Creator

Table Saw

2011-12-20T14:52:00.000-08:00

Renovation of table saw is on the agenda. I will strip it down to its components. Clean them up grease them and maybe modify their use.

Periodic up-date

2010-08-25T10:29:00.001-07:00

Here is the old periodic table missing some 7 elements! Kinda old for chemistry 1965.

New one in old place. Updated to 2010! Now last reason for failure is eliminated! Wait, I still have to get rid of the dog ate my homework.

Another Lab lock thing

2010-07-20T10:07:00.001-07:00

This job is to install lock tabs on 54 cabinets. It is a tedious job, but done in two days! Not bad.

Lab finished... Boat work (in between)... Next lab

2010-07-16T17:18:00.000-07:00

This is a USGS boat they use up and down the delta and bay to pick up monitors and sensors for various on going studies and research projects.

It is about 37 feet and very nice and rugged. Our task is to hook up a foot switch, with attaching plug, that will be used to operate a winch. In addition, we will mount a panel inside the center console that holds two solenoids, breaker and terminal blocks.

This is the center console. Just below is a cabinet that the solenoids for the electric crain will be attached. This is a great boat! The computer in the picture is attached to gps and a sonar with ability to up load maps through an SD card.

The solenoids mounted to a fiberglass plate is mounted and wired in.

The reason we are here, The aluminum pipe holds a crain that has an electric motor attached. The foot switch below runs to the solenoids in the console then back through a plug to the wench.

The plug for the wench. This way the wench can be stowed away or a replacement one can be used.

Finishing one Lab up

2010-07-16T16:28:00.000-07:00

I now went on to build the separator for the cabinets. They are to have a front face about 2 inches wide and from top to bottom in addition, some way of screwing them to the back of the cabinet. This picture is of the jig I made to drill the back cleats at the 22.5 degree angle

Here all 12 of the dividers are made up then tested.

All 12 fit tight and now off to laquer...

While I waited for the laquer to dry, I went on to make a round hole into a square one.. the carrage bolts have a round head and square on the other. This square head keeps the bolt from being turned.

The padlock loops came with the most wimpy of bolts and nuts. So I changed the bolts to carrage and punched a square hole in each.

The Drake press is a bit over kill for this operation, but it made it so much easier than the small arbors we have. Handle is out of view. Its about 4 foot long and counter balanced. The wheel is used to bring the press back to the height to start another press.
Once I started the keyway punch it progressively cuts a square out until it has reached the end where the square is the same size on the end as my carrage bolt square. Since I have to put padlocks on each cabinet in this lab and the next, the total being 78 sets. As a result, I have to pull this handle down 312 times!

Here is the end result. Two cabinets from one. Now students can have there own lock and cabinet as opposed to old combination locks and sharing glassware. Also one can not get into the other cabinet without breaking past this partition. The cleats in the back ore on both sides. So unscrewing them from one side is fruitless, because the other side is attached as well.

On to the Lab!

2010-07-11T11:08:00.000-07:00

Chemistry has a lab that is in dire need of some changes. The lab shown has three long benches, each bench side has two double door cabinets. The Cabinet can take care of one student only. So what is needed to accommodate more students in the lab is to make a separator for each of these cabinets. Tree benches, two per side so four a bench total of 12 separators are needed.

Glass ware on the tables is due to the work I am doing to cabinets.

Here is a view of the cabinet open. It makes tons of sence to separate them into two.

On all cabinets most of the accessory hardware is to be removed. They will be replaced with more secure components later.

Here is the a view of a top runner in the cabinet. I inset the screws so the center board will not hang up.

The top and bottom rails installed. Parallel, centered and secure. The cabinet was small once I was in it to install these.

This is the most common part of my job. Design. I took this picture because it is a vital part of the process and I do hundreds of these types of drawings but don’t think about it anymore. I measured the cabinet for the dimensions that I will need to make the separator. I either use exact measurements at the time I drew this or I will compensate the measurements (include my tolerances). In any case, I will note it.

