Mercedes-Benz W165 Grand Prix engine in 1:3 scale

[Kim]

Congratulations, Mike!  That's a beautiful piece of work to compliment the rest of your beautiful engine 

Kim

[Admiral_dk]

I feel confident that you are pleased with the result   

So what is next up on this build Mike ?

[Craig DeShong]

Looks great Mike.  I had one    in your honor.

[Hugh Currin]

Mike:

Very nice corner rounding. I was looking at the part again and had a few questions. Are you using a constant step over, constant step down, or a combination? It looks like the latter but that's harder to program. What is your thinking when you layout these water line tool paths? Also, how large are the steps and the radius of the ball end cutter (and radius of the corner you're cutting)?

What ever you did it sure looks nice.

Thanks.

[Roger B]

Splendid     

[Jasonb]

That came out well and should really look the part after a bit of rubbing and blasting.

However you have missed out the most important bit, what did the pile of chips weigh in at 

[Vixen]

Mike:

Very nice corner rounding. I was looking at the part again and had a few questions. Are you using a constant step over, constant step down, or a combination? It looks like the latter but that's harder to program. What is your thinking when you layout these water line tool paths? Also, how large are the steps and the radius of the ball end cutter (and radius of the corner you're cutting)?

What ever you did it sure looks nice.

Thanks.

Hello Hugh,

It's always good to have a question about how things can be done.

As you all know by now, I do not use 3D modeling and I do not have the likes of Fusion 360, so I create my 3D waterline profiles by old fashioned 2D drawing techniques. The waterlines produce constant width facets (is that the correct term?), each one is 0.57 mm wide. To do this I drew out this little diagram.




The diagram shows the intended 5.5 mm radius curve and a set of circles representing the tip of a 7.0 mm ball nose cutter. I have divided the intended radius into 15 steps, each of 6.0 degrees. This produces the 0.57 mm wide facets. The waterlines are where the lines intersect with the 5.5 mm curve. I take the centre line X offset and the bottom centre Z depth for each waterline and use these to produce the individual waterline profiles with their corresponding Z depth. It's all old fashioned tech drawing, slow and tedious, compared with Fusion.  But it's what I have available and I have learned how to do it that way. The results speak for themselves.




And for Jason,

I have not been back into the workshop for a few days, so cannot answer the before and after weights just yet.  Been busy, instead, trying to sort out the workshop water leaks and bringing in this years poor grape harvest.

Mike

[Jasonb]

It did rain hard last night

When using a ball nose cutter for this type of work "scallop" is the term that seems to be used for the stepover

[Hugh Currin]

Mike:

Ah ha. That's why the machined edge has such an even look to it. It looks nicer than a step over or step down.

Great work. Thank you for the explanation.

[Admiral_dk]

I hope that you find a satisfatory solution to your 'Water / Drain Problems', and preferbably sooner than later - for the sake of your sanity 

[Vixen]

Water problem solved     it's stopped raining 

Mike

[RReid]

Water problem solved     it's stopped raining 

Glad to hear it. Though in this part of the world, the water problem won't be solved until it starts raining!

[Admiral_dk]

I wish I could say this is a long term solution (except for droughts).

[Vixen]

Ok, It's back to business as usual, in Vixen's Den.

The cam drive gear case has been fitted to the rear of the engine. I have decided to make the outer covers for the camshaft gears next and then I can do all of the corner radius work and hand finiishing, all in one go. The two gear covers remind my of Mickey Mouse Ears.






The plan is to machine the gear covers, two at a time as they are both identical. I started, as ever, with a large slab of 6082 T6. This one is 19 mm thick. The inside pocket of the two gear covers was machined to a depth of 9.7mm in one pass using a low step over (Ae),  high feed rate (Vf) stratagy and an adaptive toolpath. The gory details of this advanced technique are discussed in detail in Achim's 'CNC mill spindle upgrade' thread.

Here you can see the adaptive roughing underway, followed by a finishing pass and finally after the outer edges have been given a 3.5 mm internal radius.








The pile of chips in the cabinet is getting bigger and deeper.

Stay Tuned.

Mike

[steamer]

It's more stunning every time I look at it Mike!

Cant wait for the crank!.....and rods!

Is that a fuel or oil regulator on the front to the right of the blowers under the High Pressure hose?



Dave