With the completion of the mechanical portions of the cnc router it the computer portions have been being worked on. The router original used a Mach 3 operating system with an older style break out board. We upgraded the computer systems and well as the mechanical systems and have a real issue ever since. Wally, a friend of gun lab, has been working on the issue. He has made some head way, but for every step forward he hits another issue. So while he fights his way through this we are back making the hand guards the manual way.
Starting with the sized wooden blocks and a drawing.
It is put on the manual mill and machined.
The final out come is the holes machined for the washer and the internals machined.
From here it will go to the machining center to do the final shaping.
A number of projects have been worked on this weekend. I took a number of pictures and videos but I just wanted to share this with you instead. The work for the weekend is done and my wife and I are setting on our patio enjoying this beautiful Arizona evening.
This was a weekend of building and equipment repair. The air system went out on the Sharps machining center. So out with the old and a completely new regulator, filter and oiler went on.
The switch went out on the grinder, new switch time. To attach it to the pedestal, the previous owner used bolts with square nut. He attached the grinder to the plate and then another set of bolts to hold the plate to the stand. With everything rusted it took a little longer then I would have liked. So a new switch, new wiring and re-drilled and taped the holes for cap screws.
I spent Saturday out at the shooting area testing the 3 Gerat 06 prototypes.
There is the standard to set the example by and that is the MP-44.
Starting at the top is the 2nd prototype.
2nd down is the STG 45
3rd down is the MP-44
4th is the 1st model prototype
5th down is the 3rd model prototype
The day was spent shooting the individual rifles to test for proper operation, functioning and handling. There were a couple of issues that were uncovered in one of the rifles. The problems will be address and fixed. There is still a great deal more testing to perform before the final style will be actually made into the 14 examples that we are going to make.
The majority of the mechanical work on the router is completed. Now comes the aggravating part, and that is getting the computer to correctly operate it.
Wally, a friend of gun lab, just spent part of his Sunday helping to get it operational.
There are a number of issues that have to be addressed. Starting with windows 7 talking to Mach 4. That is the easy issue. Then getting Mach 4 to talk to the smooth step board. This is providing to be a little more aggravating. Then getting the smooth stepper to actually do what it is suppose to do with the drivers and switches.
This is Wally’s second attempt and I really think he now wishes he had not volunteered to help.
Today he made great strides toward getting things working. Here is the video of the router operating and running a basic program.
Started on the new fluting tool design. We have had some issues with the fluting of the chambers. Some of the issues have been narrowed down to our original tool design. To correct the flute issue we went back to the design. Starting with the thickness of the flutes and the length of the flutes, these were changed to closer match the original German design.
Here are some solid models showing the changes.
We are also trying a couple of different steels. The first is O-1.
The next is D-2
Starting with the cnc turned blank.
It is set up in the mill and surfaced for the proper angle.
With the support and the angle block it is a great deal easier to machine the three sides.
The completed tool.
They are off to heat treat and should be back soon.
Most of this summer has been working on projects that have been hanging around and needed to be finished. We took in a number of outside jobs to pay the bills. The cash flow issue allowed only the projects that required no money to be accomplished. This lead to a number of items being completed that I really wanted to do. This is one of the projects. Getting the 3 burner forge running.
This story actually started long before this last summer. It started with wanting a forge to do some blacksmithing. A number of years ago I started to build a propane gas forge using a freon bottle and a home made gas burner.
After making sure it was empty I removed the valve.
It was open up to allow for insulation and actually setting it up to be a forge.
Parts were machined for the nozzle and the adapter to the tank.
The adapter was welded on and the proper insulation added.
Even a stand was built.
However while I was waiting for the hardener to arrive this forge showed up. Actually I pulled it from a dumpster. It is a natural gas forge that uses a fan to provide air to the burner. Work stopped on the first forge as things do when life gets into the way. I thought I would convert this to propane, but again it was a time thing.
I was ready to get back on the home made forge when this cute 3 burner forge showed up at my door.
I obtain a regulator and hose and it was back to getting the forge up and running in the shop.
Extra insulation was added and it was a go when….
This cute single burner forge showed up.
Then rick, a friend of gun lab wanted to know if I wanted this one.
Being the scrounge that I an I said yes, It is at this point in the story that I must point out that my wife constantly reminds me that I have a problem. Taking it from natural gas to propane was next.
The piping removed.
The door was fixed.
The door still needs a covering of insulation.
The hole was plugged with insulation and just needs a sheet metal cap.
Next will be the new burner hole and adapter.
At least now the three burner forge is up and running.
The new anvil stand is finally finished. The wheel supports are some scrap steel that was sized to and then bored out and threaded for a 5/8 shoulder bolt
The wheels actually came from old floor jacks that I retrieved from a dumpster and then bored out the bolt size on my lathe.
Now when I have to I can move the anvil out of the way easily.
Due to the number and types of projects we work on here at Gun Lab a great deal of raw material is used. For those of you that build projects you understand the cost of material. For that reason not much is thrown out here. Generally most items can be used as is or re-purposed to something else. However, it can get out of hand quickly and easily. That happen here. I had a number of piles of steel and most of it was not accessible. My wife took it upon herself to clean and organize the steel piles into what is now known as Shirley’s WalMart for steel.
The ease of finding material has made a huge benefit in being able to start and complete projects.
Another weekend has come and gone. A few house hold projects were completed and a couple of minor projects worked on. Most of the weekend was spent on writing reports for work. Friday night for 2 hours, Saturday for a couple of hours in the morning and then again that night for a couple of more hours. Then Sunday from 6am to 11 am to finally finish them all up.
The only exciting project that I was able to work on this weekend was the new anvil stand I am building.
Using the router table I built a while back I cut a radius on the posts to allow them to fit inside the angle iron supports.
The radius cutter for the operation.
After welding everything up it was a challenge moving it.
Close up of the new stand.
As it stands in the fab shop. It still needs to be sanded on the top.
With the anvil set up on it.
The final step for the base is to install wheels to allow easier moving
From here it will go to the machining center to do the final shaping.
