Well, I got bored doing production in my little shop, so I decided its time for a little fun :)

For starters, I have acquired two chunks of 303 Stainless! They are 5" dia and 3 1/4" long! So I setup my little horizontal band saw, and cut the bar stock into cubes around 3 1/8 x 3 1/8 x 3 1/8. Then I used my face mill to rough them down to around 3.010" cubed. Lastly, I put new carbide inserts into my face mill, and took one final pass on all six sides leaving a nice smooth, flat, parallel, perpendicular, and square cube! Then I drilled a 1/2" hole to the center o the cubes from all six sides.

Widgit

Now I need to make a fixture plate that mounts on my lathe's spindle, to do that I will use the back plate with D1-4 cam lock studs from my 3-jaw chuck!

I found a nice block of aluminum in my scrap pile, and machined one surface flat and counter-bored it to fit snuggly on the backplate. Then I transferred the three holes from the backplate to the aluminum block, and drilled & tapped them for 1/4-20 UNC around 3/4" deep.

After fastening the block to the faceplate and to the lathe's spindle, I turned the OD and face true. Then I removed the block from the faceplate, and put it in my Mill's vise, I had to remove one of the jaws to get it to fit!

Then with a 1/2" 2-flute end mill, I machined a square pocket in the center of the block around 1/8" deep. In order for the cubes to fit in this nest, I had to go and extra 1/4" past each corner with the end mill.

Now the cubes fit snuggly in the center of the block!

Widgit

Then with a drill chuck, I drilled 4 holes in the block and tapped them for 1/4-20 UNC around 3/4" deep. Now I need to make some custom straps to hold the cube on the corners where it will be strongest as I remove material with the lathe.

The clamps are 1"x1"x3" aluminum, with a .290 dia hole down the center of the long side. Next I milled a step in the end and in the side of each clamp, so it will hook on to the cubes!

Widgit

It's been a good day, I have made the fixture and its clamps, and spent a few hours running the lathe! So far I have finished 3 of 6 sides in one of the cubes!

I can't wait to finish these, as I have always wanted to make one for myself! They look so cool!

Tomorrow I will finish up the lathe work, and spend a day deburring and polishing!

Widgit

FUN????? Your idea of fun is one h*** of a lot of work. But I guess you are correct, it is fun when you don't have to do it and are just doing it for the satisfaction of making something neat.

Some day I plan on making one but I think I will cheat in my lazy old age and program a CNC to do it.

Something strangely hypnotic about those cubes. Even one that's spoiled. I have one I started but spoiled a while back. I should get going on another.

Do you plan on making 2, or is the extra cube for insurance?

They're even fun to draw in a CAD program:

http://www.cnccookbook.com/img/TurnersCubes/RhinoCube25.jpg

Geof, if you're going to cheat with CNC, you need to make a whole series with different things inside. Perhaps one for each suit of cards or some such:

http://www.cnccookbook.com/img/OthersProjects/TurnerCubeOrnaments.jpg

I've seen some odd things come out of lathes:

http://www.cnccookbook.com/img/OthersProjects/DoDecFixture3.jpg

Cheers,

BW

The day I can't put in a good day's work, is the day I'll start worrying!

I like to work, and I wanted to show a good solid procedure for holding a delicate stainless part in the lathe! I'm sure there ares dozens of ways to make these including CNC, but I wanted a truly perfect one or two if possible!

Nice cubes Bob! I'll have to experiment with my CAD program to see if I can make some of them!

Widgit

One is finished & deburred!
It was a lot of work, but well worth the effort!

Widgit

That's a beauty!

You've a good eye for proportion on that one.

Widgit, what are your preferences for boring bars? I'm curious about this project, but also for your mill's boring head.

Best,

BW

That's a beauty!

You've a good eye for proportion on that one.

Widgit, what are your preferences for boring bars? I'm curious about this project, but also for your mill's boring head.

