A little validation checking

Validating the accuracy of the Pocket NC

This is a positional check for X and Y. Are they centered about A and B Centerline? There are 2 checks that can be made. 

1) Rotating B constantly does the center hole run TRUE as it is spun? It's really about how concentric is the platter backside bearing to the front side locator hole?

2) Once that is true rotate the indicator in the spindle 360

This is a positional check for X and Y. Are they centered about A and B Centerline?

My ol' pappy use to say...

If at first you don't succeed... keep on sucking till you do succeed
A story about my Dad and the guy that went on to invent LASIK Eye Surgery
If you google KOPF VITROPHAGE PEYMAN  you are going to see an early patent that was made with my fathers business www.kopfinstruments.com and http://www.drgholampeyman.com/

Now this was the first patent developed by Dr Gholam A. Peyman in conjunction with my father David Kopf. It was for an instrument called a Vitrophage. Who's purpose was to remove cataracts from the eye. This was an advanced piece of equipment for it's time.  It mechanically was feed in to the side of the eye. it was the size of a horse injection. It was controlled by the doctors hand and chopped up the cataract into small pieces, vacuumed them out and replaced the particle with an equal amount of fluid. Sounds scary right? Like Doctor McCoy on Star Trek said of primitive medical equipment. Dr Gholam A Peyman went on to develop over 145 patents. He was recipient of National Medal of Technology and Innovation, the nation’s highest honor for technological achievement, bestowed by the President of the United States, President Obama in 2013.

Bob Dylan - I shall be free #10

What song would you pick: "A day in the life" Or "I shall be free #10"?
I'm old, hopefully not as old as you haha! So mom took me to see the Beatles at their debut LA show Hollywood Bowl in '64. The same place dad showed off his Ferarri at the concurs car show. Well I've been a beetles fan since I was a kid. But Bob Dylan obviously was on the airwaves but not as profoundly as John Lennon boasted himself to be. Yet now he won a Nobel Prize in literature! So listen to this song "I shall be free #10" by Bob Dylan  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW3qgP19OBE

5 Axis Artifact

This is a 5 Axis Test Artifact Concept

The arrows on the sketch show the direction a tool will point while cutting this part. In some cases the part is cut with the side of the tool. Other areas are with the tip. And these cuts are then measurable. Typically the cuts with the side are more predictable with tool length setting not critical.

Here is a word document conveying the scope of this 5 Axis Artifact

Billy Jack Hobo Nickel machined on Pocket NC

Billy Jack is an American Folklore Independent Movie Hero created by Tom Laughlin and supporting actress and wife Delores Taylor.
So this has been a work in process. A close friend said once when asked: "Did you hit the target Mister Todd Musgrave? He always replied: "I'm missing it closer!" I've been on this particular project for a few months exploring possibilities on how to make this particular Hobo Nickel. Not because I had any issue machining it, that is my forte... The reason is this particular design is very intricate. And it is too busy to adequately get the proper detail to do the art justice. But I was determined to cut this piece. Why? It must be done folks. Ok nuff said!

I am confident that the next iteration will "miss it closer!"

The date really needs to be 1931 to honor Tom Laughlin the year he was born.

Yeah he's that guy! Don't mess with him... Unless you like a solid roundhouse to the face!

WoW MoM WoW! Gary Swank really delivers the goods!

So I got a really special priority mail package today from Gary Swank Jewelers in Portland Oregon. If you are looking for some exceptional rings visit www.garyswank.com he will satisfy your needs for sure!!! The Banana Ring Cluster design was done by Jesse Kaufman and it is quite stellar. If you want one of these rings please contact Jesse.

First Cabin Quality all the way!!!

Oh so close I can't wait to see these babies!!!

And here we are folks with 2 rings from 2 manufacturers and it's tough to tell them apart!
To think that this is the first real decent thing I've made on the Pocket NC!!!

Kudo's to Gary Swank Jewelers and his posh style of delivering quality goods!

A Collaborative Work In Process

I've been fortunate to work with http://www.garyswank.com/ to get Desk Proto running on the www.PocketNC.com 5 Axis mill. Gary's started his first business in 1973 and incorporated his Jewelry business in 1985. He uses www.DeskProto.com and a 4 Axis mill. We worked to get a post processor working for the Pocket NC. Then we did some initial testing and comparison cuts. We used Gary's proven settings from Desk Proto. Here are some results...
These wax rings are used in the Lost Wax Casting process

Wax Ring Cut Test - Top is Gary Swanks - Bottom is Randy Kopf's

Cast Rings prior to finishing

I'll post a photo here of the finished rings after polish.