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Computerized Index Wheel

Not happy with my first row, the ID is way to big. Did not pay enough attention to the first couple of row when I was designing it in Segment Pro. Ended up moving the last dot in the profile designer portion of the program and re-did the first row. Much happier with the results.

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Bob, nice job on the machine looks like everything works.

But, I don't quite understand the process. In the second attempt are those pieces glued down? What about the gaps, how are those filled or will they be left open for perforated style bowl?
 
This is looking really nice. I can't wait to see the finished turned project. It looks to me that your approach to having the layers lay horizontal makes a lot of sense and should be much easier than doing it on a lathe with the layers in a vertical plane. It's nice to have a dedicated fixture for gluing up.
 
This is looking really nice. I can't wait to see the finished turned project. It looks to me that your approach to having the layers lay horizontal makes a lot of sense and should be much easier than doing it on a lathe with the layers in a vertical plane. It's nice to have a dedicated fixture for gluing up.

Yes so far it is working nicely
 
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Finished my bowl:
10 inch diameter by 9 inches tall. 60 segments per row, 35 rows total. Total of 2041 pieces. Six different species, Maple, Redheart, Purpleheart, Yellow heart, Chakte Viga and Wenge. Design credit goes to Tom Lohman, I just changed to bowl profile

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Finished my bowl:
10 inch diameter by 9 inches tall. 60 segments per row, 35 rows total. Total of 2041 pieces. Six different species, Maple, Redheart, Purpleheart, Yellow heart, Chakte Viga and Wenge. Design credit goes to Tom Lohman, I just changed to bowl profile

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Bob,

That is really nicely done and looks great.

Question : was the CNC work you did greatly helpful to the process, or did you feel that development of the system more effort than it was worth ?

Kind regards,
Rich
 
Bob,

That is really nicely done and looks great.

Question : was the CNC work you did greatly helpful to the process, or did you feel that development of the system more effort than it was worth ?

Kind regards,
Rich

Rich, It was a fun project, getting the program to work was the most frustrating part as I am not a programmer at all. The next frustrating part was locating and sizing all the components. But, now that I have it up and running I no longer have to worry about index wheels of any count. It only takes about two minutes to program another one and then you have it forever. I'll be able to do odd ball segment bowls which should be neat. Also, with the fixture you can do solid segmented rings as well as the open segment. So was it worth it, I'll have to say yes, it will be very versital and the more I use it the more ideas I'll find for it.
 
Question : was the CNC work you did greatly helpful to the process, or did you feel that development of the system more effort than it was worth ?

Obviously I'm not Bob, I can tell you a little about my involvement in computerized motion control though.

My start with stepper motors in automation goes back thirty years. That was with an Apple II.

Fast forward to now and it's much easier. About as easy as "connect the blue wire to terminal #1", etc. There are now software systems you can download free and for-pay systems. You still need to pay for various interface boxes, motor drives and related hardware. Most all the options for motion control/automation have friendly user groups for support.

The picture shows a "turning" that would be hard to do any other way than with CNC.

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Go ahead and post it. I don't know if I will use it, but I am sure that there are lurkers who would be interested. I might be able to adapt it to laying out the pattern for basket illusion pieces.

Bill, that is my next step. I have it working sell now for my open segment work and I going to see if I can adapt it to do the layout for basket illusion.
 
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