[simpits-tech] image descriptions...

[Rob Hommel]

Gene:

I think folks are a bit "whelmed" by the work we have managed since the original posts on the new shop. I know that looking at the photos and realizing that it represents less than 6 months of Saturdays we have managed to get a lot done. If you figure it by number of Saturdays alone it represents about 24 days of work less than a complete month, you would think we would have more done. Those TV shows show complete homes being built in a week, imagine that. Perhaps Ty Pennington will stop by with his crew and finish the job for us just because we are "so" deserving. ;)

Keep 'em Flying
Rob Hommel
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gene Buckle" 
To: simpits-tech at simpits.org
Subject: [simpits-tech] image descriptions...
Date: Tue, 15 May 2007 10:29:51 -0700 (PDT)


Image narration for Roy! :)

Page 1
------

Images 1 & 2

These are the first "real" parts that I cut on the ShopBot.  They're two
halves of a form that will be used (have been used?) to form an aluminum
strip into the shape of the larger part.  The part will end up as part of
a 737 glareshield.  The forms were made from 2x6 pine lumber.

The red airplane on the wall is my GWS Slow Stik.  It's been upgraded with
an insanely over-powered brushless motor (3" takeoff rolls) and I use it
for aerial photography

Images 3 thru 11

This is the first of two work tables that I built.  As you can see, the
frame is WAY overbuilt.  The top is a 4x8 sheet of 18mm, 7 layer Birch
plywood.  As you'll see later, it takes stain really well.

Image 12
This is one of the circuit boards in the ShopBot controller box.  I took
this picture to help illustrate a problem I was having with the drill
axis.  It turned out they'd forgotten to add a wire required to properly
operate the drill.

Page 2
------

Image 1

Just another related to #12 on the prior page.

Image 2, 3

This is the main table surface for the ShopBot.  This was taken right
after I cut the 2" holes required for the vacuum plumbing.


Images 4 & 5

These are all the required parts for the 8 vacuum "zones" on the ShopBot.

Images 6 thru 11

These show the support structures that I built to hold the vacuum plumbing
in place.

Image 12

This shows how two zones are laid out.  The final installation is of
course under the table. :)

Page 3
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This page shows the various stages of construction of the vacuum system.
The last image shows how much vacuum (roughly 5Hg) I'm able to pull with a
pair of Fein Turbo III shop vacs.  For obvious reasons they're known as
the Orange Daleks.

Page 4
------

This page shows the steps taken to create the vacuum plenum itself.  The
plenum is made from a 1" thick sheet of MDF.  The plenum was glued to the
lower table and held under vacuum for 24 hours.

The first cuts made were pockets designed to hold the aluminum T-Track
that would separate each pair of zones.  The T-Track was needed so I could
hold down parts that were either too small or otherwise unsuitable for
vacuum hold down.

The remaining images show the ShopBot as it cuts the grid pattern in each
of the 10 individual zones.  Each zone is controlled by its own 2" ball
valve so I'm able to seal off zones I don't need in order to minimize
vacuum loss.

Page 5
------

Images 1 thru 6

These are the last stages of the plenum construction.  After all the zones
are cut into the plenum, the MDF is then sealed with laquer to ensure that
no vacuum leaks occur.

Image 7

This shows the first "bleeder board" (also known as a "spoil board").
This is a sheet of 1/2" MDF that's been cut down by 1/32" on each face.
This was done to remove the glue "seal" that happens as part of the
manufacturing process.  The reason this is done is so that you can pull a
high volume of air through it.  The two Fein vacuums can actually pull a
good vacuum right through the MDF.  This makes it much easier to hold
parts down via vacuum.  No special fixtures or "forms" are required.
However, due to the relatively low volume of the Fein vacuums, small parts
cannot be held down.  There just isn't enough surface area to develop a
good holding force given the airflow available.

Vacuum systems like this are very common in commercial settings.  Boeing
uses methods identical to mine and with the vac systems they use, the
smallest part they can hold is a 4"x4" block of aluminum.

Images 8, 9

This is the first "whole" sheet that I cut on the 'bot.  These are a
series of four boxes that are used on the foam cutter.  More on this
later.

It turns out that due to my inexperience and a tool pathing error, this
whole sheet was wasted.  No big deal though.  We re-ran the corrected
program with 1/2" MDF and the results were fantastic.

Images 10, 11

These are the frames that I made for the benches that will be installed in
the back corner of the shop.

Image 12

This is the top for the table we're using for the CNC foam cutter.  Two
channels have been pocketed into the table to accept a pair of 8' long
T-Tracks.  The material is 1" high-density (and I mean HIGH) particle
board that's skinned with a very nice hardwood.  A single 4x8 sheet of
this stuff tips the scales at between 80 and 100lbs.

Page 6
------

Image 1

This is the back corner where the new benches will be installed.

Images 2, 3

Rob Hangs Lights Because Gene is Afraid of Heights.  Nuff said. :)


Iamges 4 thru 8

This is the second running of the box parts I mentioned earlier.  The CNC
foam cutter gantry keeps the wire about 3" above the table surface when
lowered all the way.  In order to bring the foam blocks up to where the
wire was, we needed an easy to work with method of making that happen.  My
friend Dave came up with the box idea and designed them.  They turned out
really well.  They're going to be topped with a sheet of formica that's
been laser engraved with a measured grid.

