The GDS Skunkworks, 4 FN 27's Shop Projects

[4 FN 27]

I don’t like snow.

+1!!

Not a fan of snow unless on a snowmobile.

I love Snow!!! I love winter...call me nuts...and I am a Snowmobiler!!!

Fantastic read though!

Thank you!!!

Great job on the blade pat and hats off to your finishers too. Looks like there is ver few low spots.

Thank you. Pictures do a lot to hide the sins...up close it looks like the Moon...

Love how the snowplow turned out Pat. I would love to have something like that but nowhere to store it and it's one of those things I hope I wouldn't have to use very often.

Have I mentioned just how much I hate snow?

Mike you should have built a bigger Garage...LOL...I wish I had gone another 20 feet deeper on mine but...

My original design when I first bought the property was 18K sq ft but when the economy tanked and my sponsors dried up we put that on hold and since I am not racing any more I scaled it back.

See above...I love snow...




Yesterday on my way to the plant I stopped down at the shop like I always do to see if the HVAC system is working correctly with the 5 degree temp we have been having and everything is up and running. Walked through and everything was as it should be. Got home last night a bit late and find my Transmission for the Chevelle project on the floor next to the work bench...I am thinking WTF????

Find an ear broken off...the thing has been sitting there like that for a week. I ask the Wife if she noticed we had an earth quake or something??? I look around the shop and nothing else is out of place...it did land on an anti-fatigue mat but that didn't help much...needless to say I am a little bit pissed...

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Now what to do...I'll buy another one off CL or some place and swap out all the good part and make one and at a later date weld and machine the case...dang it...

Oh well on to the next thing...

A friend stopped by and asked if I can make a part to fix his car which was his fathers. I think it is a 57 Buick...his Dad passed about 6 months ago and this was a project they did together. The broken part is a diecast piece that the Shifter Lever goes into on the Column. Broke in 2 pieces.

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So I sat down with my Caliper and measured it up, wrote a DFX file and off the Jet we go. 1 inch thick T6 in hand and hit the start button. 3.91 minutes later I have a blank I can start milling on.

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The inside came out perfect but I cut the outside a little too fast so I think tomorrow night I'll take another run at it see if I can get the outside as good as the inside.

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Then it will be off to the Mill for a little machining...

 

[bdbecker]

...Got home last night a bit late and find my Transmission for the Chevelle project on the floor next to the work bench...I am thinking WTF???? ...Find an ear broken off...the thing has been sitting there like that for a week. I ask the Wife if she noticed we had an earth quake or something???...

There has been a little activity the last few days:
https://www.642weather.com/weather/earthquakes-usa.php

My guess - probably just a gremlin checking on your work.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

A friend stopped by and asked if I can make a part to fix his car which was his fathers. I think it is a 57 Buick...his Dad passed about 6 months ago and this was a project they did together. The broken part is a diecast piece that the Shifter Lever goes into on the Column. Broke in 2 pieces.

This is cool! My grandfather had the largest private Buick collection in America when I was a kid. His thing in life was high end restorations. My great uncle was a master machinist that grew up in Chula Vista hot rodding (made the cover of Hot Rod back in the 50's). I remember the day my uncle passed we were talking about the parts he used to make for my grandfather's Buick's as you could never find parts for them like a Ford/Chevy. The correlation of the drag racer making obsolete Buick parts reminded me of 2 great guys that are no longer with us!

Threads like this are invaluable because they serve as resources for those of us who don't have the old guys we looked up to with us anymore to show us their tricks.

 

[LXCam]

Great job on that part Pat. When I first saw the picture I thought just how in the hell do you broach something like that without A specific set up. Duhhh

 

[NUTTSGT]

Yesterday on my way to the plant I stopped down at the shop like I always do to see if the HVAC system is working correctly with the 5 degree temp we have been having and everything is up and running. Walked through and everything was as it should be. Got home last night a bit late and find my Transmission for the Chevelle project on the floor next to the work bench...I am thinking WTF????

