Strutt Epicyclic Train Clock (maybe?)

[crueby]

What is the reason not to use acrylic for test plates? Seems like a good cheap way to work the kinks out of the CNC setup at least?

[kvom]

My shop time today was spent turning the decorative washers that are placed between plates and the screws that fasten the pillars.  Not difficult, but needing lots of tool changes at the lathe.

[kvom]

Disappointed today that when I received the motor-mount+bearing from China, it doesn't fit the ballscrew.  I guess that the cheap price should have been a warning.  So I'll reassemble the old motor mount and soldier on.  Meanwhile I'm going to try to see if the temp acrylic plates could work. 

In the shop I turned the 4 dial pillars that attach the dial to the front frame.  They are tapped 0-80 on both ends.  On the dial side, some 0-80 threaded rod would be loctited onto the pillar and screwed into tapped holes in the dial.  On the plate side, a screw from inside the plate is used.

[crueby]

Disappointed today that when I received the motor-mount+bearing from China, it doesn't fit the ballscrew.  I guess that the cheap price should have been a warning.  So I'll reassemble the old motor mount and soldier on.

 



No way to make an adapter? 

[kvom]

Disappointed today that when I received the motor-mount+bearing from China, it doesn't fit the ballscrew.  I guess that the cheap price should have been a warning.  So I'll reassemble the old motor mount and soldier on.

 



No way to make an adapter?

I did make one, but this was supposed to be more rigid.

[kvom]

When I worry about slow progress on this (and other stuff), I consider this quote from Kurt Vonnegut:

 And I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don’t let anybody tell you any different.

[kvom]

Possible roadblock detected today.  The outline of the plates doesn't fit within the fixture plate on the DMS mill (image).  I'll need to see if it can fit within the max range of spindle movement, as I need 9x12".

There is no reason I couldn't redraw the bottom legs inward and reduce the overall width.  It's also possible to redraw the center arbor position down 1" without the dial touching the base.  The clock would then look more squat.  The distance from the center arbor to the top of the frame can't be reduced.

[crueby]

Would it be possible to cut it in two stages, moving the plate down that inch or whatever it needs for the second cut? It would require some careful alignment, but if holes were pre-drilled in the plate to go into the fixture plate underneath, the holes the movement distance apart, that could get it very close. Maybe cut the top section a little wide on the second cut and manually trim it back to blend it in?

[Jasonb]

Or turn it sideways and mirror the cut in two halves. So you are only working on approx 9 x 6 at a time.

I've done things like that where my Y axis is too short, like this flywheel pattern

[kvom]

Would it be possible to cut it in two stages, moving the plate down that inch or whatever it needs for the second cut? It would require some careful alignment, but if holes were pre-drilled in the plate to go into the fixture plate underneath, the holes the movement distance apart, that could get it very close. Maybe cut the top section a little wide on the second cut and manually trim it back to blend it in?

I think that can work as I can extend the workpiece towards the front of the mill.  The fixture plate has threaded 1/4-20 holes with a 3/4" spacing.  I modified the plate slightly making the bottom pillar holes 5" from the center line(after measuring the paper drawing).  This reduced the outer width of the lower legs to 11.5", which will fit in 12x9 stock.  I don't think the workarea of the mill will handle 12" in X, so it would need to be turned sideways and milled in two passes.

I ordered two pieces of 3/16" acrylic 9x12 to do the test.

[kvom]

I restored the X-axis motor this morning and measured the workspace.  X is 11.85" which will just fit the 11.75" maximum width at the lower feet.  Y is 7.8", so I'll need to move and flip the workpiece.  Some careful measurement will be needed.