Grass's pit, a redo

[-Demon-]

Hey Demon, thanks for the kind word.

Whatever you envious about don't be - it is all achievable. And my solution is by far not the most impressive here on this board. Figure out what want, what is possible within your limitations (room available, budget, etc) and start slow. Your first pit doesn't have to be super detailed replica. I started with retractable shelves to house the HOTAS and usual computer desk .

 

Start your own build thread, list wants, limitations, your own ideas of approach and I'm sure everyone in this pit building forum will be happy to chime in and throw ideas and suggestions at you.

 

Hi Anton, thanks a alot. I did a lil research and took some of your information provided in this thread. I got to know the usb board from leo wbere you can assign up to 32 switches. That seem to be my first start. I probably would have never heared about it, if I hadnt read your thread. so many thanks for sharing your experience and keep us updated!!!

 

happy flying

 

Demon

[Stevos758]

Tell me more about how you fastened the acer monitor running helios. This screen setup is exactly how I am starting my pit. Great work.

[agrasyuk]

Hi, thanks. Not sure I understand your question however. The monitor is really not fastened , I removed then stand and it just sits there on 4 rests.

[Stevos758]

Hi, thanks. Not sure I understand your question however. The monitor is really not fastened , I removed then stand and it just sits there on 4 rests.

 

Ok. Just wondering if you fastened it somehow. Thanks.

[Grommet67]

Hi Anton,

 

Curious as to where you got your "Master Arm" and "Gun Pac" switches from. Would love to get some for my own panels.

Can you tell me what type of laser cutter you ended up buying?

 

Cheers,

 

Trent.

Edited August 9, 2013 by Grommet67
added question

[agrasyuk]

Hi Trent. The switches are from mouser.com, these are of NKK brand, mtfdarkeagle posted links in this thread some posts above the picture. Also look at ebay. I managed to find some cuttler-hummer and Honeywell switches for very reasonable price (stocking up for my next build :) )

 

I got the cheap Chinese laser of the K40 kind that eBay is flooded with , swapped the controller and added air assist nozzle .

[Grommet67]

Cheers for the info.

[agrasyuk]

Still can't start building, needed to do something for that crazy itch.

:cry:

 

[Duckling]

Hi Anton. Isn't the above creation part of the buidling ? :-)

(been scratching here and there for too long myself)

[agrasyuk]

since not to much activity here i'll share this: drywall going back up.

just who might need 3 power outlets on ceiling? :D

 

[agrasyuk]

I had some money aside for one of those bigger "from China with love" laser engraves.

Instead i got this thing dropped from a flat bed into my garage today:

 

 

13-40 industrial grade Lathe ! Circa 1992, not some antique museum piece. Heavy! it really gave us a struggle moving it from its old home. As bonus it came with loads of tooling and a spare 10HP motor and all for unbelievable price. Thanks heavens for Craig list!

 

Now I need to figure out how to power it. Owner said motor inside is a 10HP (that's a blipping 7.5KW!) as well, but somehow I doubt. Regardless we are installing secondary breaker board in garage, conduit and pulling wires. Cost of that 8ga copper is going to sting the walled... DRO will come next

[Stevos758]

Very nice! I want a lathe!

[Boltz]

Very nice toy you got there Anton :)

[agrasyuk]

Still not a pit progress, but I'm getting closer.

 

some time ago i took picture of something that will never happen again - my garage workshop empty and pristine, right after the epoxy floor paint.

 

"cabinets" slowly got on walls.

 

and today I completed the most important piece - ventilation. for those who work with laser know that stock vent is useless and how unhealthy the fumes are. to hopefully solve this once and for all i went all out on the CFM - installed roof vent and attached a blower from house HVAC unit (free thanks to dad who keeps collecting all kinds of junk in his place) to reinforced section of roof plywood. some crude wooden box to cover the 10" center intake and blast gates to use the standard 4" dust collection hose (with another air-box to slide into laser machine vent slot). permanent wiring still to be done , but short test with temp wires showed crazy levels of airflow.

 

can't wait to fire up the laser again, i guess i will find out how the laser tube held up sitting unused for year and a half

Edited October 6, 2014 by agrasyuk

[Mr_Burns]

Far out, nice work! Ive just shown my wife what a man cave should look like, I'll post a pic of mine!

 

We just had a pool installed, 3 big pumps for the swim jets and spars, electric heater, lighting, electric cleaner, I had to get Solar Power to offset the price of electricity. Waiting to get the 3phase connected next week so I can run them all in anger.

 

What are you plans for the lathe?

[agrasyuk]

Lathe is powered and positioned, but i still will need to level it .

 

the first sim related product will be warthog joystick extensions (once i learn how to do a good consistent thread), maybe someone will want one. i do want to try turning some mechanical parts for the gauges, like inner bushings, needle holders, metal hubs for DM's knob castings and bunch of other items (we are working on milling attachment for the machine as well ).

besides sim work i will use it to make road wheels - i am dreaming to build RC replica of the tank i served on in 1:6

my dad has his own list of things to make .

 

Nice on the power. There is no option to connect 3p service here.

Edited October 6, 2014 by agrasyuk

[Mr_Burns]

Lathe is powered and positioned, but i still will need to level it .

