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Above 1200 Sq/FT Eastern Washington Workshop

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BORING HOP YARD

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Jan 13, 2007
Messages
1,099
Location
Boring Oregon
Now come on Steven were quietly here sitting on our hands, biting our lips and nails waiting for an update on the Nova. We fully understand were guest and were looking over your shoulder in your daily endeavor.
All kidding aside, I hope all is well with you and the Nova will be well documented for us to digest in all its glory.
Greg.
 
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slodat

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Joined
Feb 6, 2010
Messages
3,679
Location
Central-ish, WA
The dust shoe that came with the CNC router left a lot to be desired. I needed to cut a part on it the other day and it ended up making a huge mess. So, I whipped this guy up after work. It’s based on a very common design that I’ve seen online. I had bought the brush strip last year.

Base that clamps on the spindle:
IMG_2793.jpg

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Spacer ring for when the bit sticks out below the brush:
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And the brush:
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Video showing how the magnets align and hold it all together:
https://youtu.be/BkO_G_u8EGo

This allows the shoe to be quickly removed and installed during bit changes. I’m working on some cool stuff for the Nova. More to follow. I wish I had more hours in the day!
 
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slodat

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I’m here! Every night after work and most of the weekends. My CNC router controls ruined enough carbide and other high quality bits that I had my fill. The tool height probe routine was the major complaint, but there were a host of other issues with the Chinese Mach3 motion control board and Mach3 in general. So, along with ordering replacement bits I settled Centroid Acorn controls upgrade.

Acorn looks like a great system. I’ve been working on things preparing for the UPS package, hopefully Friday. One of these preparation items was this little DIN rail mounting adapter for these relay circuit boards.

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A couple of minutes drawing in Aspire, send to laser, thread the holes for the standoff’s and it was complete. The design -> prototype on laser work flow is wonderful and very fast. I test most things in 1/8” MDF. I’ve wasted very little of the expensive materials. The next piece to the workflow is getting the router dialed in and reliable so I can cut sample parts for the Nova.

I’ll update the thread with the router controls upgrade. It should be cool!
 

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slodat

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Got the CNC router controls updated. Installed Centroids new Acorn step and direction control board. Really nice setup that users their control software. It is a fully featured, mature system. Straight forward installation. Before:
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After.. the wiring will get cleaned up when my ferrule crimper gets here. No gutter on this one. [emoji6]
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The interposing relays isolate the Acorn board from the axis drive and VFD. Things are running pretty well. A couple adjustments after work and I should be good.

Here it is surfacing the spoilboard at 800ipm.
 

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jbmatth

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Joined
Jun 3, 2013
Messages
5,681
Location
Northern Ok.
I have somehow missed your shop thread until this point, it is very interesting and a great read. I'll follow along now to see how the Nova interior turns out.

JB
 
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slodat

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Thank you for following along, JB.

Finished the router the other day. Drawing panel parts in CAD this morning.

Took advantage of the sunshine yesterday morning and got the garage door seal that was ripped off by the forklift months ago. The door seal had started leaking. The foam rod flattened out. I was able to get another in.
IMG_2942.jpg

Tidied up the router control cabinet.
IMG_2928.jpg

It’s amazing how much of a difference the Centroid Acorn control made in the usability of the router.
 

matt_i

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Joined
Mar 14, 2008
Messages
10,722
Location
SE Michigan
Hi just stopping by to check out your panel and go back thru a few pages, the shop is looking really great! A good CNC control is really nice, when you can get "in tune" with all of the features :) it makes "making parts" a joy. I admire the woodshop too, mine is in a cobbled state of (dis)array...

In your CNC project I'm wondering if you had to buy new enclosure(s) or just reused the ones you already had?...I thought I had a good deal in Home Depot's NEMA-1 boxes (really basic, no backplane) but the larger sizes are not stocked, sort of a direct ship from Weigmann and so its involving a lot of waiting...
 
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slodat

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Messages
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Central-ish, WA
Matt- for the CNC control retrofit, I was able to get it all in the original cabinet.

Before:
fe79d6ca2b2ecde7b48781497042b5fb.jpg

After:
IMG_2928.jpg

I buy Hoffman control cabinets on eBay for other stuff.. the spray booth VFD, dust PLC enclosure and so on. There are great deals to be had on this stuff. Search by part number.
 
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slodat

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Feb 6, 2010
Messages
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Central-ish, WA
It has been a while since I’ve posted anything in here.. I finally got the last, bug missing link in the shop. A Logic Trace digitizing board. 44” x 60”. 0.005” accuracy. It allows me to make a pattern out of any of the materials I work with and turn that into a vector drawing for use in my CAD software, quickly. Like a couple of minutes. This then makes design and design changes all happen in the digital realm. I’ve had a learning curve, but it has been worth it.

The digitizing board is quite large. About 5’ x 6’. And, I want it horizontal. I settled on this pallet racking that’s sold for making work benches. The uprights are 36”. That’s a bit too tall, so I used this setup to take some height out:
IMG_3050.jpg

I needed a home for the board, so the sofa (where I take naps) was relegated to the display room:

IMG_3373.jpg

The digitizing board in its new home:

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A little laminate on the computer shelf:

IMG_3374.jpg

I’m thinking some of you would love to see how this is used.. I make patterns from chipboard, clear(ish) plastic, and 1/8 mdf. Then I place the pattern on the board.

IMG_3315.jpg

Then it’s digitized using a transducer that looks like a pen, touching points to layout lines, arcs and circles. It can also trace a shape. This file is then opened in the CAD software. I use Vectric Aspire for CAD. This is what it looks like after some cleanup:

IMG_3301.jpg
IMG_3312.jpg

Then a test piece is cut out of chipboard or 1/8 mdf on the laser. The tracing board makes it easy to make adjustments. The end results is a reliable pattern will all holes, openings and such laid out. I can also outline the panel design on that test piece to check to alignment and such.