Best,

BW


Thanks!
All I used were cheapo 3/4 shank brazed carbide bars, the shorter the better! Having a diamond wheel on my surface grinder does make a world of difference tho!
Eric

Excellent Work!!!

Eric, those look great, bet you could sell them.

I'd always thought a turners cube, as the English apprentices were taught, had undercuts so that the cubes separated, cube inside a cube that can't come out. Lautard in one of his books walks through how. here's a three cube one i made years ago, its 1" sq. Lot of fun just having it sit on the desk because all the non technical people would pick it up and hurt their brains trying to figure it out. lol. its the machinist's equivalent of worry beads so the edges have long since been rounded.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b201/michael0100/reducedturnerscube.jpg

Very nice job Eric.

But I think it is toss up between the finished cube and the elegant fixturing you built to machine it; both are an impressive example of craftsmanship.

Very nice job Eric.

But I think it is toss up between the finished cube and the elegant fixturing you built to machine it; both are an impressive example of craftsmanship.

Thanks Geof!
I have been thinking of making some cubes out of plastic, or aluminum just so I don't have to toss the fixture in the scrap pile :)
It was surprisingly rigid, and the lathe was able to repeat nicely!

Widgit

Thanks Geof!
I have been thinking of making some cubes out of plastic, or aluminum just so I don't have to toss the fixture in the scrap pile :)
It was surprisingly rigid, and the lathe was able to repeat nicely!

Widgit

Plastic!!! Cast Acrylic.

Make them in cast acrylic, polish all the surfaces optically clear and they would look fantastic. Especially if you illuminated them correctly, you would get a prismatic effect in all directions.

See if you can locate a supplier for blocks of cast acrylic and how much it would cost, I will cover the material cost if it is not too horrendous in exchange for you making me one.


P.S. Never, ever toss a fixture in the scrap...that guarantees you will need it the day after you tossed it.

Plastic!!! Cast Acrylic.

Make them in cast acrylic, polish all the surfaces optically clear and they would look fantastic. Especially if you illuminated them correctly, you would get a prismatic effect in all directions.

See if you can locate a supplier for blocks of cast acrylic and how much it would cost, I will cover the material cost if it is not too horrendous in exchange for you making me one.


P.S. Never, ever toss a fixture in the scrap...that guarantees you will need it the day after you tossed it.

Now that's a done deal!
As I have already ordered an 8" dia x 7" long piece off eBay!

Two plastic cubes are in the works :)

Widgit

Ok, I'm totally hooked on this large Cube, especially when its spinning on it's axis!

Unfortunately, my abilities in 3D CAD are nonexistent!

Could some one please tell me what the compound angle is if the cube is rotated 45°, then rotated until the two furthest points are perpendicular!
(The cube measures 3"x3"x3")

I have found some solid Vee Jewel Sapphire Bearings and points, and plan to make a base with a support arm that will allow the cube to rotate like a globe!

http://www.smallparts.com/products/descriptions/vja-hst.cfm

But in order to install the Sapphire Bearings, I need to position the cube with its point upward.

Widgit

Hi Mr. Widgit,

I'm not sure which compound angle you are referring to; but the diagonal distance across the face of a cube is Square root of 2 times the length of the side, and the the diagonal distance from the most opposite vertices is Square root of 3 times the length of the side.

In your case the distance between the mounting points ( assuming no radius) is 1.732 x 3 inches = 5.196 inches.

hope this helps.

regards Gary

Sorry,
Knowing that dimension does not help me setup a compound angle plate on my mill, in order to hold the cube in position for drilling a hole in the center of the point to insert a bearing!

Widgit

Hi Mr. Widgit,

I'm not sure which compound angle you are referring to; but the diagonal distance across the face of a cube is Square root of 2 times the length of the side, and the the diagonal distance from the most opposite vertices is Square root of 3 times the length of the side.

