cups.

TexasJeff · Nov 6, 2000

Since it is plastic and if insulated there should be two layers. Maybe small stainless steel screws will work to hold the magnets on.

Harv · Nov 6, 2000

Matt -

My glue did not set up in time for a field test this weekend, so it will now be two weeks before I find out how well it works (I hate being separated from my tractor for so long at a time /w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif).

I did, however, take a snapshot to illustrate the latest happenings on my ROPS Rack (watch for a new post under that heading for more magnet usage), and my Chalkley cup is plainly visible on the fender of the tractor. This is the old cup with the old magnet, but it looks identical to the new one, in case you don't want to wait 2 weeks for another picture.

Check out the attachment and see what you think.

Harv · Nov 6, 2000

Jeff -

I have started considering the use of screws or pop-rivets, but I'm concerned that once a hole is introduced it will weaken the plastic at that point. I visualize fractures and cracks eminating outward from the hole over time. Of course, sometimes I worry about such things to the point of never getting anything done. /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

I seem to have stepped up the attachment problem by using more/stronger magnets. Although this holds the cup to the tractor better, it puts a lot more demand on the glue. I'm still thinking that a little research into adhesives might prove useful.