Find an ear broken off...the thing has been sitting there like that for a week. I ask the Wife if she noticed we had an earth quake or something??? I look around the shop and nothing else is out of place...it did land on an anti-fatigue mat but that didn't help much...needless to say I am a little bit pissed...

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Now what to do...I'll buy another one off CL or some place and swap out all the good part and make one and at a later date weld and machine the case...dang it...


...

Oh, I feel for you Pat. When I pulled the TKO 600 out this past Summer to get it worked on, something fell on the floor. I thought WTH ? Picked it up and found it was an ear off the main case. After getting it on the bench, found there was also a crack in the main case.

What makes it worse, When I destroyed everything in '07, there was a crack in the G-Force main case for the T5. That got fixed it and when one of the selector plates broke, taking third gear, cluster shaft and input shaft with it, I cracked that case as well.

If you're counting, that's 3 main cases.

 

[4 FN 27]

There has been a little activity the last few days:
https://www.642weather.com/weather/earthquakes-usa.php

My guess - probably just a gremlin checking on your work.

It is either my FIL who passed 2 years ago or it is Bob...the guy that owned this property before me. He died in 2010. Anything like this that happens at the house my Wife always blames those two...

This is cool! My grandfather had the largest private Buick collection in America when I was a kid. His thing in life was high end restorations. My great uncle was a master machinist that grew up in Chula Vista hot rodding (made the cover of Hot Rod back in the 50's). I remember the day my uncle passed we were talking about the parts he used to make for my grandfather's Buick's as you could never find parts for them like a Ford/Chevy. The correlation of the drag racer making obsolete Buick parts reminded me of 2 great guys that are no longer with us!

Threads like this are invaluable because they serve as resources for those of us who don't have the old guys we looked up to with us anymore to show us their tricks.

"Those guys" are a dying breed...I have a few mentors left in the "art" and I hope to pass on my little "tricks of the trade" on...trouble is the younger guys don't want to hang out here and learn something. The door is always open when the lights are on.

Oh, I feel for you Pat. When I pulled the TKO 600 out this past Summer to get it worked on, something fell on the floor. I thought WTH ? Picked it up and found it was an ear off the main case. After getting it on the bench, found there was also a crack in the main case.

What makes it worse, When I destroyed everything in '07, there was a crack in the G-Force main case for the T5. That got fixed it and when one of the selector plates broke, taking third gear, cluster shaft and input shaft with it, I cracked that case as well.

If you're counting, that's 3 main cases.

Wow Nutts...3 mains...I haven't ever done that.

Testing one weekend at BIR we broke a Transmission. I thought no big deal lets just toss another one in. As the crew was doing their thing I was grinding Clutch Disks when my Clutch guy said "come here". I walked over and he handed me a Jack & Coke. I said "dude I have to drive this thing". He handed me a flashlight and said "look down the #1 hole". They had the top of the intake off...there it was a Valve stuck through the Head sideways in the Intake Runner.

I would have rather had just a blown Transmission...LOL...Spare motor went in that night and I finished a few Jack & Cokes to ease the financial pain.




Tonight I wrapped up the Column part. Re-cut it running slower and it came out perfect except where I ran just about .015 too close to an existing hole in the material I used. You can see the little divot in the top edge in the picture. Oh well only you and I will know...right?...LOL...

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I heard tomorrow night we might get 1-3 inches of snow...might get top play with the plow on Saturday morning.

 

[4 FN 27]

Almost for got...this guy came and visited the Office today...bigger buck I have seen with my own 2 eyes...

 

[rmack898]

Am I counting right, do I see 10 ?

 

[Strouty]

Ears are made to break off.

 

[customh]

rmack 10 maybe 11. That's a hefty boy there.

Ears are made to break off.

I thought you were talking about the buck and looked at the points several times trying to figure out what you were saying. Then I realized it was about the transmission.

