Saturday 31 August 2019

The Completed Console Part3 - Episode 239

Just a few tweaks needed to finish this project off so I thought i would have a little bit of fun with it.
I recently saw a cartoon as I was scrolling through Facebook and thought I could use that as a long drawn out gag for this video because realistically other than adding paint and a few holes there wasn't much else to show.  For those of you not familiar with my channel the voice of the joker is played by Chip who has appeared on a few oh my videos over the last 2 years.
Don't be fooled by his cute appearance. Beneath that fury exterior lies a fiendish sense of humour.












Click to watch



 The Design
So you would be forgiven for thinking the final design lacks a certain amount of  stylishness and i take no offence. I'm not going to argue with you either but in my defence the design has a few requirements that ultimately shaped the final project. Unlike most CNC controllers this needs to be portable. I need to disconnect and move the entire unit quickly and easily. It has to be sturdy and not unbalanced so it won't fall over. The build needs to include some additional features not found on a regular CNC console such as 3 HMDI outputs. One for the touchscreen, one for the wall mounted monitor and a third for video capture. Masso needs to mount externally for ease of  shooting tutorial videos as well. None the less if the back panel was rotated everything on the outside could be mounted inside no problem. 

Files to make your own
If you would like to make your own you can find the files here.

bit.ly/2LCmveS


Changes
The one change I would like to have made was making the ear panel a hinged door for ease of access. I have thought about it but haven't quite  figured out how I could modify it now. Hopefully once it is complete I will not need to touch it again.
  

The Future
Part of the reason for building the new console was practical but the other is that I can now use to go through setting up Masso step by step in the hope of creating a comprehensive reference guide for connecting and configuring a new install.
If you are interested is seeing the process then why not subscribe to the CNCnutz Masso Edition channel  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDLVKDi-aTYv7Z7omdaj1jg
That way you will see all the new episodes and even if you don't have Masso you will still learn tips and tricks you can apply on your current build.

The next project.
A friend of mine asked for some help with a project he wanted to do and it got me thinking. I would like to do something similar but on a larger scale if I could. While I'm confident I can draw and machine the project no problem painting it is another matter. Ideally I need an artists help but I will have to wait until it is cut and see where it takes me. 

In the meantime thanks for watching and reading and I will catch you later.
Cheers
Peter 


Sunday 4 August 2019

How I desiign a Project Part 2 - Episode 238

Sometimes you have to think of others when you design a project especially if you are thinking of sharing your plans. A lesson I should know by now but sometimes I forget that taking the easy way out or trying to save material can make a project far more complex than it needs to be. 
I forgot that when I did the initial design of this project and had to return to the drawing board literally . While the outcome is exactly the same the ease with which the new version of the project goes together makes the redesign worth the effort.
While small projects are easy enough to do on the drawing board I like to make these larger projects in small steps. That way I can make and test a part before moving onto the next one. After all that is the way I learnt to do it when I was a youngster and I don't see the need to change now. Especially for projects like this where they need to fit other parts such as the monitor. Something you think will look good on the screen may not be right when you see it built.

Click to watch

The files
If  you would like the files I have used to make the console build so far are available here.
Please be aware that the build is not yet complete and changes may still be made. 
While I mention that there is room in the rear of the console to mount Masso the area is not big enough to mount your stepper motor drive system, VFD, and multiple power supplies.
It is designed to house Masso and it's power supply. It is envisioned that the other hardware will be housed separately. This is designed to suit my requirements.
Feel free to modify the drawings in any way you like to suit your needs.


bit.ly/2LCmveS

Draw runners
The draw runners I used are 8" (200mm) draw runners as shown below. I bought them locally but you can use whatever you have available in your area though this style of runner is very common and you should have no problem locating some in your area.
 

Lessons
If you take nothing else away from this episode remember the screw hole with rear countersink trick. My Father taught it to me and I pass it on to you. If you drill the right size hole and countersink the rear your joints will always pull up tight.

And if you don't think that using a corner stick to join 2 boards together is very good or will not last think again. The table that I now sit at while typing this blog entry is made using this type of joinery and I made several of them 30 years ago. They are just MDF with corner sticks to join them together but they look like they were made yesterday


Thank you for your patience. It took longer to get this far than I thought but a redesign half way through doesn't really help. Even though I don't think it needs it I will be gluing some of the parts in place before I paint it. What colour will it be? You will need to wait for the next part. I couldn't tell you even it I wanted too because I really don't know as I write this.

Until next time.
Cheers
Peter