[hoss2006]

Love how the PD2 mount looks like a "H" for Hoss.

I realy gata try some powdercoating sometime. your parts look awesome.



regards
Simon

Thanks Simon,
happy accident, I was going for the roman arch look.
Hoss

[hoss2006]

I wonder if you've ever done a video on how you make the parts coming off the CNC mill nice-looking. I've just run the as-cut parts over a bench belt sander, but have never taken the next step into any kind of polishing.

Titaniumboy

Here you go, this video touches on some of the process for making these PDB2 parts.
Hoss

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDoc4gQXR9w&feature=channel_video_title"]G0704 Power Drawbar 2 Base Machining - YouTube[/ame]

[bogiestl]

I have to say that I'm fascinated by the process of invention and modification... Some people would say that Henry Ford wasn't qualified to manufacture automobiles because he never drove in any races.

Some folks make parts. Some folks make the stuff to make the parts. Works either way for me. I want to make some small and specialized niche-market parts, so I'm going to adapt something to make the parts. I can either buy a used "real" CNC machine for $3,000+, and hope that it doesn't contain any "surprises" when I -finally- get it running, and while I'm at it, figure out how to get it off the truck, and build a garage around it, or I can take a 704, and stick it in the basement. Or a half-dozen 704s...

[hoss2006]

I'll take half a dozen 0704's too.
Hoss

[aarggh]

I'll take half a dozen 0704's too.
Hoss

I unfortunately rushed into buying my mill long ago and ended up with a Vario BF16, which from what I understand is the baby brother to the G0704 equivalent? Not a bad machine at all for the size, but it does make me somewhat jealous seeing the things you got going with yours!

I'd love to have been able to do the cnc conversion on a bigger unit like the G0704 variants, but with a big mill coming it's a bit hard for even me to justify :-)

I am always amazed how much you can get out of your g0704! Fantastic stuff, the powdercoating especially is awesome, I'd love to see a video of the whole process?

cheers,
Ian

[hoss2006]

I'll try and do that this week Ian, have a couple more parts to make and powdercoat for this.
Hoss

[Titaniumboy]

Hoss,

Thanks for the video showing how you clean up and finish your parts. Looks like I'm doing the same thing with my belt sander as you are.

How are you removing the piece from the aluminum bar? Are the tabs small enough that they break off with hand pressure, or are you sawing or grinding the part out?

The powdercoat looks incredible. I would love to try that someday. What are you using to cure the powdercoat? Kitchen oven?

Titaniumboy

[WOTDesigns]

I thought about this some as well and I like the belt/ chain concept. The only thing that really bothers me about it is unpredicatable slop/ droop/ backlash in the drive system and chain.

The Z-Bot looked pretty neat but I noticed they aren't around anymore...?

I'm headed out to make more parts for the ATC here.


Richard

Bob (Z-Bot) is still around, but he switched to something with a larger market: Tormach PDB, and Tormach ATC are actually made by the same guy that made the Z-Bot. He has something like 200k or 300k tool changes on his ATC that makes the parts for the two tormach components and has only had to change "a bolt that loosened up".

[photomankc]

A little OT now but I just wanted to say thanks for your earlier videos on hogging with a rougher. I just had to use the mill to cut out a section of some 16" diameter 5/8 MIC6 plate and the videos you made gave a good idea what to expect and where to start. Watching that thing plow through 15" of cut 5/8" deep and 1/2" wide is one of the more impressive things I have watched it do thus far and a little nerve-racking too

Getting started on my mini tooling plate to mount in the vice.

[hoss2006]

Hoss,

Thanks for the video showing how you clean up and finish your parts. Looks like I'm doing the same thing with my belt sander as you are.

How are you removing the piece from the aluminum bar? Are the tabs small enough that they break off with hand pressure, or are you sawing or grinding the part out?

The powdercoat looks incredible. I would love to try that someday. What are you using to cure the powdercoat? Kitchen oven?

Titaniumboy

A good whap from a chisel snaps the tabs and the part comes out, depends how thick I make them
sometimes hand pressure is enough.
I use a toaster oven for the little parts and my oven in the kitchen for bigger parts.
All the parts for the PDB shown fit in the toaster oven in one shot.
I'll show my setup, it's about as cheap as you can get.
Hoss

[hoss2006]

A little OT now but I just wanted to say thanks for your earlier videos on hogging with a rougher. I just had to use the mill to cut out a section of some 16" diameter 5/8 MIC6 plate and the videos you made gave a good idea what to expect and where to start. Watching that thing plow through 15" of cut 5/8" deep and 1/2" wide is one of the more impressive things I have watched it do thus far and a little nerve-racking too

Getting started on my mini tooling plate to mount in the vice.

It is nice to be able to plow once in a while.
Hoss

[photomankc]

Hoss,

Thanks for the video showing how you clean up and finish your parts. Looks like I'm doing the same thing with my belt sander as you are.

How are you removing the piece from the aluminum bar? Are the tabs small enough that they break off with hand pressure, or are you sawing or grinding the part out?

The powdercoat looks incredible. I would love to try that someday. What are you using to cure the powdercoat? Kitchen oven?

Titaniumboy

I have a pair of heavy duty snips that will chomp right through those tabs. I also use them to trim away the massive burrs from the edges of chop-saw cut-offs on steel and AL. I just purchased a Belt/Disk sander from Lowes so now it wont be such a PITA to remove the tabs on parts, so I'll start using that method again.

[hoss2006]

I found this video in my archives of the slide mechanism I made for the 16 tool ATC back in 08.
Still have the parts but not the spare axis to use the stepper with the g0704.
May rework it to use and air cylinder and replace the ballscrew with a second rail.
Probably just stick to the plan to re-engineer the old swivel rack with the 2 stage air cylinder I got.
Hoss

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT5pRPEA-B0&feature=channel_video_title"]16T ATC Slide Mechanism - YouTube[/ame]

[hoss2006]

Made a couple more parts for the PDB 2 and powder coated them this evening.
Putting together the video still but here's the pics of my modest setup.
Doesn't take much to get very nice finished parts.
Hoss

[rwskinner]

Very nice Hoss!! I have the cheap HF gun and it actually works pretty decent as well. I need to order some powder because all I have is white and HF Red (Pink).

Looking good!

Richard

[hoss2006]

Thanks Richard,
The video explains a lot but is taking a while, I blathered on a bit.
Hoss

[Iron-Man]

Made a couple more parts for the PDB 2 and powder coated them this evening.
Putting together the video still but here's the pics of my modest setup.
Doesn't take much to get very nice finished parts.
Hoss

Great work Hoss!!

Iron-Man

[hoss2006]

Thanks Ironman, it was your thread that got me into powder coating, it's so cool.

Here's the video, my longest to date, sorry.
Hoss

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dki69bjC2fE&feature=channel_video_title"]G0704 Powder Coating Modestly - YouTube[/ame]

[hoss2006]

The optical home/limit is mounted and tested.
I had 2 bad inputs on the bob and not a bad C3 turns out, oh well.
It passed the water tight test and repeats home dead on zero every time.
Good to go.
Hoss

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ntk_WAonFQI&feature=channel_video_title]G0704 Optical Home Limit Switch Mounted and Tested - YouTube[/ame]

[WTX]

Hey Hoss,

I'm in the process of converting a G9036 lathe and I'm getting ready to order my limit and hall effect sensors. What brand switches are you using and having luck with?