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Post by bradblazer on Sept 1, 2009 23:52:15 GMT -5
Larry, I emailed some files - how do they look? I think Inventor can do exactly what you describe - the text can follow any piece of geometry (only 1 piece at a time though) and the emboss function extrudes the text into or out of the part. It can even be applied to a contoured surface. I am not seeing the emboss function in AutoCad. I could send dxf files with entire fonts for you to scale/rotate/place individual letters (tedious) or just send me your design and I will convert it for you. After about 2000 signs I'll feel like I'm on the positive side of favors. Thanks Ken. I'll have to go over all of the grapple builds again before I put mine together (for real.) I sort of miss the 3RRLs. Do I need to ship Rob some scrap cable to get him back online? Have fun,
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quikduk
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Dog House
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Post by quikduk on Sept 2, 2009 9:39:12 GMT -5
I sort of miss the 3RRLs. Do I need to ship Rob some scrap cable to get him back online? Have fun, HAHAHA! I am sure they are very busy. I left Rob a message the other day but they must have their hands full ATM. We'll be up their way at Thanksgiving but that is a ways off so I am sure he will post soon. He is probably machining and welding up some big block diesel engine do-dad for his Kama ATM... ;D
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3RRL
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Post by 3RRL on Sept 2, 2009 14:16:19 GMT -5
It's very nice all you guys mentioned us and miss us. Yes, we are very busy and I actually have a 16 cavity fully automatic unwinding mold I am working on ... design and build. So I have my hands full right now.
Geez, I got to say you guys are really taking the grapple design and build to a new level with all the new CAD programs you all have. This one, Brad, is just over-the-top!!! Makes my grapples in my avatar look stone age!! Can't wait to see yours all built in steel and mounted on your Kama. Each set gets better and better!! I am waiting for someone to build an "Extend-a-grapple" to reach out, suck back in and grab ... lol. I will keep checking in with you guys. If there is anything you need (tips) for the design or build (although I doubt it) just give me a holler. But it looks like you got all the bases covered. One thing I saw (if I saw it right) is that you are mounting the grapple onto an angle iron. I would weld the ends of it shut so it reduces flex a bit. Also, when welding be sure to clamp the pieces with a rigid fixture until fully welded and cooled to reduce weld bowing/warpage. Especially in the pivot area. Use stitch welds opposite each each side to equal out the stress and fill in complete after. Best Regards, Rob-
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Post by bradblazer on Sept 2, 2009 22:14:32 GMT -5
Rob, It's good to hear from you. I'm sure it's nice to be busy after the big spend on the house. I'll bet it's exciting to be set up and working in your nice big new shop. Your dual grapples are still the heat. I suppose you could put telescoping arms on the loader like on an extend-a-hoe, synchronized by a rack & pinion mechanism, but I couldn't. Thanks for the assembly tips. The angle is 8x6x1/2", monster stuff. Best regards, Brad
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GuglioLS
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Post by GuglioLS on Sept 2, 2009 23:10:32 GMT -5
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Post by bradblazer on Sept 3, 2009 0:42:53 GMT -5
Sweeeeet.
Bedtime..
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GuglioLS
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Post by GuglioLS on Sept 3, 2009 19:34:59 GMT -5
.....SNIP......SNIP..... I'll have to go over all of the grapple builds again before I put mine together (for real.) Brad HERE are some tips of how I bored out the plasma cut holes to fit the DOM. As an acceptable alternative a H/F air angle die grinder with a 1" stone from McMaster Carr, works wonders. McMaster# 44005A12 Coarse-Finish Zirconia-Alumina Grinding Bit Shape A3, 1" Head Diameter, 2-3/4" Head Length In stock at $4.57 Each H/F angle die grinder (on sale for 9.99) Air Angle Die GrinderAll your grapple parts shipped out today Larry
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Post by bradblazer on Sept 4, 2009 8:39:42 GMT -5
snip..snip.. The pseudo truss look is , I prefer to call it "Roswell Alien Hieroglyphics" because it's looks just like plasma cutting on the alien ship that crash landed in New Mexico way back in 1947 Do you think they came out OK? Larry They look awesome! Maybe I should sandblast everything, weld it up, then clear coat it so the Heat Affected Zones are visible, maybe neon green clear? Probably would look out of place on the Kama.. Thanks for the thread link! Plenty of options eh? I don't have a boring head but I have some cobalt tools for my fly cutter - might give that a try. You know adjustment of that is tedius. Travers tool www.travers.com/brochure/ has the MT2 shank I would need to mount a boring bar to my machine for $22. HF has the best price on boring head I think at $50. I have a couple of straight die grinders - do you think angled is a lot better? I also have one of these: www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42831that might work to keep the rock square. I could even do it on the router table but I would want to rig up some good suction for the grit. I'm sure the McMaster rock is about 12 times better than the ones in the cheap sets. My cheap ones melt away pretty fast. Shipped out yesterday ;D - Thanks again man.. Brad
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GuglioLS
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Post by GuglioLS on Sept 4, 2009 19:11:57 GMT -5
Hey Brad,
The Red finish you have on the model looks like a winner. As far as boring bars go, I have and use the HF boring head and boring bars they work better than expected. What kind of machine do you have? I think you've kept that a well guarded secret.
