Bits from the olde machine shoppe ;)

[UK_Andy]

UK offroading is rarely done in sand, these are the type of bridging ladders mostly used, called waffle boards

[Rikk]

Oh I can do the other side, so for the odd person who wants them to use it's not a problem, but so far I have about 15+ pairs needed from the other site and doing the back on all those is an arse.

Dready, yep the idea if to buy 1/4x3inch plate, then cut it to 13inches, clamp it down each end with a bolt and one in the middle then cut 4 at once. it will also cut them out of the stock and leave holders on there.
I'll be doing the CAM file tomorrow I'll post up the simulated cut as it makes it easy to see.
To be honest with the mounting I'll be using it's not that much of an issue to do both sides, it just takes time cutting all those slots with a 4mm bit so I'm not doing it on all of them.
But as I said, if you guys want ones like that I can do a few pairs for "use"

[Rikk]

Originally Posted by UK_Andy

UK offroading is rarely done in sand, these are the type of bridging ladders mostly used, called waffle boards

Problem is you'd never make scale ones as they wouldn't support the weight of the trucks.
I could do it in 5/6mm ali and just drill out a billion 2mm holes, from more than a few inches you'd not see they weren't square holes anyway.

[Rikk]

Sized 3 chunks of delrin today.




Now what could they be for.....I'm glad you asked
After a little drilling, taping and counterboring we are left with 3 2 sided spacers to allow me to mount up flat stock and cut it out.
If the links I'll be cutting out tomorrow morning go to plan I'll then do a trial run on the sand ladders.



The stock will have holes drilled each end and in the middle to hold it to the spacers, should be more than solid enough.

[Rikk]

Well, this morning was the time to actually do something. So, all the prep done and the board mounted up.



The idea is to cut some links, I was given the angle/length etc so knocked them up in CAD and wanted to make some trial ones first so they can see if they fit, hence the nasty cutting board rather than delrin.

First mistake was I didn't notice when importing the drawing into the CAM program somehow they had doubled in size, fixed that then off we go....

Second hitch was I didn't put any holding tabs on to keep the part in place as i expected it to drop out the bottom...did it? yea like hell, it flipped up and jammed behind the cutter, didn't get a picture of the oopsy but here's the part.


Back to the CAM software to add some holding tabs me thinks, my heart and my bowels couldn't take that again

And we're off...


First one almost done


Second one almost done...blimey things are going right


Big hole must mean they are finished


Cut out and a quick tidy up and we have links...


Only a simple thing and you could easily make them by hand by I still learnt loads from doing them, just need to pop the hole in the end and they are ready to try out.

Small step but well pleased, all being well I'm going to try a sand ladder later.

[down]

so cool man love all the work

[Rikk]

Well I trimmed the sand ladder program down to do one rather than 4 for testing, ran it and bugger me it was pretty much spot on first time, even the tool changes worked fine 8)

Excuse the fluff, this material is dirt cheap and great for simple testing but with all the edges on this I nearly lost the will to live cleaning it up to this state.

I'll pick up some ali next week and try a few trials on that.





They look really good and actually even from this material it could quite happily be used.
I think these in 6mm delrin could work quite nicely, the green stuff is 5.2mm and not as stiff as delrin.






Good day all round today

..............Rikk

[down]

i like them ones

[yousarian]

those ladders look great and so do the links. i think the ladders could do with being a bit longer tho. other than that great job!

[willkrawl]

looking good Rikk and being green theyed look good on a wraith

[Rikk]

Had a job to do for elliot sitting here for a while, the CAD took ages.

As well as rotating up as normal, they also move out to allow larger vehicles to use the trailer.





New probe turned up so finally got my arse in gear, ramps just finished, next step are the hinges.





Also been doing some wheels for the trailer these ramps are going on.



Test piece fitting a treat



Turning done, just need to mill the insides out.

[down]

looks good mate