--- r e f l e X i o n ---

[kgtiger]

Sorry, Graeme. I draw the line at the gloves, bud. I'm just not willing to saw naked. Just the very thought of it makes me curl into a fetal position.

This is total your choice Michael, it's your line to draw as their your hands.
What you do with them is totally up to you.
But I honestly feel I would have be doing you a disservice not to make clear how dangerous this practice is.

On a serious note, I do take safety very seriously and certainly appreciate your concern. But I would prefer to continue this discussion through PM going forward to help keep this thread on topic.

On a serious note Michael this is on topic, it's basic Safty 101.
It really good of you to take the time to show detailed photos of your work log. Because of that, what you do in this work log will be a guide for others to follow in the future and that does concern me.

I hope future readers will find the value in this.

[CptDreadFlint]

Ahoy Xion....I've been using this to polish up acrylic. Practice on some scrap pieces with the same thickness that you're working with as it does tend to warp thinner pieces if "flame on" is left too long.

Good luck and fair winds to you, matey!

[Xion X2]

This is total your choice Michael, it's your line to draw as their your hands.

Graeme, it was a joke, bud. Naked.. as in totally naked (fetal position, get it? *nudge*)



Just trying to keep the mood light, friend. I know that safety is important, but there's also no need to unnecessarily scare the crap out of anyone who wants to start working in a shop. There has to be a balance, and I'm trying to keep this worklog upbeat and fun and not let it dissolve into an argument about safety habits. I think all readers have gotten it by now, so I'd like to keep all safety talk to PMs going forward. I do appreciate your concern and, as always, will take your advice into strong consideration. In fact, because of the feedback that you and others have given me, I'm certainly more conscientious than ever about wearing gloves around power tools. As I said, I didn't even use them the last time out, so you've all gotten inside my head--for better or worse.

Ahoy Xion....I've been using this to polish up acrylic. Practice on some scrap pieces with the same thickness that you're working with as it does tend to warp thinner pieces if "flame on" is left too long.

Good luck and fair winds to you, matey!

Thanks for the link! I skipped across that same model tonight and almost picked it up. Wanted to ask around first, though.

[kgtiger]

Fair enough mate.

But, I would still like to see a photo of you naked in the fetal position .

[Wons]

Fair enough mate.

But, I would still like to see a photo of you naked in the fetal position .

JUST SAY NO!

I have to work with him

[Xion X2]

I'm posting some previously unreleased shots of the build. One of them has hidden meaning.

[Wezly]

Oooooh that's nice...

[voigts]

Yeah, I completely agree. That's the first benefit that I noticed of my table saw was how much easier it is to make square cuts now.

Alright, you convinced me, voigts. I went ahead and bought two of those Mastercraft blades for aluminum to try. I hope they work well. I went to my local hardware stores, and, per usual, they didn't have any blades that were made for cutting aluminum.

Is your thought that sanding a smooth groove down will keep it from bonding as well as a rough surface? I'd thought of that, yet at the same time since I plan to keep these plexi joins exposed I'd like them as clean looking as possible. Also, do you have a link to the type of torch that you're recommending? I went looking through some tonight but am not sure which one I should get for this type of work.

Thanks, friend.

Those same blades that work for aluminum also work for acrylic as the way the blades are ground keeps the acrylic from heating up as much as regular saw blades. Those blades from Ebay are a real good deal as they usually run about $60 each for carbide tipped blades of that kind.

With acrylic, you can't heat up edges very much that you are going to solvent weld or it will craze in the joint (small cracks). Therefore you really don't want to flame polish, machine sand, or polish edges that are going to get joined. If I am going to join edges, then I sand them just smooth by hand on a flat surface enough to get the saw marks out. If you have an edge however that is going to show but is not getting joined, then you can sand it down smooth and then just hit it a bit with the torch to polish the edge instead of having to do it with a polishing wheel. You just have to be careful to go lightly and quickly with the heat so that you don't heat the acrylic up too much and cause it to bubble up.

That Benzomatic pencil torch kit that CptDreadFlint linked to looks to be a good option. I have just used a cheap $5 pencil torch from the local hardware store, but they don't last.

I'll have you know that your photos have challenged me to do some reading to figure out how to take good shots. I've been playing around with the manual settings on my new Canon SX120 and am starting to get a handle on aperature, ISO, and shutter speeds and how they relate to the end result. I got one large 48" light tent in, and am about to order a smaller 30" or so tent also.

[Xion X2]

Great info, voigts. Thanks. That will be helpful with the acrylic work that I'm doing. Appreciate the compliments on the photos as well. Sounds like you're off to a good start with the photography.

Thanks also to you, Wezly.

[johnp1983]

subscribed...

this worklog looks like the most beautiful I have ever seen!!

Go on XION... you rocks

[kgtiger]

JUST SAY NO!

I have to work with him

Fair enough Mark, I will Now Formally take back my request for the safety of all man kind.

Is the hidden meaning that everything look blueish when the inside of the case is lite from with in?

[Xion X2]

Fair enough mate.

But, I would still like to see a photo of you naked in the fetal position .

JUST SAY NO!

Fair enough Mark, I will Now Formally take back my request for the safety of all man kind.

You guys just want me for my mind...

Is the hidden meaning that everything look blueish when the inside of the case is lite from with in?

Nope.

Hope to have another update tonight as I experiment more with the router and making some recess cuts on the zero-G chamber shelves.

[Xion X2]

subscribed...

this worklog looks like the most beautiful I have ever seen!!