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Then we expand to the rear panel.

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Once things are where they need to be, I make the final panel parts...
 

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slodat

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Feb 6, 2010
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Central-ish, WA
Thanks for following along and commenting guys!!

I have a couple days off from the day job this week. I’m enjoying spending them in the shop working on some upholstery. A bit more base fabrication and then on to the fun stuff.

Since I knew I would be in the shop today I arranged a service call with a HVAC company to take a look at one of my Pioneer mini-split heat pumps. The guy knew his stuff from what I can tell. It’s hard enough to find people that will come to this little town, let alone techs that know what they are doing. Sniffer didn’t detect a leak, and no visible indicators of where a leak may be, so he recharged and added some uv dye. AC is kicking and he says he’ll be able to find a leak after some time. I’m happy with that.

On the down side, I discovered this on the back side of the building..

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To say I’m pissed is a massive understatement. Informed the local authorities. They have seen one other of the same. Looks like I’ll be adding more cameras for 360 coverage of the building.

I hope everyone has a safe and fun Fourth!!
 

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zmotorsports

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Oct 20, 2009
Messages
21,312
Location
Northern Utah
Steven, glad to hear you were able to get your A/C running and have done shop time but the vandalism flat *****. That **** pisses me off to no end. People’s lack of respect for other people’s property is beyond loathsome.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app
 

xtremek

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Joined
Apr 13, 2012
Messages
11,603
Location
St. Johns, Mi
:( After all of that work you've allowed us the pleasure of watching, I have to say that I'm upset as well, though I'm sure nowhere near your level. I hope they find the bum.
 
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slodat

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Been a while since my last update. Let’s see.. the mini-split has been cranking out cool air. At some point I’ll call them back out to see if they can locate the leak with the UV die the put in the system.

My ‘07 F150 took a turn for the worse. I can’t complain I got a lot of trouble free miles out of it. Traded my Genesis Coupe fun car in on a new F150 with the 5.0. Its a great truck. First thing I did was lower the rear to level it out and remove the decals on the bed.

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I didn’t want to drive the new truck up and down the hill in town every day, so I picked up this clean, but a little beat up ‘98 Nissan Frontier base model truck. It’s perfect for driving around town when I’m covered in dirt and dust from the shop.

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The Frontier is averaging 26mpg in town. It’s a blast to drive!! Couldn’t be happier with this $1400 purchase.

I was able to go to another upholstery fabrication class earlier in the month. This was the class project.

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I’ve been working hard on the Nova. Lots of little details taking shape. It’s going to be a really nice interior.

One example of the details.. it’s important to me the panel clips are replaceable and that the space they occupy inside the panel can’t ever be visible from the finish size of the completed panel. This is what I came up with. I use 0.093 abs for the base panel. It has a pocket engraved for about half the thickness of the panel clip.

df4c285ac113129e5ef4e38f873fb56f.jpg

With a clip installed in a small test piece:

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A similar pocket is cut in the back of the layer that attaches to the base. Fully serviceable.

With that said, the front door panels are taking shape.

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Lots of time getting to this point. It’s worth it in the end.

Last weekend we had a hell of a wildfire. Had the same fire in 2012. Some photos of the fire.

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The fire got closer to town than many people’s comfort zone. My house was in the level 3 evacuation zone, so I left. Don’t want to be the guy that didn’t heed the warning. No structures lost and firefighters were able to keep it out of town.

I turned 46 the other day. The lady friend sent me flowers. I’ve never been sent flowers. I’ve sent plenty. This was a first time receiving. They look nice in the shop.

d0d9d8201c1626c214c108fa9f9f8eef.jpg
 

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Bob Heine

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Oct 24, 2009
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Boca Raton, Florida
Belated Happy Birthday Steven! You have filled your thread with gifts for us so thank you for that as well. Flowers -- all I got was a lousy T-shirt (Older Than Dirt my A$$).
 

nova66mussl

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Joined
Mar 8, 2013
Messages
84
Location
East Wenatchee WA
Happy Birthday Steven. Glad all is well on the home front. The pic with the smoke behind the shop is frightening. If I had seen that I would have had the Nova in the trailer headed for home for a few days!!! I like the look of the door panel. Can't wait to see a finished one on the car.:)
 

xtremek

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Apr 13, 2012
Messages
11,603
Location
St. Johns, Mi
So, how did it feel, getting the flowers? Glad to hear the fire was beat away. Looking forward to your next installment .
 
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slodat

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Messages
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Central-ish, WA
Thanks for the kind words guys!

As far as receiving the flowers goes, it was a complete surprise to say the least. She's a sweetheart for sure. They do add a little something to the place when I walk in the door!
 
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slodat

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Central-ish, WA
Got tired of moving my Milwaukee M18 tools around the woodshop to make room. Made these tonight. Inspired by lilscorpion’s creations.

Smaller rack for my woodshop:
2d2d66b51cadb235736c23dbd64935da.jpg

Larger rack for the rest:
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The second one snapped together tight. Made assembly and glue up easy.
 

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slodat

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Parts were cut on the CNC router. It cuts, I work on other things. I’m happy with the outcome for a quick project.

e765a5c540aea61dc2d083329890e128.jpg

I put a lot of effort into finding the best materials I can for my custom Interiors. Was turned on to some foam I hadn’t heard of before. An assortment arrived today. Some neat stuff in here. Excited to put it to use.

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