What is the most complex cool part you have cnc machined on your benchtop mill?

[pete from TN]

I am thinking about making one of those power drawbars for the mill at some point, yours looks very well done and I have seen that design working before so I know it will work. Thanks for posting the nice pics...

Pete, nice to meet ya, I'm pete too as you can plainly see.. Nice videos of that taig machine and some very cool looking boat motor brackets. What did you design these parts on? Is this a copy or mod of some other design or your own? Really enjoyed the movies and the music was pretty cool especially the first one but I am a big hearts of space fan so no surprise there. Only thing I was waiting for was a little video of the boat screaming across the lake.... Real clean setup you have there with the enclosure. Just wondering why you do not use flood cooling when you have a complete enclosure already? I know it can be messy but it is supposed to make for a nice surface finish and chip clearance... Nice work tho....peace

[austin.mn]

I primarily make custom car emblems with my machines. One of these days though I am going to rebuild my X2 that just sits in the corner unused into a decent machine, with an auto tool changer and all.

[pete from TN]

What kind of machines do you have that make these cool parts? I especially like the auto emblems, I also really appreciate that you put the USCG emblem in there, seems it is missed too often.. Spent a few years in the coast guard myself. Peace

[pete from TN]

NIce to see the machines that did the work as well as the shiny bits!!

[austin.mn]

Originally Posted by pete from TN What kind of machines do you have that make these cool parts? I especially like the auto emblems, I also really appreciate that you put the USCG emblem in there, seems it is missed too often.. Spent a few years in the coast guard myself. Peace

I currently have an old bridgeport boss that I rigged a ridged router to. It works pretty well for what I am doing. I do plan on investing in getting one of the inexpensive HF spindles that are available now. I have been holding out thinking that there will eventually be one available that would accept some sort of auto tool change. I haven't seen one yet... well for under $1000 anyway. I got a quote from one of the more reputable spindle brands out there and it was going to be $17000 for the spindle and another $600 per tool holder. (quite a ways out of my budget)

[SScnc]

austin.mn, those emblems are beautiful ! Did you also make the medallions too ?

On a side question, when I click on a pic here on the zone it used to open up in the same window with a black shaded background, now it opens up a new tab. Did the forum change or did my account change somehow ?

[austin.mn]

I wouldn't have a clue as to how to make the medallions... Which are actually lapel pins. I just clipped the pin part off. I made them for a guy that has quite a display that he sets up at car shows along with his corvette.

I cut them from 6061 aluminum, sanded them up to 800 grit and buffed them out. I chromed them using copy chrome from caswell plating, which I really recommend. Then I filled in the engravings with paint. It a pretty laborious process and it takes a bit of time, but it keeps me from having to punch a time clock.

Here are some more pictures of past projects:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32402081@N03/

[pete from TN]

Post some pics of your mill if you can I'd love to see the setup for those parts. So where are you getting the designs for these or are they already in existence somewhere? Nice work man, nice work, wish I had a corvette so I could put some of these babies on there but it is just not in the cards man....great job!! peace

[austin.mn]

Here is the setup. It is really quite simple, but it gets the job done. I added a bungee to hold the router tight to one side, other wise it would easily flop around a little. With the small cutters that I use there really isn't much of an issue with the router wanting to over power the bungee.

As the setup goes I have an aluminum plate with a bunch of threaded holes, I put a little carpet tape on the surface, peel the backer off and bolt the work piece to it. Then I use the tape backer as a disposable feeler guage. turn on the coolant and let'r buck. I usually only use about four bits for most of the emblems that I do. On a good productive day I can turn out three sets of emblems, well cut sanded and polished anyways.

I don't have a Vette either... instead I have four kids and some tools.

[austin.mn]

more pics

[cjdavis618]

Originally Posted by austin.mn I don't have a Vette either... instead I have four kids and some tools.

And I bet you know you have the better end of that bargain. I also have 4 kids and they are my motivation.

Very nice work also.

[austin.mn]

Another thing that I learned long ago......

"Dreaming of things is often much better than having them"

On another note though.. I wouldn't even trade the troublemaker of the bunch for a new vette. Even the times when he is really being a pain in the @$$, which now that he is a teenager is getting to be more and more. Ahh, the joys.