Now I can FINALLY get my fender struts machined...

Well....been laid off since December (which sux!) and things aren't looking very rosy....but unemployment is paying the bills (that's GOOD!) and I've been selling a lot of unneeded stuff to piece together parts for my project XJ build plus help pay for other stuff.... Like the drum kit I sold. I had gotten it for my son 3yrs ago and it has been sitting in the basement for the last 2 yrs...I got the exact amount I needed to do this to my garage this past Sunday/Monday.

This used to be part of my garage....


The Mad B at work...


Finished and waiting for the door that's been ordered.


Why would I go through all the trouble of putting a taller door in my garage, you ask???....So I can get THIS in...




A bridge port CNC mill.... and that is the ONLY upside to living in Michigan in the present economy....I got this for $500 yup....only needs a limit switch replaced. Another victim of the economy was the small shop that closed down and was getting rid of everything. Felt bad for them, because I've been there. Had to close down the floral shop we used to own 3 years ago...but their loss was my gain ...First on the agenda will be to finally get my fender struts for my XJ project bikedone, then start designing and machining customs parts for other bikes
So if anyone needs something machined...I should be up and running in the not-too-distant future! I'm geeked!!!

 

Dude! Ultimate score that!!!
And with the CNC, what can't you make?

 

Un .. Bee .. Lee .. Va .. Bull!!!

$500.oo Holy Smokes.

You will make that dough back in a few hours cutting-out Chevy Bow-Ties in scrap pieces of metal and selling them on eBay as Chevy paper weights.

OMG --- What a deal!

 

I work in a machine shop and I just have to say nice one you got there.

Woot.

 

Sick.. Nasty.
Len is about to get some competition lol

 

where's Lamont?

 

Well you definitely have a potential customer in me!!!! Woo hoo!!

 

Hey DW... Lamont is about 15 min NW of Grand Rapids. Right between Coopersville and Allendale.

Well, I spent about 3 hours last night and about 4 more this morning cleaning while I waited for the lift truck to arrive....I could probably spend another 4-5, but maybe after I get it running. Just wanted it to look a little better sittin' next to the bikes and cars 8) lol....

At least I got the controls lookin' better



Then the lift truck showed up....



Within 25 min we had it unloaded...



...and sittin' in it's new home


Now I just gotta build a 3phase converter and I'm all set!!!

 

lots of good stuff
nice machine

 

I'm actually interested in doing some sort of fender struts... for the time being, I think I am going to mount a fender using steel box tubing as a strut beyond the frames cut-off... I'd like something a bit prettier, I'm very interested to see what you do with yours.

 

That is awesome.

I need some new toys like that.

Looking forward to seeing what you make with that.

 

Hey Mad, I was wondering if you had some sort of plans for your strut idea... You should definitely enlighten us. I know how I'd want to fashion them, with a widened curve up towards the shock mount, so it follows the split of the frame; I'm curious to see what you've dreamed up.

 

Competition? More like a new supplier.

"Made by XJ riders... for XJ riders."

 

Most certainly I have plans... ...To take over the WORLD!!...BWAHHAHAHAHA.....oh wait...that's the other forum...

But yes, I have the struts modeled up in CAD and the plan is for them to look like this...


But then my frame has been modified also ...my build is documented here
My XJ Project I need to tweak the struts a little yet so I'll be cutting the first one out of wood. I'll make alterations until if fits perfect, then I'll change the CAD file to match and machine into aluminum. 8)

 

That's gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. You're going to have a lot of fans around here. Gorgeous. Can't wait! Join up with Len, you could be the XJ4ever Customs Division.

 

Same thing we do every night, Pinky...

Are pistons and rings doable on that thing? Not that I need any, but it would certainly alleviate supply problems if someone was looking for 1st oversize kits for a given engine, or even stock rings that might not be readily available.

 

I don't know Schmuck....I'll have to see what kind of tolerances it can hold as far as cutting a circle and having it be a true circle.... If there's any wear in the ball screws that move the table back and forth, you'll get an ellipse when you try to cut a circle. It's something to keep in mind though....

 

Well...I'm making progress....I have learned more about cnc,controls,phase converter....ugh! Still have some minor issues to resolve but I'm finally making chips (even if they are wood chips )
Here the designed strut....


Here what I roughed out today. This is just the backside. Still need some cleanup toolpaths, then gotta flip it over and finish the front....
but it's a start. At least I know everything works...

 

Nice you'll be giving those OC guys a run soon.