Assembly Guide: Difference between revisions

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Latest revision as of 19:35, 11 March 2026

Before You Begin

Before assembling a Dipstick, make sure you have all the parts necessary. For the bill of materials, see BOM.

Assembly Instructions

Overall this should take under an hour.

Notes:

Parts

3D printed parts

Capstan
Capstan Handle
Capstan Cap
Tensioning Cap
Flexible spine
Camera Clamp Body
Camera Clamp Swing Arm

Hardware

M4x10mm bolt x 6
M4x16mm bolt x 1
M4x10mm Thumb screw x 2
M4x40mm axle bolt x 1
1/4"-20 screw x 1

Additional parts

1.25" Diameter PVC tube
Endoscope
105" 1mm diameter Dyneema cord
Phone mount

Instructions

Twist the tensioning cap onto the flexible spine, leave it at the tip.
From the bottom, thread the Dyneema cord through the two holes of the flexible spine.
Tie a double or triple knot at each end of the Dyneema cord to keep it in place.
Insert the endoscope into the flexible spine, from bottom to top. Keep the camera sticking out by an inch.
Snip excess Dyneema cord but leave 2mm so the knots stay tied.
Attach the camera clamp body to the top of the flexible spine using one M4x10mm bolt.
Use a M4x16mm bolt to attach both the camera clamp swing arm and clamp body to the flexible spine.
Hold the endoscope flush or 1mm inset using the camera clamp swing arm and screw in place using a M4x10mm bolt.
Drop the loop end of the Dynema cord and the USB end of the endoscope down the top of the PVC tube, the end with the tab.
Line the flat side of the flexible spine with the tab and insert into the tube. Hold the threaded collar in place using a thumb screw.
Take the capstan cap and insert the 1/4"-20 screw from the inside of the flat section..
Take the phone mount and attach it to the screw. Use a screwdriver through the opposite side to tighten.
Attach the capstan cap to the bottom of the PVC tube and hold in place using a thumb screw.
Loop the Dyneema cord around the capstan, then add subsequent loops alternating from the left and right side to keep the capstan centered. Make 5 loops total (4 additional loops from the initial), and ensure they overlap minimally.
Slide the capstan handle onto the capstan, and secure using 4 M4x10mm bolts.
Slide the capstan into the capstan cap, and secure using 1 M4x40mm bolt.
To deploy, turn the tensioning cap until turning the capstan handle 180º corresponds to 180º range of motion of the endoscope.