Images 9 thru 12

This is the foam cutting table being assembled, stained & laquered.  We
were amazed at how well it looked after the stain was applied.  The table
is trimmed with a 1/4" band of mahogany that was ripped down on the table
saw.

Page 7
------

Image 1

I took this while installing the T-Track.  The slots for the T-track were
cut to the with specified in the paperwork that came with track.  It turns
out that the extrusion is just a few thou bigger than what is specified,
so it was a VERY tight fit.  I used the mallet and a block of 1x4 to set
the track in without damaging it.  This step was done before we laquered
the table itself.


Images 2 thru 5

This is how it all went together.  Following Rob's suggestion, I put a
frame of 1x4 pine on the top of the frame to use as a mounting surface.
This allowed me to mount the table surface to the frame without having any
screws visible on the top.  Great idea, eh? :)  A lower deck was added to
the table in order to give Dave some place to store foam stock.

Images 6 thru 12

The various stages of the bench framing being installed.  As you can see,
the benches use angled legs for support except at the two ends.  I did it
this way because I didn't want to accidentlly crack a kneecap on a bench
leg.  As you all know, corners tend to be knee magnets, whether they're
table legs or desk edges. :)

Page 8
------

Images 1, 2

The bench tops were installed just like the foam cutter table, from
underneath.  Rob got this job. :(  When I tried it, all I ended up doing
was lifting him and the bench top up from the force I was applying to
screw gun.  It worked much better with me standing on top, keeping them
"clamped" to the mounting points.  With the tops firmly attached, I could
walk around on the benches and notices _zero_ flex.  It felt like I was
walking on the concrete floor.

Images 3 thru 9

A cabinet is born!  Weee!  Too bad I don't know squat about designing
cabinets. *sigh*  This poor cabinet was litterally assembled and
dis-assembled 6 times.  The first 5 times was due to my inexperience in
cabinet design and Rob's inability to read my mind as to how it was
supposed to go together.  The sixth time happened when Rob tripped over
the metal lathe box while carrying the carcase and upon impact it quickly
turned itself back into individual component parts. :)

You can see the four assembled boxes for the foam cutter to the right of
the cabinet...

MANY lessons were learned on the first two cabinets.  Too bad there were
more to learn...

Image 10

My god!  Look at this mess!  *ahem*

Images 11, 12

OMFG! Look at THAT mess! *sobs*

A company wanted my HUD power supply.  The offer was enough for me to
decant the storage container a lot earlier than we'd planned.

Page 9
------

Image 1

Container mess.  Eewwww!

Images 2 thru 12

Various HUD components...

Page 10
-------

Images 1 thru 8

More various HUD components...

Image 9

The first two cabinets are up and already accumulating junk.

The next 5 cabinet carcases are on the bench, awaiting doors.  Why 5?
Well originally the second cabinet run was only going to be three.

New lesson!  When you're laying out parts to be cut and you've designed a
cabinet with both a LEFT and a RIGHT side, don't lay out the sheet with
all LEFT sides!  This is what happens when you try to pack a weeks' worth
of work into a single day.  Mistakes galore.

Did I mention that we didn't discover the error until AFTER Rob had
assembled the first one?  Rob knows a LOT of really bad words. :)

I didn't want to waste a whole sheet of ACX plywood for only three cabinet
sides, so I laid it out with enough parts to get two more complete
cabinets and "spare" sides for a 6th.

Images 10 thru 12

Remember the formica with the grid on it that I mentioned earlier?  This
is how they're made.  The laser head scans back and forth just like a
dot-matrix printer head.

Page #11
--------

Images 1 thru 7
Screeeeeeech *bang*  Darwin Rodeo.  Nuff said.

Images 8, 9

Woodshop floor!  We got this sucker framed in last summer and we were
finally able to finish it!  The new floor is roughly 600 sq ft.  When it's
all said and done, most of the woodworking tools (aka Engines of
Dust-ruction) will end up out here.  I don't want sawdust in my
electronics any more!

Images 10, 11

Cabinet doors ready for finishing and their accompanying carcases.  They
turned out REALLY well.  With the exception of the whole left/right thing,
these didn't present any assembly problems at all.

Image 12

This is what happens when you don't have any idea where to put freshly
stained cabinet doors.  They end up _everywhere_.


Page 12
-------

Images 1 thru 3

Cabinets get installed!  So cool. :)

Images 4, 5

The mahogany trim for the benches finally gets installed.

Images 6 thru 12

Various pics of the shop as a whole.  As you can see, the place is a
fracking disaster, especially with all the stuff from the old shop now in
residence.  This will be cleaned up soon as we get shelving units
reassembled and things put away.

Thanks for looking folks!

g.


--
"I'm not crazy, I'm plausibly off-nominal!"

Proud owner of F-15C 80-0007
http://www.f15sim.com - The only one of its kind.

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