 

[Strouty]

We now have our own white stuff, so now I need to plow and deal with it too. I was kind of hoping that this year we might get lucky.

As for the ears, just seems like they always make them stick out so far that it is easy to break them without much effort.

 

[zmotorsports]

Awesome job on the column shifter component Pat. I'm looking forward on getting caught up on my couple of major projects so I can get back to doing the fun little ones again. Hopefully by the first of the year I should have my son's Jeep and my "project" pretty much wrapped up.

 

[4 FN 27]

Am I counting right, do I see 10 ?

Not sure. I need to go back and look at our surveillance video and see if I can get a better look.

We have a Nature Preserve across the street and no hunting is allowed in the area except a handicap shoot every 2 years or so. They do get big. A record buck was taken about 10 years ago. Non-typical...looked like a giant cluster frick on top of it's head.

I have found the sheds from an 8, 10 and a pair of matching 12 pointer on our property since we built there 20 years ago.

Ears are made to break off.

Please od not tell Mickey Mouse this. PLEASE!!!

rmack 10 maybe 11. That's a hefty boy there.


I thought you were talking about the buck and looked at the points several times trying to figure out what you were saying. Then I realized it was about the transmission.

LOL...drink more Hamm's Travis!!!

Awesome job on the column shifter component Pat. I'm looking forward on getting caught up on my couple of major projects so I can get back to doing the fun little ones again. Hopefully by the first of the year I should have my son's Jeep and my "project" pretty much wrapped up.

Thank you Mike!! The Jeep is looking awesome!!!!


Things never go as planned in my world...but then I remember what a wise old man told me once..."wanna make God laugh? Tell him you have the plan."

We won a job I quoted a few weeks ago...25000+ parts for a well known retailer in the tool and home fixer upper world. Lead-time quoted was for 20 days just to get the tooling onboard...you know design, test, heat treat, polish...test some more and roll into production. Will I have 14 working days to build it and ship it complete.

Got me thinking for most of the night and I headed into the plant this morning. Grabbed a cup of coffee and hit the computer. I designed a Press Brake Tool Set where we should get 1 part per stroke of the press on what we call a 2 hand transfer set-up. I cut it from a chunk material from another tool which is fully hardened D2 Tool Steel in the Water Jet...I am still amazed how accurate this machine is...Monday morning we will see how it tests out...

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Once I wrapped that puppy up the BIL, the Nephew and I added the third pedal to the Chevelle project...

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Dang what I would give to be young again...had to take the front seat out so I could lay in there on my back and get'er done...back in the day I would have just sucked it up. Man I miss working on my Pro Stock Car where everything was design around working on it. The benefit of the challenge was the refresher course on profanity I experienced...LOL...

Tomorrow I'll be back in the office...2 old time racing friends need parts made. Need to make 2 Olds DRCEIII Intake Manifold Trays for one of the NHRA Pro Stock Teams and a Clutch Spacer for one of the Pro Stock Harleys running in Pro Stock Bike. I feel honored to have my stuff flying down the track at 200+ MPH.

While I program those I'll put the Laser on auto pilot and cut Header Collector Tabs and Head Baskets for another Pro Stock/Top Fuel Header builder buddy of mine. It is that time of year where all the teams are gearing up for the next season and I get to have a very small part in it. I have parts on just about every Top Fuel Dragster, Funny Car, Pro Stock Car and NASCAR Cup Car out on the track today. Once the mad rush of "Silly Season" is over I can get on with my personal projects.

 

[4 FN 27]

Ran 600 Header Tabs and 60 Blower Restraint Brackets at the plant today.

While those were running I was walking around and saw a Wrench Blank we are making for OTC-Bosch. Looks like they are making a fixture to machine in the "other" end.

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Ran all the Pro Stock Bike Clutch Spacers in the water Jet. Also completed the 2 DRCEIII Valley Trays...now I can get on with my stuff...

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Looking forward to a long weekend!!!

