Modular polo mallet head design

Hi there, im Quentin from the i. ponies and one of the guys behind the milk head.

First, maybe my english is not that good and even on the website some things can be misunderstood. If so, please tell me what looks inaccurate to you.

Maybe some answer about what i read here:

Speed holes:
Yes by speed holes we mean holes i the thin wall of the head. The drill for the pole is only intended to "turn" the head.

**Shorter/lighter head: **
About saving some weight by doing shorter head:
so far the simulation i have done (the "weight" of 3D model is about exactly right with the reality) saves something like 2 grams.
125mm: 89g
115mm: 87

Like said, is mainly because we will reduce the head in the thin part of it.
But like Jono said the shorter head is not only about weight but maneuverability.

Concave cap:
The concave cap and other deformation is one of our concern for the next batch.
Basically the opinions are mixed about that, players around (in Geneva, Grenoble) are ok with that since it's a good compromise between having a cap and keeping the weight low.
Some player loves having the cap slightly concave and manage to make the ball fly.
(Lefty Will for exemple)

Jono im waiting for your feedback about other deformation (even minor one) that you noticed.

We want to improve the next batch and all the feedbacks are needed (a lot).
Maybe the current cap is too thin, maybe some walls need to be thicker, maybe we need to have one very light model (girl) and a tough/heavier one.

I know registering into another forum is a pain in the ass but i'd love to have your opinion in ours: http://milk-bike-polo.com/milkuser/

Quentin.

i want to see a Revolutionary Even Tougher And Ray Designed head

i definetly think that the uncapped end is more accurate than the capped end now. Lol jono i want a C.u.s.t.a.r.d

Jono im waiting for your feedback about other deformation (even minor one) that you noticed.

None, it's a beautifully designed product... I also think Will is potentially right about the cap being better when it's slightly concave (more surface area for power transfer and you can send the ball in the air a little).

I've barely used the Milk heads, John H is a better choice for feedback! (I'm just here for the geekery and fun-times.)

Oups my mistake, try again:

"John H im waiting for your feedback about other deformation (even minor one) that you noticed."

Yeah, I assumed he meant me.

Another polo forum? Sure I'll join, see you on the other side.

I remember a time when i could delete comments like that.

i say up the wall thickness,
reduce the width,
change the internal profile,
drill to loose weight

...and also to this.... buy what they have so they can afford to do a mark II/III

Yes we have done something like that in our second prototype (the white one):
http://milk-bike-polo.com/milkuser/index.php?topic=3.0

The thing is:
The more the thicker the walls are, the more the holes need to be bigger.
And because we love having a flat surface we get rid of the hole and make the walls thinner as possible.
Now, if we want to have a thicker cap we need to thicker the walls (on the caped side) too because more power will be transmitted to them.

A solution to keep almost the same weight but having a thicker cap should be the way william has customized his head:
http://milk-bike-polo.com/milkuser/index.php?topic=13.0
By rounding the edges on the caped side we can imagine transfer the material we cut on the outside in the inside profil (thicker walls/cap).

Come post your drawing here: http://milk-bike-polo.com/milkuser/index.php?board=11.0

I like using the holes in my 3pmh international for moving the ball around, but I've deformed the ends by scuffing on the floor and mallet-leaning.

I'm definitely interested in an uncaped 'international' Milk.

And because we love having a flat surface we get rid of the hole and make the walls thinner as possible.

This is your unique selling point, but one of the problems (as you already know) is this:

Now, if we want to have a thicker cap we need to thicker the walls (on the caped side) too because more power will be transmitted to them.

Thicker material (with holes) is a stronger construction than uniformly thinner material (without holes), right? (Both at the same weight.)

Will's idea is neat, just take some material from the edges and make the cap marginally thicker? (If the walls can take the extra power transfer, I imagine they can.)

I'm away for a week but if you do a Milk run, then please put me down for 1, ta.

Capped or not?

Thicker material (with holes) is a stronger construction than uniformly thinner material (without holes), right? (Both at the same weight.)

Well is not that simple, by our experience it is same-same.
Obviously:

• Thin walls will not accept holes
  
• Medium walls will accept medium hole (the MKE head for exemple)
  
• Thick walls will accept bigger hole.
  
  
  

And the weight variation is really not that big (+/- 5g) between theses "setup".

In our past prototype we get mixed result:
in this picture : the white prototype is 82g.
Our current model uncaped (Simple 1.0) is also 82g with the benefit of the flat surface and the possibility to turn it when worn.

On our capped prototype with holes, the holes was the weakpoint. So after managing some thickness, some holes shape/dimension we went to the current "Simple Caped" model.

I will do some test in my 3D model to see what happend if i do the William customization, im pretty sure i can keep the same weight (+/- 5g).

Edit: that said it's true than usually thicker material with holes is more resistant, in some way, that flat material. Imagine a bridge make of thin wood: in the middle it will fall, the same bridge with super thick but honeycombed wood won't fall.

BUT: the forces involved here are not the same in the head, the power comes from the side and not from the top/bottom.
Your though is good Jono but that's mean that we should make holes lengthwise in the thickness of the material.
(wich is not possible for us with our CNC at our disposal)

Are the black 3pmh heads the same internal diameter as the blue and orange?

Interesting Quentin, cheers.

Are the black 3pmh heads the same internal diameter as the blue and orange?

Yep.

Capped or not?

Capped please, but as long as they're < £20 ! Thanks J.

Great that you've come here to talk to us about it, thanks Quentin.
I think you'd get shot if you introduced a 'womans lightweight' version, maybe just call it a 'lightweight version' if you do it. ;)
I would buy it anyway.
Looking forward to seeing future advancements!

They won't be.

£20 is about the minimum it will work out to with shipping.

Still interested?

Hmm, that's a lot for a head, especially if the caps fail.
Are we anywhere near 3mph capped head ordering?

I love my MILK head, it's fucking awesome... Shorty capped RVs are also very nice indeed, much easier to scoop with an RV than a MILK tho'...

Yes we have done something like that in our second prototype (the white one):
http://milk-bike-polo.com/milkuser/index.php?topic=3.0

The thing is:
The more the thicker the walls are, the more the holes need to be bigger.
And because we love having a flat surface we get rid of the hole and make the walls thinner as possible.
Now, if we want to have a thicker cap we need to thicker the walls (on the caped side) too because more power will be transmitted to them.

A solution to keep almost the same weight but having a thicker cap should be the way william has customized his head:
http://milk-bike-polo.com/milkuser/index.php?topic=13.0
By rounding the edges on the caped side we can imagine transfer the material we cut on the outside in the inside profil (thicker walls/cap).

Come post your drawing here: http://milk-bike-polo.com/milkuser/index.php?board=11.0

hmmm...
Q,

I think that no matter what the head design is none of the heads should concave unless designed.

If this material is the number one choice for the manufacture process maybe you should consider...

Weight categories for heads:
Light, Med & Heavy

I guess each would have very specific life expectancy, depending on the type of user. BUT lets say we rule a few variants out...and try to think of each of the below as a consistant:

1 - Typical player.
2 - Hardwaringness of head (ie design all weights to the same strength)
3 - Stiffness of shaft

so my thoughts...

Heres a list of properties for each of the weight categories:

Light:
Quick - response time,
Direct power transfer in swing (think of boxer without weights on wrists)
Creates less flex to shaft (whip)
More complex interior structure to increase strength - hard to produce

Med:
Middle of these qualities.

Heavy:
Slower - response time
Additional momentum added to swing
Creates more flex to shaft
Less complex to produce

I think the MILK sits somewhere in the Med (to heavy) category (if the head didn't concave) and I guess to do this you'd have to up the cap thickness.

especially if the caps fail.

I wouldn't describe it as failing, yes it does change. I'm still very happy with mine. I haven't noticed any difference in accuracy.

Some people like that it's concave.

Could you take some of the material off the outside of the capped end to make up for thicker caps, this happens over time anyway... Sorry if that's what's already been suggested?

If you could make a perfect light head, wouldn't it be curved slightly? It would mean you wouldn't be able to turn it for extra life, but you'd be able to remove some of the reinforcing wouldn't you?

Curved where?

Along it's length, I thought I'd seen a horse polo mallet like that and it always struck me that as you tend to wear away the ends a mallet that was built aready would last longer?

As in curve the whole tube?

Put a fork in the curved section of a banana.

exhibit A - normal
----------[]

exhibit B - banana!
----------[)

NOTE these are not to scale. Please contact designer for actual CAD drawings.

I'm surprised at the fact that people don't make their own caps, it's pretty easy to do even with minimal tooling.

Clamp a normal drill in a vice and use it to spin a bit of plastic, then shape a lip into it with an angle grinder and files. Takes minutes.

Ours are also relieved at the back using spadebit and with some extra speedholes drilled.

weigh the same as every other cap out there, and I've just had 9 months out of one before replacing. The joys of a ghetto-lathe.