Workshop
Spindle Motor
The HB2 gets its router spindle. Finially looking like the machine it is supposed to be, The project HB2 build is moving along again.
The construction of the stepper heat sinks took time away from the HB2 but not anymore. The spindle motor (shown here) install is detailed more over in the THMS web site. Check the “What’s New” to link to the new page.
Heat Sinks Added to The HB2 Web Pages
The complete story on the construction and installation of the HB2 stepper motor mounts has just been posted to the THMShop web site. Click on “What’s New” in the first (left) menu “Site Tools” drop down. Then click on “HB2 Construction Section 4” The picture here gives some idea how good this project turned out. I am pleased with the results and I hope you like what you see.
I mention in one section of the web site display that I thought I might make these for sale. That is not the case now. At least not the way I made these. Far too much time is invested in these prototypes. If there is a real demand, they will have to be made from casting to get the cost down.
Heat Sinks Finished
All the stepper motor heat sinks are finished for the HB2 CNC router project. The HB2 requires four stepper motors but an initial heat sink was created as a practice piece. That is why there are five heat sinks in the photograph. The trial version (on the right) is actually perfectly suitable for use as it has only minor cosmetic flaws.
The “extra” copy will be kept as a sample of what can be accomplished on the tiny but mighty Taig CNC mill. There is over 8 hours of run time on EACH heat sink, so the photo represents 40 hours of run time on the Taig. The longest single period was 4 hours and 10 minutes. No problem what-so-ever on the mill and all the accessories. I did have my initial air compressor fail on the trial piece.
These are the most complex parts I have currently produced on the Taig CNC. The A3 wheels were complex too, but not near the run time necessary for these heat sinks.
I have already started mounting the heat sinks and the steppers on the HB2 frame. More pictures soon.
Dirty Lathe
Here is a picture I snapped of the Lathemaster just after I finished the Harley axle cap boring I described earlier. I keep my machines clean most of the time when they are not in use. I get a little gentle kidding from time to time from readers that I don’t keep my tools dirty enough.
They do when in use become a mess as you see. But I have a garage shop with a walk directly through the door into the main house. I am “permitted” by the house boss to make any mess necessary, but I know without spousal reminder that I need to clean up as soon as possible.
You may think that is the only reason but it is not. I actually LIKE to keep my tools and workspace clean. Cluttered, yes “guilty” but always clean within reason. 🙂
Silver Dust
I just finished heat sink #3 for the HB2, which is the forth one I have machined counting the initial test block. I wondered how much aluminum I was removing from each 4x4x1 block.
I don’t have a full size un-machined block left but I do have the scrap end which is nearly a full block. It measures 4 x 3 11/16 x 1 which is 4 x 3.6875 x 1 or 15.75 cubic inches.
I have a postage scale that measures to 0.1 ounce. That is going to determine my overall accuracy. The undersized solid block weighed 23.2 ounces. Doing the math to figure what a cubic inch of aluminum weighs and bringing it back up to the 16 cubic inch start block ( 4 x 4 x 1), my figures say the start block should weigh 25.2 ounces.
The fully machined heat sink weighs 14.4 ounces, a 10.8 ounce loss. That is 43% machined away!
Pushing the fun with math a bit further, when I finish my 5th block, I will have made 54 ounces or 3.375 pounds of aluminum flakes.
I bet Gloria thinks about half of that has already tracked into the house, Oops!