Monday, February 19, 2018

Quick update-

 
 
 
 
 
  Hi again, still sticking to some resolutions to keep posting. For better or for worse.  2 times a month.
 
   I am looking in to switching over to video updates. I made one youtube video and it was seen by over 100,000 people. This blog is read by about 20....................
 
 
  So here goes- finally got rid of that annoying blue screen saver. 
 
 
 
 
 
  It was not going to be stopping things for long. I was prepared to purchase an entire new machine, and I did buy a complete replacement computer and was in the process of installing the mother board when I noticed the cooling fan had come loose, breaking the seal with the CPU and causing over heating. How it is managed to overheat in my frigid workshop is a pretty amazing feat. But that is out of the way, a back up PC is standing by, things are running again and looking good.

 
 
 


  Here is a picture of just how fragile graphite is. My holding fixture flexed and this poor lass had her entire face broken off. Oh well, back to the drawing board.  Adjusting feeds and speeds is making an amazing difference in the speed at which these can be made. I have reduced the time it takes to just a few hours. And my process eliminates the need for artists and sculptors, which his a plus since none of them answer my e-mails anyhow.


   This car mold requires a LOT of metal to be removed.

 
But I am saving it and able to re-melt it in the amazing 1100 degree centigrade  crockpot.
 
 
 
   This thing really gets hot. Of all the various wounds and injuries I have had over the years I find pinches and burns to be the worst types. So being extra careful here.



  Here I a nifty little trick I learned online. By grinding all the teeth off of a saw blade it becomes a giant circular razor blade. And it cuts blue foam board with out making any dust. The black item is a 3D printed holding fixture to allow the cutting of perfect 4" hexagons. Make a 4" rip, nip the end off at 60 degrees, and then cut at your 4" stop. This create diamonds that fit in this tool. Slide the tool across the blade, flip the diamond and repeat. Perfect hexes.  I don't know why but the razor saw is somehow scarier than the one with teeth. Both will mangle you without mercy but something about the sharp edge freaks me out.




  Ok, have a good rest of the winter. Spring is on the way and life keeps renewing itself.

 


3 comments:

  1. Hey, I read this blog! You are right to post on YouTube. I think if you posted a dozen times a month you could turn that into a whole new job.

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  2. I am interested to try that razor blade of foam death idea you mentioned. How did you grind down the blade?

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