Pictures of things made in Home Shop CNC

I was able to buy a set of aluminum factory rims at a good price to replace the steel ones on my Can Am Commander. The center caps mount on the steel rims and on the aluminum rims they mount on the hub. The problem is the hubs are not drilled for a center cap.

This gave me the opportunity to make some parts using Cambam which I purchased a couple of months ago. Can't say I didn't make a few "extra" parts but I did learn a lot.

Tom S.

Original steel rim and cap.
20160911_100403_resized.jpg

Aluminum factory rim. No place to mount the center cap.
20160911_100411_resized.jpg

I made four of these adapters to mount the center caps to the hub. The center hole is a slip fit over the 18mm threaded end of the spindle. The larger counterbore is for a 1-1/16" socket. New style center cap on the right.
20160911_100038_resized.jpg

Here is the adapter and cap mounted on the hub.
20160911_100147_resized.jpg

And with the wheel installed.
20160911_100601_resized.jpg
 
Put in a few more hours playing with Cambam and was able to finish up a gas cap for the Commander.

Tom S.


All operations came out as planned except for the text. Not sure what caused the "tails". The letters don't look anything like my drawing.

20160916_133029_resized_1.jpg

The threads were the hardest part. They are 3/32" radius, about .110" deep and 1/4" pitch. Had to cut them by hand cranking the lathe spindle because my reflexes aren't quick enough to keep from crashing the cutter into the shoulder under power.
20160916_133103_resized_1.jpg

And here it is installed.
20160916_133243_resized_1.jpg
 
Tom, that is a very nice looking fuel cap. How did you the Infil painting? The threads look great. A few times I have used the powerfeed until I got close then stopped the motor with the gears engaged so I could turn the last bit by hand. Especially on Inside threads into a blind hole. I seam to remember having some un-expected motions on Text when I was using CamBam. I don't think I ever got to the bottom of it before I moved to BobCad.
 
Looks great Tom. Have you ever cut threads from the back side of the part with the spindle in reverse?
 
Tom, that is a very nice looking fuel cap. How did you the Infil painting? The threads look great. A few times I have used the powerfeed until I got close then stopped the motor with the gears engaged so I could turn the last bit by hand. Especially on Inside threads into a blind hole. I seam to remember having some un-expected motions on Text when I was using CamBam. I don't think I ever got to the bottom of it before I moved to BobCad.

Actually the painting was easy. I dipped a screwdriver into the can of paint and let it drip into the cavities. That was it.

Tom S.
 
Looks great Tom. Have you ever cut threads from the back side of the part with the spindle in reverse?

That would have worked except my lathe won't go into reverse mode. I've been meaning to fix it but haven't made it a priority. Shame on me.

Tom S.
 
All operations came out as planned except for the text. Not sure what caused the "tails". The letters don't look anything like my drawing.

That looks like ''holding tabs'', could you have put a value in the holding tabs field?
 
Tom, I make emblems that have lettering and designs similar to the lettering on your fuel cap. The "tails" I experience are usually from wayward entry and/or exit settings of the cutter. So much so that a lot of the time I just slow the feed rate way down and do not use a ramp (helix, 3D path, etc) entry at all - just plunge at each level. For some of the fine detail I am using a high-speed spindle with end-mills in the neighborhood of 0.010", so easy entry is important.

USMC emblem is about 2.25" diameter

As a side note, I've managed to figure out ways to powder coat the designs instead of paint. Makes for a very durable product. Finish is usually either satin, burnished or polished to a chrome-like surface.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top