Weighty Subject
A fellow ham radio operator Dennis (KI4DW) was in need of replacement weights for his Brown Brothers “bug” keyer. The weights are the easy part. I thought he needed the thumb screws duplicated too. Turns out he has the screws.
The weights I turned from a 3/4 in leaded steel bar on the PD400. The slots are cut with a 3/32 end mill on the X3. The digital readout was a real big help in free handing the slots. (CNC automation spoils me.) In the picture, the slots still need a bit of internal filing to square the inside corners.
The 8-32 thumb screws would be a lot more work to make exact copies. I was afraid of the time (and cost) I would spend on two of them. I have since discovered a good source for these at McMaster-Carr.
If I make any more weights, about a half hour in BobCAD should make the slot cutting easy work starting from dead center. Heck, the G-code would be easy to write from scratch.
Just a few hours work on developing these parts. CNCing the slot would make it much faster to produce more.
Change to New URL
I had to take a lot of time away from my pursuit of machine shop pleasures. There was a cyber DDoS attack on the shared IP address I use for a lot of my domains. More details are over on my personal blog, Ramblin’ Dan. Let’s just say my shared Internet address was very busy for a few days.
One of the things I did was to give this blog its own web address. This site used to be a sub-domain of TEDatum (THMSBlog.TEDatum.com) on a shared IP address, but now has its own identity (THMSBlog.com). Note the TEDatum is gone in the middle.
It’s a bit of work to make that change (switch IP addresses) and it was actually a nice (?) learning experience. The old URL with the TEDatum will continue to work but I suggest if you have this site book marked, you change to the new shorter URL, just in case there is another DDoS or someday I forget and remove the cross link. Not likely to forget, but I am getting older…
I don’t know why the attack started and persisted so long. I assume what I do here is pretty innocuous to most folks. However I do not know who or what else may have been on the shared IP. Just roll with the punches and they won’t hurt so badly.
Getting BC-C Loaded without C2H5OH
The BobCAD-CAM (BC-C) package arrived at my home office on a Friday, just a few days after shipping by UPS from Clearwater Florida. It is version 24 which is the latest and I presume greatest. It is a two disk set which is one disk of training videos and instruction manual and the second disk is the actual program install disk.
Unfortunately the instruction disk refused to load and run any of the instruction videos but the PDF manual could be opened and read. A NERO disk scan confirms the disk is bad. The salesperson and support desk at BobCAD-CAM are sending me a replacement disk. The same video training is also available from the BobCAD-CAM web site but of limited resolution, perhaps because it is directed from a YouTube server with JWPlayer. The quality usable but I am expecting the disk version to be of higher video quality. I will let you know.
Update: BobCAD actually send me both disks (new) because of the defective Disk 1. I ran all the training videos and they are exactly the same content as available on the web site but of superior quality. They wouldn’t go to full screen of my 24 inch monitor but were very sharp and easy to view. Nicely done.
So the new owner is not dead in the water on getting started with training. It is good the BobCAD-CAD web site provides a backup not only if the supplied training disk is damaged as is mine; it is also a great way to get a preview of the product before you make a purchase.
I have one other slight issue in getting started, and that was due to the packing invoice not included in the box, a shipping clerk oversight. The invoice contains the serial numbers or… Continue reading
Letting the Cat Out of the CAD
I am taking an opportunity in my project schedule to try another CAD/CAM package. I had looked at it long ago and it has been around for over 25 years. When I first saw it (back then) I believed it was one of those,”yet another CAD/CAM packages.” I am sure at some point I registered and ran at least the demo, as it seems I have been receiving occasional marketing from them forever. Back in that time, I was looking for a cheap all in one CNC solution. I was still a bit naive of all the requirements. I did find and purchase DeskCNC with its serial port interface. That worked OK but I am now using much stronger and expensive Rhino and Vectric 3D software and MACH3 from ArtSoft. You get what you pay for.
The product to which I am now referring to is BobCAD-CAM. I knew it was created by a guy named Bob (Bob Twaalfhoven) so I assumed he just called it BobCAD after himself. I was thinking simplistically it was Bob’s CAD. Today it is a more professional play on the image of a Bobcat, just change the T to a D. Whatever the thought on the name, it has survived the test of time.
Soon I will see if it survives the test of Dan.
DeskCNC is still around too but the web page has changed little to none. BobCAD-CAM is on version 24 and a first web site look, while allowing for marketing hyperbole, seems impressive.
It will take me a few weeks or a month or so to give it a full workout and use it to construct a CNC project. I’ll probably leak a few comments here in the blog, but I am considering doing a full report, probably… Continue reading
Model Engine Builder
This is not a paid advertisement. Mike Rehmus has no idea I am making this recommendation. I have been reading this magazine since Mike and his wife Toni started publishing. If you are a real machinist and love to make small engines, this publication is for you. But then you would probably already know that. It is also THE publication to get arm chair machinists back into their shops or to get their dream shops assembled.
And… If you really just like reading about the construction of model engines, this is still the publication you need to have in your library. You will definitely save this magazine.
Low volume high quality publications are very expensive to produce. The $10.00 issue price is not someone making a fortune. Oh and I almost forgot, each issue contains a set of CAD plans for the engines presented in the issue. I get model airplane magazines too and the plans are always an extra cost addition. So an MEB subscription and the plans are well worth the investment and a wonderful contribution to building your library of full documented projects.
The website is www.modelenginebuilder.com. From there you can order your subscription or purchase back issues. Remember, this is a publication full of real construction plans and know how. Tell them THMS sent you! It won’t do anything for me except make me a fan-boy.