In your case the distance between the mounting points ( assuming no radius) is 1.732 x 3 inches = 5.196 inches.

hope this helps.

regards Gary

Widgit, sorry, while I was drawing this you were explaining what you really wanted.

http://www.cnccookbook.com/img/OthersProjects/Widgit/WidgetCubeStand.jpg

I literally have to run out the door, but I'll pull the compound angle when I get back if nobody else has posted.

Sorry!

BW

Now that's a Warfield to the rescue :)

35.26 degrees????

Better wait for Mr Warfield, I have more faith in him than my trigonometric ability.:)

I keep getting 90º 55º 35º

Base = 4.2526, Height= 3.0, Hypotenuse = 5.1961

I'm anxious to get the cube spinning, and those sapphire bearings look really interesting!

Okay Mr Widgit. I got my cube up on end with 2 rotations. The first is a 45 degree rotation around Z. The second was not intuitive, so I'm glad I could let the CAD program figure it out. It worked like this:

http://www.cnccookbook.com/img/OthersProjects/Widgit/WidgitCubeAngles.jpg

Geof, congratulations, you have essentially the same angle just from a different normal as the two sum to 90 degrees. I think I read somewhere that you do all your CNC programming without CAM? You definitely have some geometry skillz to do that, my friend! I'm too dumb (or too lazy) to do all that in my head. I kept wanting to visualize 2 45 degree rotations, but that 2nd rotation just ain't 45.

Now I can do this stuff in CAD, but I can only assume what magic the Widgitmaster must use to make that happen on his mill. I'm thinking 2 sine bars or other angle blocks?

Use the first to rotate the cube 45 degrees around Z, perhaps on a fixture plate of some kind. Now use the second to kick it up 54.74 degrees and you have it.

Does that work? I know you've gone to bed in Florida, so I hope I can see the exciting conclusion in the morning. I know you'll publish a fine photograph of the fixturing/setup, and you know that photo will be appearing in the CNCCookbook.

I agree, those saphire bearings are very cool. I can't wait to see your display stand, Mr Widigt. I know it'll be a gorgeous piece of art that I will be lusting after.

BTW, I don't know if you liked the dodecahedron I showed, but I would think making each solid would also be an interesting set of projects to display. I suspect intuitively (but I have had a drink or two this evening!) that you could take your boring bar to each face of the dodecahedron and create quite an amazing Turner's Cube the likes of which has perhaps not been seen before. Dodecs within dodecs. Think what a tasty fixturing problem that would turn out to be!

But we digress. I eagerly await hearing whether this helps, or if I need to get back in my CAD program and figure something else out.

Best,

BW

PS I am finally taking my first baby steps towards converting my mill to CNC. I can't stand being able to make all these drawings and then having to bring them to reality by hand!

<edit>

dang. I was wrong.

<edit>

dang. I was wrong.

That's what I love about Trig, you can give a problem to ten people, and get six different answers :)

After using my calculator, and then drawing the triangle in CAD, I came up with the same numbers, so I'll stick with them!

The good news is UPS dropped of the materials for my NEW 24x24 V-Router, so I'll be working on those parts this weekend!

That's what I love about Trig, you can give a problem to ten people, and get six different answers :)....

The ideal is that you get the same answer six different ways :D.

The thing I find about these types of problems is that they are non-intuitive; you want to be able to tip 45 one way and then 45 another an-it-dont-work!

The way I approached this was to visualize the cube facing me.

I tilted back 45 degrees; now the corner I want at the bottom is at the lower left and the other is at the upper right.

The height of the corner at the upper right is the diagonal of one face; 3 x root 2 or 3 x 1.4142 = 4.2426

The base width, this height and the diagonal between the lower left corner and the upper right form a right-angled triangle.

I need to rotate the hypotenus of this triangle, i.e. the diagonal to an upright position, so I need to know its angle of inclination.

The tangent of the angle at the lower left corner is the length of the side opposite (4.2426) divided by the length of the side adjacent (3).