Go on XION... you rocks

Oops, sorry, johnp1983. Didn't mean to skip over your compliment. Thank you very much, bud!


I believe the time has arrived to reveal the secret behind the side panel of refleXion.

When at first, it appeared as acrylic. Then, I revealed that it was actually a mirrored acrylic piece. Now, here is the next revelation:



The side panel window, instead of being a mirror, is actually two-way mirror perspex. It's the same stuff that's used in security cameras. When lit from behind, it becomes transparent so that you can see through it.

Notice in the above photo that at the left corner where the softbox is sitting behind it, it is perfectly transparent. Then, as you move to the right and out of the path of light, it becomes a mirror again.

[Wezly]

I believe the time has arrived to reveal the secret behind the side panel of refleXion.

When at first, it appeared as acrylic. Then, I revealed that it was actually a mirrored acrylic piece. Now, here is the next revelation:

The side panel window, instead of being a mirror, is actually two-way mirror perspex. It's the same stuff that's used in security cameras. When lit from behind, it becomes transparent so that you can see through it.

Notice in the above photo that at the left corner where the softbox is sitting behind it, it is perfectly transparent. Then, as you move to the right and out of the path of light, it becomes a mirror again.

AHHHH I've been waiting to talk about that! I really wanted to bring it up when you posted those teaser photos. Surprised no one else commented on it....

Where are the other surprises?!?!!

[millertime359]

Damn, you've been moving along since I been gone. It's coming along really nice.

[Wezly]

Damn, you've been moving along since I been gone. It's coming along really nice.

I was wondering where you had gone...

Yeah, this log has really taken shape lately.

[Xion X2]

AHHHH I've been waiting to talk about that! I really wanted to bring it up when you posted those teaser photos. Surprised no one else commented on it....

Where are the other surprises?!?!!

Kind of quiet in here now. Not sure why.

Damn, you've been moving along since I been gone. It's coming along really nice.

Thanks, Miller! Was wondering where you went off to.


So I've been getting in a lot of practice with the router table. This is quickly becoming my favorite tool (I know, I say that with every purchase, but it's true!)

What I'm attempting now is to recess cut the Zero-G shelves that the pumps rest on. The reason I'm doing this is because, after going with 1/4" plexi in place of 1/8", the pumps now sit 1/8" higher and do not line up properly in the windows. You'll see what I mean shortly.

First step was to draw an outline of the pump base on a test plexi shelf that was cut to scale at 1/4" thickness. Then, I'll recess cut it with the router 1/8" which was the thickness of the perspex in the original design of the Zero-G Chamber.

The place you'll want to pay attention to is on the left (there are a few cuts on this piece. Like I said, it was used for testing, so please ignore them.) It's outlined with the sharpie. I'm using a standard board as a straight edge on the right so that I can cut a straight line downward on that left side.



This is how it looks all cleared out. There are some rough grooves in there, but those will come out once we start sanding it down.











I'll hit it with my power sander first and use the mouse/detail end attachment.



This is how it looked afterward.




Now we go through the torturous process of sanding this down back to opaque (I really need a torch..)

But first, this is how it will look. You can see that the base of the pump now rests in that 1/8" recess cut.






Now to the sanding...









My fingers feel like they're about to fall off at this point. 2000 grit below (forgot to include it on the photo)--



Still not perfectly opaque, so we'll have to keep working with it. I'll pick up a torch and some Brasso or another abrasive tomorrow as the sanding is taking forever.

For now, this is how it will look mounted in the Zero-G Chamber. The recess cut as shown through the pump window--



And now with the pump seated in it.







The bottom pump resting on top of the 1/4" shelf. This will need to be recessed as well. You can see the top of the pump base is showing through the window a little, and I only want the res top showing--



Now onto another piece.

I've been experimenting with my unibits and this plexi. I'm really happy at the clean circular cuts they make. I plan to use pass-thrus on the middle plexi shelf. Why? Difficult to explain at this point, but to put it short, the tubing, when routing back into the chamber, has to make its way back over to the pumps which are on the other side of that plexiglass shelf.

I've probably confused you, but it'll become clear shortly.








That's all for now. Thanks for checking in.

[shazza]

Nice job on the holes for the fittings, and good luck with your sanding!

[Mabyboi]

looks good! i like the plexi with the holes for your barbs, will look amazing!

[callen_1]

I agree ^ it's looking great. Had you used 10mm plexi you could have just tapped the holes, no pass-through's needed! but that stuff's daaaamn expensive, even offcuts

[Wezly]

ooooooooooooh.....

I see what you did there....

And you're not worried about the pumps shaking without the bolts? Or are they attached from the bottom somehow and you just didn't show us yet?

[Xion X2]

Thanks, everyone.

Wezly -- the pumps will be attached to the recess cut through the bottom with the bolts that come with it. A thin foam pad will be inserted underneath as well to dampen vibration.

[Mabyboi]

ooooooooooooh.....

I see what you did there....

And you're not worried about the pumps shaking without the bolts? Or are they attached from the bottom somehow and you just didn't show us yet?

[Xion X2]

Uh oh.. have I been had?

I blame it on too many hours in my cubicle and workshop.. need to loosen up a little.

[kgtiger]

If you use the 1000, 1500, 2000 Wet & Dry "wet" (with water) you will find that to works much better and will start to polish the perspex as it cuts it back.
Just have a small container of water near by to soak and rinse the Wet & Dry in.