 

[pamike]

Can you explain the custom press brake tooling that you cut on the waterjet? Did you have any software to help determine the tooling? or just your experience ? It appears to be a 2 bend per hit setup?

 

[OldNeons]

Nice looking parts as usual Pat! You (and your friends) are finding all kinds of uses for the Omax!

I feel your pain on crawling under the dash. Helped my uncle put a 4 speed in his 67 Camaro convertible this spring and I was the lucky one contorting myself under the dash to install the pedal. So sad to see the broken Muncie - almost makes you want to cry - they aren't making any more of those!

I agree that machines (car, mower, vacuum, whatever) need to be designed with future service in mind. The engineers should be forced to work on these things, not just design them for cheap and easy assembly on the production line.

 

[4 FN 27]

Nice looking parts as usual Pat! You (and your friends) are finding all kinds of uses for the Omax!

I feel your pain on crawling under the dash. Helped my uncle put a 4 speed in his 67 Camaro convertible this spring and I was the lucky one contorting myself under the dash to install the pedal. So sad to see the broken Muncie - almost makes you want to cry - they aren't making any more of those!

I agree that machines (car, mower, vacuum, whatever) need to be designed with future service in mind. The engineers should be forced to work on these things, not just design them for cheap and easy assembly on the production line.

Thank you Ron!!!

The Muncie deal will turnout OK. Spoke with my Engine Builder who use to own Jerico Performance and he knows a guy that makes an after market case...a much better case than the stock one. He will talk to him and see what they cost. based on that maybe I'll just jump right into a Jerico DR4 and be done with it.

Or there is always CL...

Can you explain the custom press brake tooling that you cut on the waterjet? Did you have any software to help determine the tooling? or just your experience ? It appears to be a 2 bend per hit setup?

Basically the customer sent me a sketch of what they were looking for. I modeled it up and they approved the design and I quoted it. The price was too high as designed so I asked how it will be used...keep in mind this particular guy usually has everything sorted out when I get it and there is little I have to ask. He informed me he was helping another Project Manager with this and he really never looked at it.

Guess I should have asked from the beginning...so they had it designed as a weldment using tab and slot construction and painted black. Once I knew how it was used and what it is I suggested we do what we call a Hem and 90 and eliminate the welding altogether. Switch the material from CRS to Pre-Plate and eliminate the painting.

We did an 8 pcs proto run and everything worked and their customer signed off.

The design of the Brake Tool is just experience and educated guessing. Take the profile of the model "formed" as far as you think you can get it and design the tool around it.

In this pic you can see the ""formed" as far as you think you can get it" part on the right and the finished part on the left. Flattening the Hem is the last hit.

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Here is the part after the first hit still laying in the bottom die.

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The trick is to get the Die Sets, 1st hit being the pre-form for the Hem and 90 and the second being the flattening operation to time out perfect so the operator can transfer the part form the 1st hit to the second and get a part each stroke of the press. This reduces the number of Press Brake hits by 50%^ which in this case is 63.5 hours.

The top punch of the second hit is a stock tool from Wilson Tool thus that was the driver. Everything was built/timed off of that which means I had to cut a custom bottom for that set to make it "shimable" to assure timing based on material thickness would work.

Since the test proved out the guys found me a nice hunk of A2 Tool Steel from an obsolete tool and I recut the Tooling to the correct width (actually .525 wider than needed). I headed home at noon and started cutting. Not to bad for the first try...The Water Jet was flying at 0.322 inches per minute. For enjoyment while running...since the punch took the longest at 1 hour and 6 minutes I painted a piece of metal and watched it dry...LOL...lesson learned have another project going while the machine runs.

The finished Tools and the hunk of A2 they came out of...amazing it can cut full hardened tool steel at 1.525 inches thick...

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I received an email from the sales guy I bought the Water Jet from today...they have their Desk Top Metal 3d Printer up and running. Heading over for a demo Dec 4 or 5th. Already warned my Wife, the CFO of the operation I am very interested in buying one...she is in a panic...