Dividng 4.2426 by 3 and taking the inverse tan (and I do use a calculator not trig tables; I am not that much of a stick-in-the-mud :)) gives 54.735 and subtracting this from 90 gives the rotation needed.

unless i am seeing things wrong ..... i would set the block upright in a small grinding vice.... use a v block to bring an edge to the top... then mount the grinding vice in my mill vice at a 45.... i may be missing some thing tho ... i am at work and am in a bit of a hurry :) :)

dam see what i get for being in a hurry ... i get to be wrong :( :( ... i got a chance to draw it up at lunch.... cool blocks :) :)

You got Geof!
I had the precision for angles setting, set to not display decimal points in AutoCAD

It now displays 54.7354°
Your numbers match mine exactly!

Holding the cube is not a big problem Bob, as one angle is 45° so I can set the cube in a V-Block, and use a sine plate for the other!
The trick will be to dial in the three surfaces to the spindle, and put a small precision hole for the pointed pins, and inserting them.
Then making the base is really easy, thats when I get to make it look fancy with polished stainless!

Widgit

Widget,

For some reason, I assumed that you would put the jewel bearings in the cube and use the pins in the base. That way, you could take the cube off the base and hand it to someone to examine without getting stuck.

Nice job.

Ken

....The trick will be to dial in the three surfaces to the spindle, and put a small precision hole for the pointed pins, and inserting them.
Then making the base is really easy, thats when I get to make it look fancy with polished stainless!

Widgit

Being fundamentally lazy (after all I am getting the WidgitMaster to make my acrylic Turner's Cube :)) I would not do anything to any corners on the cube; thereby avoidning calculations, fixturing and centering.

I would get some tiny ball races, 0.5" OD .125" ID, one I would mount in the bottom of my base and at the top of the base I would have a spring loaded plunger with the other mounted in the lower end of the plunger. The corner of the cube would just sit in the bearing ID and with the spring it would be easy to lift out. If you want to stop people doing that just have the top one mount4ed in a threaded plunger and have a lock nut. This way when the cube is out of the base it still has all corners intact.

Widgetmaster-
How about making the cubes from Steel and Nickel plating (or magnetic stainless) them and having a rare earth magnet in the top and bottom of the frame, and letting the corners of the cube be the bearing points? Easy to remove, and you could put it back in any orientation.
Here's a great source for rare earth magnets:
www.kjmagnetics.com (no affiliation except I've bought dozens of magnets from them)

NEATman

Being an engineering student, and a pretty good one, I have a good bit of free time at school in front of the computers. I start my morning 5 days a week going to check out bob's website and widgits threads. I have to say, I have never once been disappointed. There is always something cool to see or something new to learn. They also always provide me with the motivation to go make something myself if I don't have it. Thx Bob and Eric, you start my morning off right.

P.S. Thank god your back Bob, I was going through cookbook withdrawals.
P.S.S This whole idea is awesome, and I just realized I have some aluminum and a big hunk of copper that would work great to try one.

....... and a big hunk of copper that would work great to try one.


You might want to get some opinions on machining copper before embarking on making a Turner's Cube in copper. I am possibly too pessimistic, but you may have more fun bashing your head against the nearest concrete wall; copper is a real pain to machine. :D

You might want to get some opinions on machining copper before embarking on making a Turner's Cube in copper. I am possibly too pessimistic, but you may have more fun bashing your head against the nearest concrete wall; copper is a real pain to machine. :D

Not if you get the right stuff.
Every now and then we make some EDM electrodes out of tellurium copper alloy 145 (99.5% copper, 0.5% tellurium, 0.01% phosphorus). The stuff is very easy to cut, have even put a slab on a surface grinder to get a nice flat reference surface, with no problems.

unless i am seeing things wrong ..... i would set the block upright in a small grinding vice.... use a v block to bring an edge to the top... then mount the grinding vice in my mill vice at a 45.... i may be missing some thing tho ... i am at work and am in a bit of a hurry :) :)

dam see what i get for being in a hurry ... i get to be wrong :( :( ... i got a chance to draw it up at lunch.... cool blocks :) :)

Not everyone can afford a nice Grinding Vise big enough to hold a 3" cube!
With all the tools and machinery I own, even I don't have one!