I don't know if an angled head grinder is better or not, I never had a straight one. With an angled head it's comfortable to use.
I gave up on cheap stones after finally using some good ones from McMaster, the diff is like night and day, productivity is worth something.
Have a great weekend!
Larry
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Post by bradblazer on Sept 9, 2009 8:52:59 GMT -5
Lucky Day! (missed posting at 9:09) The first package (brackets) arrived just before I left the house this morning. The parts look great! The second package will also be delivered today. My mill is from Harbor Freight- a 300 lb machine that was $300 when I got it. They don't sell that model any more but the manual is still online www.harborfreight.com/manuals/42000-42999/42976.PDF
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GuglioLS
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Post by GuglioLS on Sept 9, 2009 19:39:12 GMT -5
Lucky Day! (missed posting at 9:09)You can try for the 9:09 pm post. Yes lucky day indeed. FedEx , gotta love their efficiency one package delivered @ 7:56 AM, the other @ 9:43 AM. How the driver missed the larger box is beyond me, it's huge. I like your mill, hope it mills better than mine. My little machine works great as a drill press and for boring, the lathe on it works like a champ to. Milling more than a .01" depth at a time is pretty much hopeless as the chatter gets out of control. It takes forever and a day making shallow passes. One day I will get a "real" mill. How did the larger box with the jaws fare? I was worried about the jaw tips punching through the bottom of the box. Larry
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Post by bradblazer on Sept 9, 2009 21:21:35 GMT -5
Late again.. I had a Scout function tonite. You know us engineers are big on numerology.
The Fedex 2-stage delivery WAS weird but I'm not complaining.
The bigger box made it fine. You had plenty of paper and cardboard in there!
I held the parts up to the loader and they look like they will fit just like the drawing. I'll try to get a picture of that.
My mill has been known to chatter with the fly cutter or even the bigger end mills. It does okay with up to a 1/2" end mill. I need one of the square column mill-drills if I can't find a deal on a real machine, when I get an extra $1500. The column on mine is just too small.
I finally sent you some mail today.
Brad
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GuglioLS
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Post by GuglioLS on Sept 11, 2009 22:57:28 GMT -5
Hi Brad, I picked up the shipping funds, gift package and thank you note that you sent. Your very welcome and thanks for the Goose neck IR thermometer! I like it allot. Looks like you packed in a couple of round Sham wows? And about 40 dozen 60 mesh screens for my hash pipe . I suppose they could work just as good for fueling filters and about a dozen other useful things I have in mind for them OK I give, what does this do? It sure is sharp, Was I supposed to get this? Thanks for all the cool stuff man, Larry
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Post by bradblazer on Sept 12, 2009 10:28:27 GMT -5
Larry, Glad you like the thermometer & stuff! The Sham-wows are actually filter material but you can use them for whatever. The mesh screens are extruder screen packs but they fit my plastic fuel funnels perfectly. I got 2 of those thermometers on the cheap. They have a nice high temperature range, over 1000F, but the calibration seems a little off. If you ever decide to crack it open and fix that, let me know how it goes.... The mystery item is just a souvenir - the slug dropped from a wire EDM cut. You can see where the wire path left the center hole where it was threaded and went on to cut the profile. That's one of the smaller available wire sizes. The slug material is hardened A2 steel. The part was for the flux concentrator of a will be-was star drive I'm working on.
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Post by bradblazer on Sept 16, 2009 23:53:00 GMT -5
I managed to bore the 1.5" bushing holes with the fly cutter. The Cobalt steel tool I first used was dulling after 1 cut so I went to a lathe tool with a carbide insert. I think the scale on the inside of the hole was dulling the steel. I used trial and error to set the tool to 1.5", then indexed to the slightly oversized entrance of the plasma cut holes by aligning the tool at the 4 quadrants of the hole. With the lathe tool extending out the back of the cutter the depth of cut was limited so I could just cut 1 hole at a time. The plasma start notch chipped my insert so I had to rotate it. Big piece on the little mill:
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