Rat Table Two

2010-07-06T16:59:00.000-07:00

After flipping it and determining where the holes are to be placed it is off to the paint room.

This is where the center table gets attached. It will stay stationary, yet be slightly above the large table that spins.

Here is the top and bottom view of the center table. I had to stack and glue 3/4 ply to get the height from the base to above the table. As well as, I put in some recessed screws so the table will remain centered and stationary.

This is the ram in the closed position (above) to lock the the table. The open position (below) the table will free wheel.

This is a view of the complete mechanism. I used a horizontal hold down ram and lengthened its ram and made some brackets out of Al and delron.

The bottom is complete. The wood slats on each side of the holes are brackets for the cage.

The table right side up on cleaned and painted tripod. This shows the cage in one hole slot and the lock mechanism.

This is it! Finished. Notice the scale it is too big for the hall. The rat, blindfolded , is set in the center and the nest (cage) is in one hole. They take the rat and replace him on the center and spin the table to a different position. Then they track how the rat navigates with minimal external information.

Rat Table

2010-06-22T09:15:00.000-07:00

Table Bottom (on its edge)...

Table Top (also on edge and center not built)...

Tripod (needs cleaning and paint)...

This is a table that rotates so a Rat (that is blinfolded) is to be placed on center, and is to find its home. The table then is turned and the Rat starts out again. The Psyc dept is studing the navigation routes for Rats. I am about half way done with this project. I had to build the tool to cut a table this big. The Department dreams up these things. I just bring them into reality.

Back at it!

2010-05-10T12:39:00.000-07:00

Life interrupts when I sit down.
In addition, it can be painful.
I guess if I feel pain,
then I must be alive.

Follow up!!

2009-12-04T11:04:00.000-08:00

The aluminum edging in a previous post is now in place. I used the edging to make a cover for two displays in the Biology museum.

These guys were watching me very closely. I had the feeling they were pissed off at something.

Hand stand

2009-11-14T16:24:00.000-08:00

I was asked to make a stand to hold a very large crystal for the annual rock sale. As I was holding the crystal, I said my hand would be perfect if it were larger. LODI! Eureka has too much credit for inspiration, So I made this hand after mine but scaled it up by 1 and 1/2.

New projects

2009-10-21T15:21:00.000-07:00

Project one is to make another one of these.(top three photos). It is a platform for a doppler sounder submerged in the bay. The instrument is to detect sediment from dredging.

Project two is to build a couple of animal skeletons displays for the museum. The excreted Aluminum runners just arrived. This will be interesting.(bottom two photos)

Stakes

2009-10-02T08:34:00.000-07:00

The Biology Department every year asks us to make up some stakes for the Arboretum on campus.
These stakes hold signs giving the proper name of the tree or plant. Usually they ask for 100 or so, but this time it was for 400.
So I had to cut bend and drill 400. I know them personally, and will miss each and every one as they go out and do their job.
I think most of previous ones are getting sold to the same company I purchase these from, cause they look the same, just my opinion.

This is how I feel

2009-09-30T15:07:00.000-07:00

I worked my way to the controls
I set the throttle as far forward as I could
I turned the nose of my chariot to the wispy sky
And never turned back

True relaxation

2009-08-31T12:29:00.000-07:00

Work on WaterCraft

Success!

Horse makes sure you are doing things right.

Outstanding!

WaterCraft Ready!

Can't wait!

Great Eats!

WOW!

Forget camera to take photos of first experence on water... DAMN!

Oh well gotta do this again ;)

Cobra Sunday

2009-07-27T09:14:00.000-07:00

My boss used to be a crew chief for a race team in a previous life. Evidently, once people know you can repair things and do it quickly you always get called. This Sunday he asked his friend Ron and I if we would like to go see some race cars. I said sure as my testosterone climbed!
These are some of the cars.

Marines

2009-07-09T13:58:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just gotta take a look and wonder.

What country can build something like this.