So off to the V-Block and Sine plate it is!

Widgit

Two Turner's Cubes made from 303-SS

Widgit

Not everyone can afford a nice Grinding Vise big enough to hold a 3" cube!
With all the tools and machinery I own, even I don't have one!

So off to the V-Block and Sine plate it is!

Widgit

ya it was one of those things i really needed for one job. used it on a few things but it just sits in the cabinet most of the time.... not exactly a tool u need to have in a shop but its nice.

looking at your setup i feal like i cheated... i made mine on a vf2.
whin i get home i will see if i can find the pix of mine. i made one part run with circles and one with ellipses.

Hennessy

A little disappointed, but the project must go on!
Those little sapphire vee-jeweled bearings I had ordered arrived yesterday, and they are too delicate to support the massive weight of the stainless steel cube (1lb 5.4oz) I would estimate a SS cube of 1"x1"x1" would be the limit for something so delicate.

So as an alternative solution to keep the cube spinning, I have ordered 4 small double sealed bearings. To use them I need to make some little posts to fit into the bearings, and press into the points of the cube!
The bearings have an OD of .250" dia, an ID of .125" dia, and a height of .1094" Here are some sketches of what I had in mind

Widgit

A little disappointed, but the project must go on!..... To use them I need to make some little posts to fit into the bearings, and press into the points of the cube!
The bearings have an OD of .250" dia, an ID of .125" dia, and a height of .1094" Here are some sketches of what I had in mind

Widgit

Read my suggestion a few posts up, I don't think you need to do anything; just put the corner in the bearing.

The cubes are multiplying!

Pity about the jeweled bearings. Personally, if I were going to use ball bearings with an embedded shaft, I'd be tempted to embed just one shaft at the bottom. Without an arm over top you'd be able to see the cube a lot more nicely.

Cheers!

BW

Take a box big enough to put the cube in.
Mount on the mill.
Center drill a ding mark in the bottom.
Devise a top piece to support the top corner of the cube, point to point.
Put the cube in the box supported by it's points.
Fill with water.
Freeze.
Drill hole(s) before cube falls over.

Two Turner's Cubes made from 303-SS

Widgit

This is really nice work. Kudos on the effort and skill to turn out such an interesting project. Looking forward to seeing the acrylic cubes.

The Cast Acrylic bar arrived today, it is 8" dia x 7.9 long.
With a little luck I should be able to make 4 cubes out of it!

Widgit

The Cast Acrylic bar arrived today, it is 8" dia x 7.9 long.
With a little luck I should be able to make 4 cubes out of it!

Widgit

Luck has notghing to do with it, skill is what matters.:)

Actually you should have no problem; two 3" squares fit within an eight diameter with lots of room to spare.

How much acrylic machining have you done?

Are you cutting with a vertical bandsaw?

Now I know my shop is small!

I have a piece of plastic too big to fit in either of my band saws!
So I made a phone call, and made arrangements to have a Friend cut it in his machine shop! (For a ½ dozen Egg McMuffins) :)

So tomorrow morning I's be in a real machine shop again!

Widgit

Well, I finally got the large bar cut to manageable pieces, so that I could fit them in my saws and cut out what I needed to make 4 pieces.

Then I sharpened up a pair of cobalt tool bits for my Fly cutter, one to remove the rough saw cut surfaces, and one to finish the cubes a smooth as possible! No matter how well you clean a band saw, and even if you use a new blade, there is always the possibility of a metal particle getting embedded into the plastic!

Now that all four cubes are squared up and cut to size, it's time to clean up the fixture I made for the 303-Stainless cubes! The nest that I milled into the lathe fixture plate had a few small pieces of stainless pressed into it, and so did the clamps! After about 30-minutes, I managed to file, scrape, stone, and polish everything smooth so it would not damage the soft plastic cubes!