 

[NUTTSGT]

Dang what I would give to be young again...had to take the front seat out so I could lay in there on my back and get'er done...back in the day I would have just sucked it up. Man I miss working on my Pro Stock Car where everything was design around working on it. The benefit of the challenge was the refresher course on profanity I experienced...LOL...

Tomorrow I'll be back in the office...2 old time racing friends need parts made. Need to make 2 Olds DRCEIII Intake Manifold Trays for one of the NHRA Pro Stock Teams and a Clutch Spacer for one of the Pro Stock Harleys running in Pro Stock Bike. I feel honored to have my stuff flying down the track at 200+ MPH.

While I program those I'll put the Laser on auto pilot and cut Header Collector Tabs and Head Baskets for another Pro Stock/Top Fuel Header builder buddy of mine. It is that time of year where all the teams are gearing up for the next season and I get to have a very small part in it. I have parts on just about every Top Fuel Dragster, Funny Car, Pro Stock Car and NASCAR Cup Car out on the track today. Once the mad rush of "Silly Season" is over I can get on with my personal projects.

Curious Pat, you have any Wallys ?

 

[4 FN 27]

Curious Pat, you have any Wallys ?

2 Wallys...

My neighbor and this one:

 

[NUTTSGT]

2 Wallys...

My neighbor and this one:

LOL awesome Pat.

Where was that at ?

 

[customh]

Looks like Brainerd to me

 

[Murphy'sSidekic]

I received an email from the sales guy I bought the Water Jet from today...they have their Desk Top Metal 3d Printer up and running. Heading over for a demo Dec 4 or 5th. Already warned my Wife, the CFO of the operation I am very interested in buying one...she is in a panic...

Hi Pat, I'm wondering if you're talking about the metal printer system the company I work for, Markforged, makes. We released it this year. Let me know if that's the one.

 

[zmotorsports]

Love following along on your projects Pat.

I wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving my friend.

 

[LXCam]

That tooling is pretty cool Pat. My FIL designed forming dies for most of his life for really crazy **** like locomotive exhaust flex joints, etc.

But I just stopped in to wish you and the family a very happy T-day bud.

 

[4 FN 27]

Where was that at ?

Travis got it!!!

Looks like Brainerd to me

Ding...Ding...Winner!!!

Hi Pat, I'm wondering if you're talking about the metal printer system the company I work for, Markforged, makes. We released it this year. Let me know if that's the one.

Going to see a Desktop Metal Printer. Will be looking at Markforged too...need to find a rep in the area. I'll be looking and watching since this technology is so new. I don't like being the R&D center for new products on my dime.

Love following along on your projects Pat.

I wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving my friend.

Thank you Mike!!! And Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

That tooling is pretty cool Pat. My FIL designed forming dies for most of his life for really crazy **** like locomotive exhaust flex joints, etc.

But I just stopped in to wish you and the family a very happy T-day bud.

Thanks Cam...Happy Thanksgiving!!!




I love Thanksgiving...miss mostly the trips to Iowa to pick up my Maternal Grand Parents to bring them to my Mom and Dad's place. Been 25 years this weekend I bought both of them here for the last time. Gramps passed the following summer. After that it was just Grandma and I rolling in my Dually until she had to check herself into the nursing home.

I stopped to see her on the way to a race one day when she was 91 or 92 and she was still living on her own. I called and asked if I could get her some lunch from New Hampton IA...not to far away from her home town of Lawler IA. She asked if I had any Beer??? She continued if you have Beer I would like Pizza.

Well I had Beer so I stopped at Pizza hut and got a Pizza. Head to Grandma's and she had a half a glass of Beer and the Pizza. She never drank unless it was Pizza she would have Beer.

Days like today remind me I am thankful for the experiences we share with others....that is one of the most of many treasured memories of my Grandmother. She died a year later.