I know one thing for certain, I am glad to be on this side.

It' a bit buggy

2009-07-09T13:52:00.000-07:00

These are made of cardboard, about 7 feet tall and gives me a shiver up my spine!

Old stuff / New stuff

2009-07-06T09:54:00.000-07:00

Well the art department and engineering were getting rid of several pieces of equipment. After a microsecond, we decided to take the stuff on. Most of the pieces are just in need of a little tender loving care. These are the before shots.

The lathe is a powermatic 18" by 36" three phase 10 hp with outboard turning as well as variable speed. Nice gap-bed style with heavy stand. It needs cleaning and some tooling but all in all good addition to shop.

Here is the Surface grinder. It is a Proth 8" by 16" hydraulic, water bath, with magnetic holddown. This is a great find, makes our shop just a little more versatile. Downside, noisy and dirty. it just needs cleaning and setup.

So in the pile of stuff the department is offing is a Miller CP 200 (s) it is a 100% duty cycle mig-welder. We just need to get some diodes and clean it up. This is a great welder due to its capacity -200 amps- and duty cycle. So we can do some long and deep welds.

We are going to change out our delta 10" table saw to a 12" powermatic. This powermatic needs the surface cleaned and a fence. Since we were going to install a new fence on the 10" we will install it on this one. Also we are going to put in a router lift to the right. Looks ragged but great addition to the woodshop.

Here is an oven just laying outside so we grabbed it to augment our oven. Great for tempering as well as preheating for welding. Not a lot of work here just placement and plug.

The last item is a planer. This one is about twice the weight of our planer and about two inches wider. As planers go weight and width is all. Not sure how this one will pan out.

The interesting part about all of this is they replaced these pieces with new ones and just were going to throw these away!

Rental car

2009-06-30T14:23:00.000-07:00

Here is a HHR I rented to drive around Seattle in 06. What a hooptie, tool, toad of a car. Really not sure why I decided on it but damn was it a sorry choice.

Now this is a nice car. A 300 Chrysler smooth and roomy. The Suprano look, At least 4 bodys can fit in the trunk!

This is the latest ride. Lots of attitude and mean stance. Runs like on rails and tight interior.

Only down side is it was not a Z28

Aircraft

2009-06-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

Schweizer helicopter, one of Andrews friends was very gracious to show us a helicopter he works on. Cool machine.

Interior, Now let me get this straight. This flys? Rudder. stick - left, right, forward, backward, power - up, down And you have to tell someone where you are going!

It even has a special cover! Thanks Matt for the tour!

Three blade, must be a nice ride.

Seattle Trip Baseball

2009-06-30T13:09:00.000-07:00

The Dugout. When I got there I was invited to stay and watch the game from here! It must be because I know a couple of the coaches. First time I was in one during a game. What a blast, these guys were funny.

Here is Andrew as first base coach. Check out the intensity. Some how he turns this intensity on and off but, when it comes to Baseball, he is always on. Increadable resource for a novice like me.

The Pitcher was on today! But I hear he really was only at 50%! Damn I can't imagine 100%

Seattle Trip Shooting

2009-06-30T12:44:00.001-07:00

Glock 9mm, 17! in the clip Damn I miss my Sig. The Pink menace a 22 that Alex vowed not to shoot. It would run then jam or leave one in the chamber. Not hot enough load or spring too weak. Alf, I know will solve this. It does feels great and rapid fire is nice

Alf's Friend is some shot with a Glock .40 Check out Alf's hold, unique. Andrew shooting 9mm with some serious accuracy! All I can say is you can definately handle a 1911! Can you say Gold Cup?

Wait, Is this Alex shooting a pink Gun? No, not Alex he said he would never shot a pink gun. Who ever this is, He can hit! Am glad he is on our side.

Sacramento Shooting

2009-06-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

Here in Sac, Zac is showing Hannah how to shoot those cute 22’s. He was very methodical and professional to say the least. Incredible shot as well!
Note to self I need to practice….