Widgit

Mr Widgit, looking good!

I always learn a lot watching any project you do. One of the things I think many of us admire is the wonderful surface finishes you achieve. I'm sure the are many factors that contribute, but you've mentioned using a diamond wheel to get just the right edge and shape on you tools. Elsewhere, I've heard others talk of using a pocket diamond hone (EZE-LAP) to get that final "just right" edge on a lathe tool.

Can you shed any light for us peons on how to do this? Even a close up piccy of your boring bar's tuned up shape and a couple sentences would be very welcome.

Meanwhile, we await these new acrylic Objects of Desire.

Thanks,

BW

Thanks Bob,
Using a radius on the tool helps, and using a tool that covers the entire part looks even better!

Look here:
http://www.mfg.mtu.edu/cyberman/quality/sfinish/terminology.html

Thanks Bob,
Using a radius on the tool helps, and using a tool that covers the entire part looks even better!

Look here:
http://www.mfg.mtu.edu/cyberman/quality/sfinish/terminology.html

Thanks Widgit!

I had already taken away the "tool that covers the entire part" lesson. My takeaway has been to use my multi-insert facemill to rough, and then get out a flycutter that can do the finish in one pass. I am attempting to approve my skills at grinding HSS tooling to put into the flycutter. I will return to watching the regularly scheduled programming here without further interruptions!

Best,

BW

I like the bearing idea for your display.
Notch the 2 - 1/4" shaft to fit the corners
Maybe you could spring load the top shaft so you can pull it up to remove the cube

Skip20

I like the bearing idea for your display.
Notch the 2 - 1/4" shaft to fit the corners
Maybe you could spring load the top shaft so you can pull it up to remove the cube

Skip20


The more I look at my stainless steel cube, the less I like the idea of drilling holes in the points for pins and bearings!

What I need is have someone with access to an EDM machine burn the three 90° flats into the end of a 3/8" dia pin. Then I could put the pin in bearings, and place the cube in the detentes without damaging the cube's points!
I suppose I could machine those flats, but it's easier to EDM!

Any volunteers?

Widgit

1). Grind the 90 degree flats on the end of a piece of tool steel (broken tap)
2). Force into the end of a piece of mild steel in the vice, with an alignment jig.
3). Finish turn OD on mild steel pin.
4). Flame harden the mild steel part (if you think it needs it)

There: Instant diamond socket.

Neil

Well, I finished up another two Acrylic cubes this morning! The first one was not so nice, as there was chipping on the inside edges where the intermittent cut is. My friend looked at it and said "This one's MINE!!" so off it went :)
I plan on doing the last one slightly differently, as cutting them dry makes the plastic come out Smokey even though it has a really smooth finish! I'm going to try the thick dish soap on all surfaces and only remove .005" per surface. With a little patience, I should be able to get a nice transparent surface! If it works, I'll re do all the others too!

Widgit

one of these days - I will finish one of these... Maybe in aluminum

http://www.electronicsam.com/images/woodcube.jpg
http://www.electronicsam.com/images/KandT/axisubuntu.png

one of these days - I will finish one of these... Maybe in aluminum

http://www.electronicsam.com/images/woodcube.jpg
http://www.electronicsam.com/images/KandT/axisubuntu.png

I don't know how to say this gently, but that is one ugly part, sure your tool was sharp?

1). Grind the 90 degree flats on the end of a piece of tool steel (broken tap)
2). Force into the end of a piece of mild steel in the vice, with an alignment jig.
3). Finish turn OD on mild steel pin.
4). Flame harden the mild steel part (if you think it needs it)

There: Instant diamond socket.

Neil

Now I like that, simple, direct, and functional!
Widgit

Heh - It isn't pretty - but it gets the idea across. I think part if it is scale. The thing is only 1" square - and in black walnut. (done with 1/8 ball end mill)

I don't know how to say this gently, but that is one ugly part, sure your tool was sharp?