I have a lot to be thankful for and I am. I am thankful for all the mentors I have had over the years and the opportunities I have had to some pretty crazy things.





This morning I headed down to the shop about 6:30 am after waking at 4 am...I started cutting tubing for a couple of racks...one for the boys at work and one for me. Then I started welding and it was time for the feast my Wife prepared for the in-laws and some friends. We had a great meal and great conversation.

They all just left so I am heading back down to the Shop to play some more. I hope to have the Racks nocked out by tomorrow night. Then I can get back on the Chevelle project.

Happy Thanksgiving ya'all!!!!

Lots of tubing cut...

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The start of the build...

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One last thing...last night when I came in the house my Wife was practicing on her Piano in her Studio above the Garage...a rare treat for me. She doesn't like to practice when I am home for some reason. So I hung out downstairs listening...man can she play. So she starts playing the Pink Panther Theme Song...that was my queue to sneak upstairs and video her...the perfect song to sneak too...LOL...she said she would kill me if I post the video...said nothing about a picture however...

 

[zmotorsports]

That sounds like a wonderful day Pat.

I used to love listening to my wife play the piano as well. She doesn't play any longer but I would love listening to her play the theme song to The Man from Snowy River.

 

[4 FN 27]

What a weekend...I am looking forward to a Monday at work so I can relax...LOL...

Finished up the Shim Stock Rack on Friday for the guys and gals at the plant. About 10 hours of fixturing parts in position and welding. Now I just have to finish building mine.

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Saturday I had a bunch of buddies over for coffee at 6 am. They surprised me with a gift...a Taxidermy Prairie Dog...these guy know how much I love to hunt Prairie Dogs...

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So any of you GJ Peeps need a professional to exterminate your P-Dog problem just let me know.

My friend brought his boys over and they were entertained and learning at the same time. We played on the Water Jet developing the cutting condition for 3 inch thick UHMW...it was a learning curve for me to. I kept playing with the wrong number. They have this Machinability Index Number (MIN)and I kept changing that until I went back to the original MIN and started playing with the thickness to get the edge conditions the way I liked. I had to lie to the machine and tell it the material was 4.250 thick to get the finish I wanted on the whole surface.

On the right you can see how rough the surface is telling it the material is 3.062 thick. On the left the final cut after about 4 hours of experimentation.

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The final product...mounts for my AR-15's to hang them on the wall. This is the prototype.

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Tomorrow I take the Stainless Mounting Brackets to work and throw them in the tumbler for a few hours to polish them. Another thing to add to the list of machines needed in the shop.

Have a few more blanks to machine yet...

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In the future I hope to be able to 3D Print these. It took about 14 minutes each on the Jet, time well spent learning more about it. I am sure a printer would take maybe a little longer but I would eliminate the Machining Operation and maybe the tapping too...time will tell.

I finished the weekend having dinner with some friends of our Daughters. The friends moved to New York 20 years ago and recently settled in Georgia and 1 of their daughters moved here to Minneapolis for work this past fall. Her sister flew in for the weekend. It was good to see them and I am amazed at "how on the move" they are. The youngest flies all over the US and Canada setting up network systems. And the oldest does the morning news/Producer in Charlotte, NC.

While they were her I gave her car the once over in the shop. All was good. She and her Dad know nothing about cars.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!!!

 

[papp101]

What a weekend...I am looking forward to a Monday at work so I can relax...LOL...

Finished up the Shim Stock Rack on Friday for the guys and gals at the plant. About 10 hours of fixturing parts in position and welding. Now I just have to finish building mine.

View media item 88589
Saturday I had a bunch of buddies over for coffee at 6 am. They surprised me with a gift...a Taxidermy Prairie Dog...these guy know how much I love to hunt Prairie Dogs...

View media item 88594
So any of you GJ Peeps need a professional to exterminate your P-Dog problem just let me know.