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 Notes:
-=== Parts Required ===
+=== Parts ===
+[[File:Labeled dipstick.jpg|center|frameless|711x711px]]
-* Capstone
+=== '''3D printed parts''' ===
-* Capstone collar
-* Capstone knob
+* Capstan
-* Threaded collar
+* Capstan Handle
-* PVC tube
+* Capstan Cap
-* Endoscope
+* Tensioning Cap
-* Dyneema cord
+* Flexible spine
-* Flexible spine (tentacle)
+* Camera Clamp Body
-* Tentacle cap bottom
+* Camera Clamp Swing Arm
-* Tentacle cap top
+'''Hardware'''
+* M4x10mm bolt x 6
+* M4x16mm bolt x 1
+* M4x10mm Thumb screw x 2
+* M4x40mm axle bolt x 1
+* 1/4"-20 screw x 1
+'''Additional parts'''
+*1.25" Diameter PVC tube
+*Endoscope
+*105" 1mm diameter Dyneema cord
 * Phone mount
-* M4 short screw x 6
-* M4 long screw x 1
-* Thumb screw x 2
-* Big screw x 1
 === Instructions ===
-# Slide the end of PVC tube without the tab inside into the capstone collar, and hold it in place using the thumb screw.
+# Twist the tensioning cap onto the flexible spine, leave it at the tip. [[File:Twisting.jpg|frameless|512x512px]]
-# Take the Dyneema cord and feed the two ends through the flexible spine, from the bottom to the top. Keep around 5 inches of extra string coming out at each end.
+# From the bottom, thread the Dyneema cord through the two holes of the flexible spine.[[File:Threading.jpg|frameless|512x512px]]
-# Insert the endoscope into the flexible spine, from bottom to top.
+# Tie a double or triple knot at each end of the Dyneema cord to keep it in place.[[File:Knot tie.jpg|frameless|512x512px]]
-# Drop the loop end of the Dyneema cord and the USB end of the endoscope down the naked end of the PVC tube with the tab inside. Align the flexible spine to the tab and slide it in, making sure the extra ends of the string and endoscope head stay sticking out of the spine.
+# Insert the endoscope into the flexible spine, from bottom to top. Keep the camera sticking out by an inch.[[File:Endoscope.jpg|frameless|512x512px]]
-# Twist the threaded collar onto the end of the flexible spine and continue rotating until it reaches the end of the PVC tube. Hold in place using a thumb screw.
+# Snip excess Dyneema cord but leave 2mm so the knots stay tied.[[File:Snipping.jpg|frameless|512x512px]]
-# Take the loop of the Dyneema cord and wrap it around the capstone. Twist the loop 3 times so that there are 4 loops around the capstone.
+# Attach the camera clamp body to the top of the flexible spine using one M4x10mm bolt. [[File:Camera clamp body.jpg|frameless|512x512px]]
-# Hold the capstone in place using the big screw through the center.
+# Use a M4x16mm bolt to attach both the camera clamp swing arm and clamp body to the flexible spine.[[File:Clamp swing arm 1.jpg|frameless|512x512px]]
-# Using 4 short M4 screws, attach the capstone knob to the capstone.
+# Hold the endoscope flush or 1mm inset using the camera clamp swing arm and screw in place using a M4x10mm bolt.[[File:Camera clamp arm2.jpg|frameless|683x683px]]
-# Rotate the threaded collar until half of the flexible spine sticks out of the PVC tube.
+# Drop the loop end of the Dynema cord and the USB end of the endoscope down the top of the PVC tube, the end with the tab.[[File:Drop cord.jpg|frameless|384x384px]]  [[File:Drop usb cable.jpg|frameless|512x512px]]
-# Tie two overhand knots on each free end of the Dyneema cord to hold it in place.
+# Line the flat side of the flexible spine with the tab and insert into the tube. Hold the threaded collar in place using a thumb screw.[[File:Tensioningcap screw.jpg|frameless|512x512px]]
-# Place the bottom of the tentacle cap on the top of the tentacle, hold in place using a short and long M4 screw.
+# Take the capstan cap and insert the 1/4"-20 screw from the inside of the flat section.[[File:1-4-20screw1.jpg|frameless|512x512px]]. [[File:1-4-20screw2.jpg|frameless|384x384px]]
-# Connect the endoscope to a phone, ensure that the orientation of the camera matches the direction the tentacle bends. Twist to adjust.
+# Take the phone mount and attach it to the screw. Use a screwdriver through the opposite side to tighten. [[File:Attachphonemount.jpg|frameless|512x512px]]
-# Holding the endoscope head flush to the tentacle cap, secure the tentacle cap top using a short M4 screw.
+# Attach the capstan cap to the bottom of the PVC tube and hold in place using a thumb screw.[[File:Capstancapscrew.jpg|frameless|512x512px]]
-# Rotate the threaded collar until the flexible spine is fully extended, or is sufficiently tensioned.
+# Loop the Dyneema cord around the capstan, then add subsequent loops alternating from the left and right side to keep the capstan centered. Make 5 loops total (4 additional loops from the initial), and ensure they overlap minimally.[[File:Capstan initial loop.jpg|frameless|512x512px]]
-# Ensure that the knob can rotate 180º and corresponds to a 180º range of motion of the tentacle.
+# Slide the capstan handle onto the capstan, and secure using 4 M4x10mm bolts.
-# Screw in the phone mount to the capstone collar.
+# Slide the capstan into the capstan cap, and secure using 1 M4x40mm bolt.
+# To deploy, turn the tensioning cap until turning the capstan handle 180º corresponds to 180º range of motion of the endoscope.