Author Topic: Bit of a whimsical project for the shop elves  (Read 1784 times)

Offline crueby

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Bit of a whimsical project for the shop elves
« on: July 27, 2022, 03:16:49 PM »
Hi all,
Am between engine projects at the moment, and getting other things done around the house and some travelling in. The shop elves apparently are bored with that, and were surfing around the model engineering sites. They came across this amazing sculpture by Mark Ho over on the Craftsmanship Museum web site:
https://craftsmanshipmuseum.com/artisan/mark-ho/


which is a truly stupendous bit of machining - well worth reading the story over on that page.

The elves got the idea of trying out something similar if a bit simpler, and got into my Fusion CAD app and started drawing up an ElfBot, starting with probably the most complex bit, the hands with articulated fingers. I realized what they were doing when they kept coming over and measuring my fingers and seeing how all the joints work. Kinda hard to miss, especially when they tried to dis-assemble one!   :hellno:   They scaled it down to make a 1/3rd size bot.

While I was off doing other projects around the house, they got started with some machining...

They found the little finger clamp jig that I had made for machining the track segments on the Lombard and Marion models, and re-purposed it into a holding clamp for making the finger sections.

Two seizes of hex bar got used for the large and small fingers sections, slotted at one end and tabs at the other end, then drilled/threaded for 1-72 hinge pins.

Here is part of the pile of pieces accumulated in Dr FrankenElves Lab - they were kind enough to make up parts for two ElfBots, one for them, one for me

There will be a ball joint at the wrist...
Assembly has started, using the little model vise that I made a while back (from the Martin Models casting set, finally got it mounted on a wood base so it can be clamped to the bench)

So far so good! Should be a fun side project until work begins on the Ransome Tree Feller - been plotting out steps on machining the cylinder for that lately...

Chris
 :cheers:


Offline cnr6400

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Re: Bit of a whimsical project for the shop elves
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2022, 03:58:54 PM »
They'll be able to give you a hand now.... (sorry)  :Lol:   :facepalm:    :cheers:
"I've cut that stock three times, and it's still too short!"

Online Vixen

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Re: Bit of a whimsical project for the shop elves
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2022, 04:00:22 PM »
And two fingers to you Chris.  :Lol: :Lol:

That looks like a fun project, certainly different. And if those finger joints start to get stiff, or suffer from arthritis, you can always give then a squirt of WD40.

Cheers

Mike
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline crueby

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Re: Bit of a whimsical project for the shop elves
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2022, 04:07:56 PM »
And two fingers to you Chris.  :Lol: :Lol:

That looks like a fun project, certainly different. And if those finger joints start to get stiff, or suffer from arthritis, you can always give then a squirt of WD40.

Cheers

Mike
:Jester:




Actually its the opposite, getting the joints to have enough friction to hold position against gravity.

Online Kim

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Re: Bit of a whimsical project for the shop elves
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2022, 05:26:38 PM »
That does look like a fun side project, though not really what I would call a small project!  Still looks pretty substantial to me!  :popcorn: :popcorn:

Kim

This post has been reviewed by the pun police and found to be pun free.

Online Vixen

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Re: Bit of a whimsical project for the shop elves
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2022, 06:54:41 PM »
Chris,
I just found out you can buy one of the 25 limited edition sculpture copies for only $59,000. Save you a lot of time.   :lolb: :lolb:

Mike
« Last Edit: July 27, 2022, 07:30:47 PM by Vixen »
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline crueby

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Re: Bit of a whimsical project for the shop elves
« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2022, 08:18:27 PM »
Chris,
I just found out you can buy one of the 25 limited edition sculpture copies for only $59,000. Save you a lot of time.   :lolb: :lolb:

Mike
Gack!   :o


Well, its already started, wouldn't want to waste the parts already made. Yeah, that's it!   ::)

Offline Grateful Ted

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Re: Bit of a whimsical project for the shop elves
« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2022, 02:43:25 PM »
Those Elves are pretty handy.  :Lol:

Offline crueby

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Re: Bit of a whimsical project for the shop elves
« Reply #8 on: July 28, 2022, 02:44:46 PM »
Those Elves are pretty handy.  :Lol:
My asking them for a hand all the time must have given them the idea!   :lolb:

Offline Brendon M

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Re: Bit of a whimsical project for the shop elves
« Reply #9 on: July 29, 2022, 03:44:35 AM »
Gee whiz Crueby, that looks fantastic!

Hopefully your creation uses its powers for good : P
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