My friend brought his boys over and they were entertained and learning at the same time. We played on the Water Jet developing the cutting condition for 3 inch thick UHMW...it was a learning curve for me to. I kept playing with the wrong number. They have this Machinability Index Number (MIN)and I kept changing that until I went back to the original MIN and started playing with the thickness to get the edge conditions the way I liked. I had to lie to the machine and tell it the material was 4.250 thick to get the finish I wanted on the whole surface.

On the right you can see how rough the surface is telling it the material is 3.062 thick. On the left the final cut after about 4 hours of experimentation.

View media item 88590
The final product...mounts for my AR-15's to hang them on the wall. This is the prototype.

View media item 88591
View media item 88592
Tomorrow I take the Stainless Mounting Brackets to work and throw them in the tumbler for a few hours to polish them. Another thing to add to the list of machines needed in the shop.

Have a few more blanks to machine yet...

View media item 88593
In the future I hope to be able to 3D Print these. It took about 14 minutes each on the Jet, time well spent learning more about it. I am sure a printer would take maybe a little longer but I would eliminate the Machining Operation and maybe the tapping too...time will tell.

I finished the weekend having dinner with some friends of our Daughters. The friends moved to New York 20 years ago and recently settled in Georgia and 1 of their daughters moved here to Minneapolis for work this past fall. Her sister flew in for the weekend. It was good to see them and I am amazed at "how on the move" they are. The youngest flies all over the US and Canada setting up network systems. And the oldest does the morning news/Producer in Charlotte, NC.

While they were her I gave her car the once over in the shop. All was good. She and her Dad know nothing about cars.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!!!

Uh. Maz. Ing. Thanks for sharing!!

Phil in s. Mpls.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Balor]

Very nice AR mount 4FN27.

rngr1

 

[wasfast]

The time to print that part, with any 3D printing method, is FAR longer than 14 minutes......

 

[cvairwerks]

Might be worth the time to look at casting them in a silicone type mold. With a little forethought, you could probably cast some threaded cylinders into them as anchors for the mount plate.

 

[sberry]

I am still eating dirt in comparison.

 

[Strouty]

The 3D printer sounds like the future of everything. I can already see 3D vending machines. Then maybe we can have food printed from rolls of soylent green.

 

[4 FN 27]

Very nice AR mount 4FN27.

rngr1

Thank you!!! I am liking how they present the firearm while hiding. Need to make some mods for the AR-18 and AR-15 22LR Mag Wells.

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The time to print that part, with any 3D printing method, is FAR longer than 14 minutes......

Understand. But I like dabbling in technology and "other" manufacturing methods.

I am still eating dirt in comparison.

sberry...not sure what to say...other than dirt can have some unique nutritional when ingested in moderation.

Life on my end is not all roses. My challenges in life are unique as yours. All of us have unique challenges we face everyday...we just have to make the most of them. Eventually we will all be looing through 6 feet of dirt...I just hope I leave more good behind than bad.

The 3D printer sounds like the future of everything. I can already see 3D vending machines. Then maybe we can have food printed from rolls of soylent green.

Not sure if I would be a fan of "printed food"...I like a nice medium rare Filet on occasion...




Been a while since I have updated this. It is that time of year getting things ready for 2019...working on the business. Setting the goals, budgets, forecasts...Strategic Planning 2019 ***** up a lot of time over the daily grind. But we are coming down the home stretch.

Tonight will be the first time in a while I can go play in the shop.

Last week I made the time to make a road trip to pick up a new Snowmobile...new in the box 2017 M8000 153 for a 38.1% discount. Couldn't pass that up. Bought a new one last year, same kind of deal, a 2016 for a discount but totaled it at +/- 600 miles when I sucked a rock up through the tunnel and it ripped the track 2/3 of the way through and cut the heat exchanger in half.

Need to take that apart and fix it. Basically you have to separate the Tunnel from the Bulkhead to replace the Heat Exchanger. Major job and one of those jobs once you start you don't stop until the repair is complete. Or I may use the drivetrain for a Retro-Mountain Sled I would like to build from a 1971 Puma...saving it for another day for now.

