For those of you who like Apollo mission Hardware...

[lmgill]

These replica Apollo Tether Hooks, were originally made for the Apple series, "For All Mankind". I owned an original hook that was attached to an Apollo umbilical cable I had. I made a vulcanized rubber mold of it so I could run pewter copies. (something I do with many helmet hardware components)
The pewter hooks worked well enough, but could get jammed up, due to the softness of the metal. So last year I made some drawings and we produced a couple dozen hooks. I sold some used "For All Mankind" The original batch got changed by the vendor, and instead of cut engraving the "PUSH TO LOCK" they laser engraved it, with a different font.
This second batch has the proper engraving.

These are machined from 6061 aluminum, and function just like the originals with a lock / unlock button and a spring return on the swivel lock.
Some of these are being made with a short webbing strap, which can be changed out by removing a screw.

 

[The Kaiser]

These are awesome, thank you for sharing!

 

[The Kaiser]

Are the release buttons aluminum as well? What did you use for the color indication ring?

 

[lmgill]

Are the release buttons aluminum as well? What did you use for the color indication ring?

Yes, the black button is aluminum. It is anodized black, and the red and green are enamel paint. The original hooks had both black and silver buttons. The black version seems more common. They still use this style of hook on ISS.
Here is a photo of an original hook I had.

 

[The Kaiser]

Thanks for the info and the original photo. Great work!

 

[lmgill]

For you space fans, here is another Apollo hardware piece I just finished. Part of the ALSEP package, the Passive Seismic Experiment.
On it's way to set today.

 

[Apollo]

Man thats beautiful!

 

[feek61]

For you space fans, here is another Apollo hardware piece I just finished. Part of the ALSEP package, the Passive Seismic Experiment.
On it's way to set today.
View attachment 1656369

Man that is cool!!! Is it static or does it pop open and extend like the original?

 

[lmgill]

Man that is cool!!! Is it static or does it pop open and extend like the original?

Only the solar panels unfold and are removable. It is real 5mil aluminized Kapton though.

 

[feek61]

Very cool!!!! I have studied Apollo hardware since the original missions so it's nice to see such nice replica's. I look forward to seeing more!!!

 

[joberg]

Beauty

 

[distantsuns]

That's going on my wishlist. I remember on the Apollo 11 coverage they'd show films of that being deployed in training. Loved the way the panels unfurled.

Here's one of my pretties:

 

[lmgill]

That's going on my wishlist. I remember on the Apollo 11 coverage they'd show films of that being deployed in training. Loved the way the panels unfurled.

Here's one of my pretties:

Very Nice! It looks like that piece may have come from the Charlie Bell auction in Florida. Do you know ?

 

[distantsuns]

Very Nice! It looks like that piece may have come from the Charlie Bell auction in Florida. Do you know ?

No, not from that from what I can tell. This was from a Superior auction early on before Bell's. Since so many of these experiments were put together by university research groups, that my have come from someone in that realm.

And it came with spare parts and a 2" thick manual showing all possible responses to very testing routines.
When I saw it listed I imagined having next to it, a pix of the one actually used on the lunar surface. But when I got it, I flipped thorugh all of the books and manuals I could find, but it was never able to find anything and thought "d'oh!" I got an experiment that never flew. Then I thought, well, there was one flight I hadn't checked. And bingo! In the Apollo 13 press kit it's listed, then found a pix of crew training that showed it as well. So, it's back-up Apollo 13 lunar surface flight hardware.

One thing that is missing is the special tool needed to wind up the ribbon cable spool.

 

[lmgill]

No, not from that from what I can tell. This was from a Superior auction early on before Bell's. Since so many of these experiments were put together by university research groups, that my have come from someone in that realm.

And it came with spare parts and a 2" thick manual showing all possible responses to very testing routines.
When I saw it listed I imagined having next to it, a pix of the one actually used on the lunar surface. But when I got it, I flipped thorugh all of the books and manuals I could find, but it was never able to find anything and thought "d'oh!" I got an experiment that never flew. Then I thought, well, there was one flight I hadn't checked. And bingo! In the Apollo 13 press kit it's listed, then found a pix of crew training that showed it as well. So, it's back-up Apollo 13 lunar surface flight hardware.

One thing that is missing is the special tool needed to wind up the ribbon cable spool.

Did you go to the Bell auctions?
It was astounding what was sold. I saw a Full set of LM foot pads, and pretty close to if not a complete set of landing gear. A CM and a LM main computer, critical helium tank from the LM and a white room. (said to be the one from the Apollo 1 accident)
I just missed out on a CM hatch.
I did score a few nice pieces. Here is a small example. The last piece is a "Cobra cable", although this is not the exact cable (I ended up with about a dozen) one of them was Dave Scott's from 15.

 

[Leinads]

You snagged some amazing pieces! Those make my eyes rain

 

[lmgill]

Just finished (almost) an Apollo surface tool, the 32" Tongs.
It had to go out on a show, but when it comes back, it will get the proper surface finish and clear anodized. Now it has different surface finishes, but it will be aged on set to match something else. But after the vapor blasting, all the components will have that soft satin look of the Apollo tools.

 

[goldcylon]

Very cool. When I was at the Neutral buoyancy lab in Texas a lot of this hardware was sitting on the shelves behind the large pool. It was a surreal experience.

 

[feek61]

Did you go to the Bell auctions?
It was astounding what was sold. I saw a Full set of LM foot pads, and pretty close to if not a complete set of landing gear. A CM and a LM main computer, critical helium tank from the LM and a white room. (said to be the one from the Apollo 1 accident)
I just missed out on a CM hatch.
I did score a few nice pieces. Here is a small example. The last piece is a "Cobra cable", although this is not the exact cable (I ended up with about a dozen) one of them was Dave Scott's from 15.

Very cool!! I occasionally visit with Dave Scott, next time I will let him know that some of his hardware is still be auctioned off; I'm sure he will be amused, lol.

 

[lmgill]

I was reviewing some of my projects from 2022 and sort of forgot about this Apollo hardware replica finished near the end of 2022.
A full scale LM "training version". Aluminum, steel and fiberglass.