 

the first sim related product will be warthog joystick extensions (once i learn how to do a good consistent thread), maybe someone will want one. i do want to try turning some mechanical parts for the gauges, like inner bushings, needle holders, metal hubs for DM's knob castings and bunch of other items (we are working on milling attachment for the machine as well ).

besides sim work i will use it to make road wheels - i am dreaming to build RC replica of the tank i served on in 1:6

my dad has his own list of things to make .

 

Nice on the power. There is no option to connect 3p service here.

 

I built my own CNC (with Dremel as the cutter, not great but I was suprised) - i want to make my own model RC Aircraft with a first person camera. Had to go back to the drawing board as the CNC isnt very repeatable...hit and miss everytime, not very good for cutting ribs and spars etc. Plus, I bought a styrene aircraft and slammed it 3 times, repaired it twice, but lost my care for it just now! I just need to find a big open space to be on my own...

 

Look forward to seeing more of your builds and makes! What Tank was it (M1 or UK tank?), back in my childhood, my dad built a WW2 Tiger with a wired controller, switch for either track, as it was a plastic and a very detailed build I could only watch him and couldnt touch it, when he had his midlife crisis and fked off with the fat barmaid I took the Tiger and drove it over loads of shoes!

 

37 now and approaching on his midlife age.....

Edited October 6, 2014 by Mr_Burns

[agrasyuk]

Thank you. As far as builds house renovation is still the main project. My sim room is done (and wired for projectors :) ), will start a new thread once I'm ready to take on framework of new pit. But before that there is another bedroom to gut and redo drywall in.

 

Served on Israeli flavor of M60 Patton. Lots of heavy lifting and crawling in mud was involved.

 

As far as your CNC, I don't yet have any hands on with router ones, but to me it looks like having a proper spindle is half of success, Not a big fan of dremel. I'm torn between getting the shapeoko bare kit or building my own from scratch (whenever that is going to happen).

 

I'm right there with you on middle life thing, approaching fast. According to my wife however I'm in permanent state on ML, lol. When it's not guns,old mustangs, model railroads, motorcycles, mountain bikes its hanging blower motors from the roof :)

[agrasyuk]

Cleaned mirrors and the lens on the engraver , hooked up water bucket,air compressor and gave it a whirl. The good news is that the tube is still working perfectly, cut the last saved program in one pass and I didn't notice any degradation of power. It still smells though. Not immediately and not as bad as before, but after couple minutes. With the massive airflow going I suspect polluted air is drawn from the outside via rafters. So next project up is activated carbon fume extractor, neighbors will sure appreciate it (unknowingly).

 

And now for the dillema - which new laser machine to buy... 500300 unit is readily available for ~2200$ at the door from US seller. But for 2000+ customs fees I could get 700500 from China. that's a very nice working area to have, however I will need to figure how I'm going to get a 200lbs crate home from the airport. Clearance house asks funny amount for that last leg.

[agrasyuk]

the roof exhaust is scrapped, leaving just the passive vent hole.

built tall enclosure cabinet, cut a side vent port through the wall and hung the blower to exhaust the air through it. laser vapor gets into the box via 4 inch dust collector port and goes up through 2 stage filter : ordinary household 14x25 to clean any solids and then through box with air-pad and 6 inch of activated carbon (ordered 50lbs bag of it). with the filter elements installed the airflow got severely restricted, but at the business end there is still several times the suction from when i used the bathroom fan. it is also not as loud outside with less air going through the exhaust louvers. i still have some play room and can reduce the height of carbon layer to increase flow (some have perfect filtration with 3-4" layers). another port with blast gates will be added above the carbon tray to provide suction to a fold-able spray booth above the laser

 

as a bonus the cabinet has a compartment on the bottom to house compressor for air assist. that compartment will be sound insulated to cut down on overall noise level, but the compressor i will be using is somewhat on quiet side as it is - took it out of decommissioned medical breathing assistance apparatus.

 

with front panel removed:

 

 

PS

the power consumption level was a nice surprise. threw a killawatt meter on that outlet and found ~850Watt draw while motor runs unrestricted. with all the filter elements installed and rotor slowing down under extra load it shows 450W.

[agrasyuk]

No more toner transfer for me :)

Couple jumper wires will be required here. If this etches ok i will be attempting much finer traces.

 

[Boltz]

Looks nice! That is one quick machine.

[agrasyuk]

It doesn't take much to evaporate thin layer of paint so higher speeds can be used, 40mm/sec as pictured . was conserned with flashback into the tube so used minimal power settings. Will be etching this tonight.

 

Calum, I assume you have means to drill PCB. Spota to be drilled are marked. If I can send this undrilled then it can be in the mail(with rest of the goodies) to you tommorow .

Edited April 13, 2015 by agrasyuk

[Boltz]

Yes, I can drill the PCB. I'm waiting on some other parts to arrive. Can't wait to get things fired up :)

[Warhog]

If I could offer a neat little technique that I use for drilling.

 

I use a 0.025" diameter drill bit with a Dremel tool. Now I know the Dremel has really shitty run-out and trying to drill holes by hand with the Dremel tool is asking for disaster. BUT... if you draw all your hole locations on your drawing. Then, when you laser etch, pocket the holes as well to a depth of .0005" That's just enough to let a drill bit settle into each hole (BY HAND DRILLING) and you never ever miss or slide. It is super fast to drill holes after that. Its almost as if you center punched each hole first.:thumbup: