If you’re into off-roading, you’ve probably heard whispers about the Apex Compact Reel System. For the uninitiated, it’s essentially a miniaturized air hose reel, meticulously crafted, that lets you have a convenient airline of either 20′ or 30′. A neat little tool to make life easier out in the dirt.
Now, let’s talk about my Rivian. It’s got an onboard compressor—cool, right? But here’s the rub: I’ve barely touched it. Why? The damn hose. It’s stashed away in a bag that lives in one of the gear tunnel doors, and every time I want to use the compressor, I have to fish out this bag and wrestle with the hose. It’s not a huge deal, but stuffing that hose back into its tight little bag is such a royal pain in the ass that I usually don’t even bother.
So, I thought one of these nifty reels might just be the ticket. But this wasn’t just about convenience—I wanted to dive into a project where I handled the design from my lab, while all the fabrication was outsourced to third-party shops. While this idea was percolating, I stumbled across a post on the Rivian Forums. Some guy had mounted his own Compact Reel System to his gear guard ports. I reached out, got the files, and then tweaked them to fit my own needs.
Next step? I sent the “sheet metal” parts off to Send-Cut-Send for cutting, bending, and anodizing. The machined parts went to PCBway for the same treatment. Once everything arrived, it was time to test my measuring and modeling chops—would it all fit together?
To my surprise, it did. The system came together like a charm. Will this lead to me using the compressor more often? Who knows. But that wasn’t really the point. The point was to experiment with this hands-off approach to fabrication—me as the mastermind, them as the muscle.
So, what’s the verdict?
Send-Cut-Send? They’ve never let me down. Their cuts are precise, and the finish is top-notch. This time was no different, and I can’t recommend them enough. PCBway? A pleasant surprise. They took my files, machined the aluminum, and slapped on a sweet anodized finish—all in under two weeks.
In the end, it’s not the same as sweating it out in the shop, making stuff with my own two hands. But there’s still a sense of pride in what I created, and the process was fun—just not quite as fun as doing it all myself.
Continuing education, my friends…
