Today I got started on the transition piece that blends the key handle to the shaft. This is a series of HDU rings that will be all glued up. The smaller rings needed only to be 1" thick, so I profile cut them on the Techno cnc from a 2" piece. Then I simply set the table saw fence to 1" and split them in half. I also filed some channels into them for gluing. I could have toolpathed this right into the file, but I wasn't thinking that far ahead yet!
I've got a huge 1.25" radius round over bit, and I wanted to use it on the rings. But due to the fact that it's a bearing cutter, I used the Techno like an overhead router and spun them manually. A little freaky with the cutter spinning at 8000 rpm!
With the sections all put together, this is what the transition piece will look like. I stacked 2 rings together for the larger ones, for a total of 4". Pretty big stuff.
Jody and Anna worked on cleaning up the handle a little before paint, while I cut some pieces for another NDA job.
With the glue seams taken care of, and a little filler here and there, it was ready for paint. I really like using the 1 part epoxy garage floor paint as an HDU primer. It fills the pin holes pretty good, is waterbased, and unlike latex, you can sand it when it dries. We wont be doing this key with an automotive finish, but it's still going to be glossy.
The shaft of the key got cut to the right size, and sanded for paint as well. Although by 5 o'clock, I really wanted to use it as a golf club against that pesky Fisher-Price moon that keeps getting in the way. Stupid moon. Maybe I'll get to hang it tomorrow before I line drive it down the street!
8)
JWO
No comments:
Post a Comment