This was a good, but frustrating project. So many things went wrong!
This required 4 parts, the ring, a double sided part, the 13 spindles, Plexiglas sheet and the backer board.
Problems started right away with this project:
- Brushes in the spindle failed about 1.5 hours into the project (Hand filed new ones) Got the spindle running again.
- Bearings failed 20 minutes later (Ordered new bearings; bearings arrived; way out of spec! Ordered upgraded spindle)
- New spindle is brushless, needs another controller and power supply)
- New box needed for electronics cuz they wont fit in old box. Built a new control box.
- Thought I'd upgrade the C10 BOB to C11, but C10 actually worked out better; Rewired the box twice.
- New spindle arrived, Wont fit old spindle mount. Dismantled Z axis; installed new mount.
- New mount and spindle installed; Had to tram the new spindle in twice.
- Lost reference to my two sided machine job. Had to locate new center.
- Located new center of project; off about 30 thou. Resurfaced project for alignment purposes.
- Flipped project, locating pins out of alignment, Realign project, Out about 25 thou again. Sanded out the difference.
- Broke 2 bits cutting the Plexiglas sheet.
- Purchased 4th axis to make spindles... Had to order it, wire it in, configure it, and learn how to use it, quickly!
- Ran out of gold paint, could not find same color, bought new paint and painted again.
- Crest detail not as clear/clean as I would have liked.
- When mounting medals, one of the holding pins broke. Epoxied it into place.
- When securing the Plexiglas window, spilled some epoxy on the visible portion of the glass (Buffed out most of it - can barely see it)
- When securing the backboard to the rim, broke 3 brass screws (had to dig them out and pre-drill larger holes)
From here on out, everything else went well, but after nearly 3 months of problems, this project is finished!
I handed it over to the owner, and about 2 hours later I was feeling lost... I spent so much time on this
project, it really started to grow on me... I miss it, but glad it's finished and gone with a happy customer.
You guys ever have "One of those projects"?!
