I'm not disagreeing with you, but my opinion is that RPi spends all that money on research and development because they had to COME UP with the whole design of the RPi scoop. IF you create a direct copy of what has already been engineered, you don't necessarily create losses in the actual performance of the product until you start cheaping out on parts.... with the RPi scoop, there are no moving parts. The thing was engineered to move air, deflection, low pressure, Bernoulli's Principle, it won't matter, as long as your angles and dimensions are fricking on target, YOUR FINE! aerodynamically the thing will perform JUST like the RPi. Now, if you go the route of forming it out of Plaster O Paris, now your talking about major CG issues... How often do we use the the chinese equivalent of a product only to find that not only was it cheaper but it also out performs the original "3M design"? Come on, we are talking about a piece of metal with a few precise bends in it...

 

+1
Everyone has their opinions, in the end it's all about the MONEY

 

im not saying no one else has a right, im saying, dont expect the gains thats rpi projected by simply copying one of their products. im also saying that using alum was a far better idea than the dumbasses who attemped to copy this by using the edges of plastic planters pans (the square water catching ones for when you overwater your plants)

 

are you saying that you would rather use a cheap china made copy of a wheel rather than an authentic wheel? after all, they are just a simple circular barrel with spokes right? they have the same angles, bends, and dimensions therefore in your logic they are just a durable right? alot of good wheels are made over seas and some even made in china. fact of the matter is, wheel companies like volk/bbs/dpe designed their wheels after alot of r&d (duriblity, aero, sound structure). that is why they are proven to be the best. but hey, once again, its just a piece of mental with a few precise bends in it

 

You can't corral my argument for RPi scoops and direct it towards other applications. Obviously each application of a product has it's own requirements. You don't see me arguing my point in the wheels topics on this forum do you? I DO specialize in Aircraft mechanics, therefore there is quite a few things that I CAN argue and confidently state in regards to the aerodynamics of a piece of metal, especially in as minimally stressed an environment as that R&D'd RPi scoop you put so much faith in. Aircraft engineers may be the most anal when it comes to coaxing physics and aerodynamics to respond with a man made machine, and I can tell you straight up, if you don't have faith in aircraft mechanics, don't fly airplanes! That is why Airframe & Powerplant mechanics are the only Federally tested & licensed type of mechanic in the states. We (hopefully) know our stuff (A&Ps on this forum, chime in!)

 

I don't hold an A&P license but I agree with u because I also work on aircraft; have over 10 years now with FA-18's and I even addressed this lil project with some air framers and they gave me some valuable input. But in the end I guess I should have put the fine print statement in my original post with a disclaimer or something lol. I like my scoop, in the end I respect RPI for the r&d but it's such a simple static mechanism that I know I had to attempt it before submitting to spending the hundred bucks on the "real" thing.

 

gosh how I wish to fly an f-18 one day... Beaman I am totally with you on this one

 

hey bro itts a gr8 job
i wanna ask you if you can give me the sizes and dimensions plz appreciate (k)