Eyeball Engineering

[CREEPERBOB]

Fiberglass is not a great material to just play with, it is very hard on cutters and very messy.

Originally Posted by Duuuuuuuude

I wondered if a couple of high turn sensored motors and some gear reduction would do the trick. Probably not...

I don't have any styrene blocks that big, only .040 sheets, and my lamination skills leave too much to be desired. I did come across a big chunk of fiberglass composite that is pretty cool. Don't know if I could tap threads in it though.

[CREEPERBOB]

[QUOTE=

I guess my biggest problem is how to hold the damn thing. Once I start shaping it, the brake portion gets very thin and way to weak to work. Obviously I need to figure out the best method of attack here...any ideas?
[/QUOTE]


You might try using something under the piece your machining like a thin piece of plastic or hardboard (like peg board with out the holes) , and the clmp the piece down on the table and do the majority of you milling, and the as John said use a dremel to finish along with files.

[binaryterror]

Why not mill it out of the thicker piece, which remains clamped, then sawing the piece you cut into it off?

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by CREEPERBOB

Fiberglass is not a great material to just play with, it is very hard on cutters and very messy.

I realize that. I took a couple of passes at it last night with an old bit. Fiberglass does tend to be a bit abrasive...

Originally Posted by CREEPERBOB

You might try using something under the piece your machining like a thin piece of plastic or hardboard (like peg board with out the holes) , and the clmp the piece down on the table and do the majority of you milling, and the as John said use a dremel to finish along with files.

I've thought about that, but I'm not pulling the vice until my indicator gets here. I know that as soon as I pull it, I'm going to need to put it back again.

Originally Posted by binaryterror

Why not mill it out of the thicker piece, which remains clamped, then sawing the piece you cut into it off?

Because it is not the same thickness across the part. what wraps around the trigger is 3/8" or so, but it tapers down to roughly 1/8" going out and down to form the brake portion.

What I may do is clamp the sheet to the table, get the trigger area down to its desired thickness, then shape it. Once that is done, put it in the vice to cut the groove and channel.

[CREEPERBOB]

Originally Posted by Duuuuuuuude

I've thought about that, but I'm not pulling the vice until my indicator gets here. I know that as soon as I pull it, I'm going to need to put it back again.

If you have a big enough piece of material you could make a mount to put in your vise, try to visualize a "T" shape , the leg mounts in the vise and the "T" portion creates a flat surface you can drill holes thru to use clamp bolts to hold the part.

[rlockwood]

Originally Posted by Duuuuuuuude

I realize that. I took a couple of passes at it last night with an old bit. Fiberglass does tend to be a bit abrasive...



I've thought about that, but I'm not pulling the vice until my indicator gets here. I know that as soon as I pull it, I'm going to need to put it back again.



Because it is not the same thickness across the part. what wraps around the trigger is 3/8" or so, but it tapers down to roughly 1/8" going out and down to form the brake portion.

What I may do is clamp the sheet to the table, get the trigger area down to its desired thickness, then shape it. Once that is done, put it in the vice to cut the groove and channel.

Welcome to the wonderful world of machining, where objects aren't designed around YOUR criteria for manufacturing. Fixturing is an underrated portion of machining, and there are millions of possibilities.

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by rlockwood

Welcome to the wonderful world of machining, where objects aren't designed around YOUR criteria for manufacturing. Fixturing is an underrated portion of machining, and there are millions of possibilities.

Yup. I've still got my fingers crossed for magic wand technology though...

[Duuuuuuuude]

More goofing off. 5/8" acrylic I believe...for my son, showed it to my wife, now she wants one too.

The "N" was a bitch. I also learned quickly not to let the shavings build up too much on the bit. They tend to compact, then heat up, then build up further, then melt the part you're working on. That is why the end of the "E" looks boogered up. 'cause it is.





And some serious work. Did this a couple of weeks ago. An itty-bitty d-mount for a lmc...



Next to the one I hacked out on my drill press.

[BigSki]

Originally Posted by CREEPERBOB

If you have a big enough piece of material you could make a mount to put in your vise, try to visualize a "T" shape , the leg mounts in the vise and the "T" portion creates a flat surface you can drill holes thru to use clamp bolts to hold the part.

How about a set of sacrificial al-lou-minni-um jaws for the vice? You can carve out notches to hold small parts. Hell, I've used CA tohold down very small metal parts, do the machining then use acetone as a release agent.

[CREEPERBOB]

You go Chris , it's fun ain't it?

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by BigSki

How about a set of sacrificial al-lou-minni-um jaws for the vice? You can carve out notches to hold small parts. Hell, I've used CA tohold down very small metal parts, do the machining then use acetone as a release agent.

I've got gobs of somewhat rigid plastic I could make fixtures with. Cheap and plentiful.

Originally Posted by CREEPERBOB

You go Chris , it's fun ain't it?

Yup. And it looks like if all else fails, I could eek out a living custom making name plates at the flea market.

[BigSki]

you're doing really good with this, you have an 'eye' for it......

I've been watching for the right deal, I need a small mill for my fab lab, I no longer have any access to equipment.

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by BigSki

I no longer have any access to equipment.

I had that problem.




























Then I lost 30 pounds and could reach them again. Oh!

[CREEPERBOB]

Here's a project to awe over ;
The world's tiniest V12 engine. [VIDEO]

[rob_b]

Originally Posted by Duuuuuuuude

Any experience is good experience.

Nice work on the t-nut. I recently saw a post or sig over at cnczone.com that said something along the lines of "Learning to make things you can buy will prepare you for the day you need something that can't be bought."

Originally Posted by Duuuuuuuude

There is a vision in my head of a couple of power feeds controlled by a joystick.

That's doable, here is my wip diy cnc control

[Harley]

Good luck man, I am another hack machinist. Made decent progress from where I started but I've only seen shavings of the iceberg.

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by rob_b

Nice work on the t-nut. I recently saw a post or sig over at cnczone.com that said something along the lines of "Learning to make things you can buy will prepare you for the day you need something that can't be bought."

That's doable, here is my wip diy cnc control

Its also more fun to make than it is to buy. Usually.

That is a nice controller!

Originally Posted by Harley

Good luck man, I am another hack machinist. Made decent progress from where I started but I've only seen shavings of the iceberg.

Thank you sir. Always something to learn...


More county fair stuff. Yellow and green 'cause she's a fan of Green Bay. I feel like I'm back in jr high.

[Postclanker]

You got to do this in Jr. high?????
Take a minute and take a picture of your machine if you don't mind sharing...
TIA

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by Postclanker

You got to do this in Jr. high?????
Take a minute and take a picture of your machine if you don't mind sharing...
TIA

No...didn't get to play with a mill in jr high...did lots of other stuff though. It's really a sad thing that so many schools have cut out wood and metal shop nowadays. My high school shop was huge, now its just another classroom.

The name plates just made me feel like I was back in school, making dumb things to hand off to my family at Christmas time.

A pic of the mill as requested. Yes, I color coded my dro's and handwheels.



The old cat that originally owned it made this cool little swing away collet holder.



As best as I can tell its a Rong Foo mill. Enco carries them. Their basic model now is just a step above this one and features a power down feed. Nice, but I'd rather have powered X and Y.

[CREEPERBOB]

That top pic is a good one, that main spindle support pole is substantial , good and rigid.
And I agree the X and Y axis' are the most useful. Thats why I liked the one I got was that was included.