Wow, they're gorgeous. Very nice work.

I'd look for a lit base, one that has an up light. They're around for displaying various kinds of art. I think one of your cubes sitting on such a base would really glow!

Cheers,

BW

Thanks Bob,
The Tool-bit is in the mail! Let me know what you think of my free-hand grinding!
Widgit

Thanks Bob,
The Tool-bit is in the mail! Let me know what you think of my free-hand grinding!
Widgit

Widgit, you are absolutely the best!

Thanks!

BW

1). Grind the 90 degree flats on the end of a piece of tool steel (broken tap)
2). Force into the end of a piece of mild steel in the vice, with an alignment jig.
3). Finish turn OD on mild steel pin.
4). Flame harden the mild steel part (if you think it needs it)

There: Instant diamond socket.

Neil

Here ya go Neil!
After modifying my spin jig so it would bolt on to my 6x6 sine plate, I made up a stack of jo-blocks and started grinding on an old 1/2" shank end mill!

Now that I have the forming punch. I need to make the guide block and some soft 303-SS blanks!

Soon them cubes will be spinning :)

Widgit

Just another enhancement.
Before poking the tool into the piece of mild steel, drill a 1 mm hole in far enough so that when you form the socket, it has a hole at the apex.
This should stop any dirt damaging the corner of your cube.

A good day to tinker on my pet project!
I took a piece of tool steel around 1.5" dia, and drilled a 7/8" dia cross hole. Then I drilled and bored a .5005" dia hole for the punch, using my lathe to make sure everything was concentric.

Then I drilled a .1877" dia hole through the remaining length, for the part to slide into. Then I sharpened a flat bottom on an old end mill, and put a nice spot-face around the .1877 hole.


Next, I turned up a quick sample piece from 303-SS, and tried pressing the punch into it with my 6" Kurt Vise. The result was a perfect diamond shape, exactly like that of the cubes corners!

Now I did not drill the 1mm hole in the test piece, but I plan to do that on the final parts! Now it's time to get some small .1875" ID bearings, so I can make up a nice spring loaded frame to hole the cube while it spins!

Widgit

From 5/32 OD upto about 1/2", with or without flanges.
I could put a couple in the mail 4 u.
What size do you want.
My email is in PM. Thanks for using my idea! Nice job.

After making the last post, I placed an order on eBay for ten 3/16 ID x 5/16 OD x 1/8 Shielded bearings for $19.95
Then I fell asleep in my easy chair! When I woke up, I saw your post!
Thanks anyway Neil!

Widgit

Here's a three-step cube I finished today for a final in "Applied Machining" (second semester trade school class.) Pretty fast and loose. Each side had to be done using a different process (boring on a mill, boring on a lathe, milling on a mill/rotary table combo, g-code/Hurco, Esprit/Hurco, and Ultramax Converstional/Hurco.) Fun project. Now that I've seen one, I think I'm going to make one with 6+steps and the rights proportions.



http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/810/scubesmallqq4.th.jpg (http://img116.imageshack.us/my.php?image=scubesmallqq4.jpg)



May have to make a stand for it...wonder where I can get plans for that?
:idea:

-Jbot

I dont know how to say this and other way...but WOW!!! I just spent the last hour or so reading every post and looking at every picture, and all I can say is that I am inspired by this entire thread to go out and make one of these cubes. I have only been maching for about 6 months, and I know it will take some time, but those cubes are so damn neat, heh. Anyways, just wanted to say awesome job, and thanks for the amazing imagery and reading material.

Beautiful work, check out his man, it will give you even more ideas he was an incredible turner John Jacob Holtzapffel's

Very cool. any update on the project?

One site every one should see is Robert Bosco site

http://pagesperso-orange.fr/robert.bosco/modeleen.htm

Marcel Beaudry