Now I know Zac should be a Range Master because he was very interested in helping the girl in the next booth to shooting a Taurus 9mm.
How conscientious, RIGHT.. Close your mouth Zac you are drooling.

The last pic is Andrew down range changing the target that we peppered with no reguard for grouping or hits for that matter or as we call it the fun target. Definitely not at 50 Meters!

Seattle Trip Flowers

2009-06-30T11:58:00.001-07:00

The first thing you cannot avoid is how beautiful the entrance to Janet and Alf’s home is! Flowers everywhere. Just spectacular! An incredible job that she makes look easy.

Small fix = big job

2009-06-11T11:32:00.000-07:00

Remember those labs where you had to deal with a combination lock? Well these locks have been giving Students, Teachers and lab Tech's headaches for years. Either the combination or the universal key doesn't work. They are ancient, probably made in the 50’s! The cost to repair them is approx $50 each through a locksmith, if we took them off for them, and the guarantee is only 30 days.
Today is the day these locks go to the pile of good ideas gone bad within a few months and are pains for the next 25 years.
I designed and built a jig, out of aluminum scrap, to drill the holes in the exact place necessary. Since I have to do this whole lab of 55 drawers and doors a jig is by far needed. It took about an hour to drill all the holes. Now for the work getting into the drawers and doors with faulty locks…

Can I make a Picture Frame?

2009-06-08T11:15:00.000-07:00

Why not make two? The wood is Walnut and Birch. The inlay is the opposite wood. Simple lines was all I was thinking. Since most frames are 45 mitred joints I choose a much older lapjoint because they are mirror twins. This was fun but only took a couple of days and were gone almost before I could take a picture!

500 lb gorilla

2009-06-08T10:41:00.000-07:00

Here The cage is closed and he is standing in an agressive pose

Open display, designed for maximum access

Just pieces of a male Gorilla on plastic

Cage frame on welding table

Outline of Gorilla frame

Got this request a while back to build a cage and just recently ran across the pictures.

The Gorilla was in really bad shape.

They were using it in anthropology to display its skeletal features and size. But, they were dragging it on the floor to the room on a plastic sheet. It was also in pieces when I got it.

Brackets, brackets, brackets

2009-06-04T15:12:00.000-07:00

These are part of the optical table project. They hold a target and a motor at a certain angle. The slots are to fine tune the instruments.

And more stuff made...

2009-06-04T15:07:00.000-07:00

Here is the CNC to make small accurate stuff. Photo Diode holder.

Optical table stuff

2009-06-04T14:57:00.000-07:00

Brackets, Photo diode reciever, rotating table, stepper motor mount. It really helps to know how accurate these machines can be. This project was acomplished in a week. Lots of redraws and tweeking the machines to get stuff made but it is moving along nicely.

We are...

2009-06-01T12:13:00.000-07:00

Super Hero’s! I have it! We are the new age of Super Hero’s!

One could pound the villain into submission then leave a calling card of a quilt!

One could through little notes at the evil doer pulverizing them into accepting Justice, then photograph them posting ridiculing statements that further bind them to the American way!

One could make the rogue law breaker laugh till they collapse then break their heart and face in that order!

One could write poems at the speed of light that severs the scoundrel’s need to do bad!

One could create strange objects the ensnare the bad guys and keep them bound in a world of quizzical justice!

We are the League Of Extra Ordinary Bloggers, bound to the digital world to save it from Wickedness!

Some have sidekicks and I probably forgot others. If you are one of these, leave a comment and I will add you to the list!

The journey of a thousand miles, starts with a map.

2009-05-22T08:37:00.000-07:00

In the beginning there was an Idea! I started this blog because I found out more about my Sisters, through theirs. I am thoroughly impressed. My hope is they will understand me a little more through mine.
I build things, all sorts of things. From an apothecary to a Y-axis motor mount. I am a Tech/nerd/Wizard. I have a nack for mechanical fabrication.