research foundation: installation

research foundation: clamp assembly

I finished putting the clamps together late Tuesday night. Had to install on Wednesday afternoon.

research foundation: parts

Lots - o - Parts!

research foundation: turning and milling

The lathe and mill were getting some serious use the last week or two. 

making gaskets

Here's a little something that I remember picking up from my Dad. We used to make replacement base gaskets from cardboard cereal boxes for some of the old motorcycle engines that we used to work on. He used to take a brass casing from a spent bullet and sharpen the edge of the tube so he could use it as a hole punch to cleanly cut the holes where the gasket would fit over studs in an engine case or to form the curve of an opening. In this case, I needed some rubber gasket material where the clamping rod contacts the research boards so the clamps do not mar the printed surface on the sign they will secure. A little grip from the rubber surface will help as also. I used an old bicycle inner tube for the material, a spare piece of aluminum tube with a belt sanded edge serves as the cutting edge, and a rawhide mallet creates the friendly persuasion. Instant round gaskets...

research foundation: sign assembly

This past weekend, I worked on finishing the sign for the Research Foundation. I made sure all of the nuts that held the layers together were secure and mounted the front sections to the back plate. I used the orbital sander to put a slight texture around the border of the back plate since the sandblasted surface was blending a bit too much with the powder coated white center.

research foundation: clamp assembly

Almost finished... finally. This has been the never ending project. 

The Research Foundation asked me to design and create some unique clamps to hold their research boards that track the IP of various professors on campus. They also asked for a sign with smaller matching clamps. I started the project, made a prototype or two and then they started a remodel on their offices, so things were up in the air for a while. Then when they got back in touch, I was swamped with things at school and it continued that way up until a few weeks ago. I've been back at it for the last few weeks trying to get this wrapped up. I've spent the last few days in front of the buffer. Luckily, it's one of my favorite places to be. Here's a step by step of the assembly of one of the clamps. My McMaster brass is a different alloy than my Speedy Metals brass, so I need to re-make the pivot pin and washer so it matches the more yellow pieces of brass. I have three more of the clamps that I've made and I just need to do some masking so I can sandblast and then I can assemble. Need to have these completed this week.