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Now I have to do the research to figure out how to set-up the suspension on this beast for the best ride/performance. Air Springs are nice but infinite adjustments means it can never be quite right...but I enjoy the challenge.

Yesterday I checked out the Desk Top Metal Printer.

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Interesting to say the least. Very cool technology but very slow process. I suspect there will be great gains made on the printing side of things in the next few years as time compression will push the manufacturers just like the Laser Technology...faster...faster...faster. So I am not ready to move just yet.

The consumables aren't that bad. The Stainless Material is about $2.00 per pound, the Gas for the Oven can be bought through our normal suppliers cutting the cost by about 80%. They are running 95% Argon and 5%...something else...memory is slipping. And they are developing a Nitrogen process which I believe would be the best since most Shops already have bulk Nitrogen for their Lasers.

My one concern is the Debinder process and the disposal of the removed Binding Agent??? They will be getting back to me on this. They do reclaim the solvent in the process. So it is an add as you go.

Over the next couple of weeks I'll have the Engineers send models of Emboss Tools to them for evaluation. As basic time study to see if we can utilize this technology in the business to reduce lead-times.

One of the parts they had already made. A hinge, fully functional right out of the oven.

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While I was there I checked out the Tilt-a-Jet Head for the Omax. Might be a worthy investment after the first of the year. They are getting me a quote. This will open the door to making more Tooling for the plant thus justifying the investment somewhat making the CFO (Wife) happy.

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Looking forward to the holidays and some nice 4 day weekends in the shop.

 

[bdbecker]

Reading through the website for that 3D printing unit... they are definitely on to something with that FDM process. I also like the variety of materials they are offering/developing. I'm definitely going to keep an eye on that company to see where they take things. This also gets me really excited about where things will be in the next 5-10-20 years.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Pat, can you give us a feel on the strength of the parts created on that printer? i.e., is that a serviceable hinge or is it only suitable for prototyping? If the produced parts are comparable to even cast aluminum I can see how that printer would be awesome.

 

[4 FN 27]

Reading through the website for that 3D printing unit... they are definitely on to something with that FDM process. I also like the variety of materials they are offering/developing. I'm definitely going to keep an eye on that company to see where they take things. This also gets me really excited about where things will be in the next 5-10-20 years.

So far they have released the Stainless and Copper.

The FDM process is another area they are fine tuning. Currently you can only deposit material at 1 given rate. I asked about varying rates based on the Part requirement. They are working on it.

Pat, can you give us a feel on the strength of the parts created on that printer? i.e., is that a serviceable hinge or is it only suitable for prototyping? If the produced parts are comparable to even cast aluminum I can see how that printer would be awesome.

From what I remember in the conversation 95% strength. I would parallel the strength with Powdered Metal Technology.

They did have a sample where they added extra material to a surface for machining. At this point the extra material needs to be added in the Solid Model stage. They are working on a solution to add material in the Programming side so you do not have to corrupt your model or keep a copy just for printing. I like this approach for design integrity and revision control.

The Machined surface was perfect. No flaws or porosity.

 

[csp]

Need to take that apart and fix it. Basically you have to separate the Tunnel from the Bulkhead to replace the Heat Exchanger.

I don't envy that job. I hit a rock hard enough with a ski that it pushed back the trailing arm enough to buckle the tunnel. Luckily it's been long enough that I no longer remember how many hundreds of rivets had to be drilled out.

 

[zmotorsports]

Nice sled Pat.

Back when I was sledding I used to enjoy tearing them down to the bulkhead, swapping tunnels, rolling chaincases as well as fabricating my own heat exchangers and suspension. It is a lot of work but I used to love it as it was a challenge to find the perfect balance between shaving the weight and adding the performance.

I look forward to seeing the project.

 

[Strouty]

That prairie dog would be a great office display, do you have a shop office?