Big Mike’s Nano ... CNC

[mikeschn]

Square PVC : never saw that before. I'd like to see that for sure!

kerfing shouldn't be too hard to do in cnc.

I asked about Azek a while back, and after Fong shot it down, I never pursued it. http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=4 ... ek#p922745

The aluminum flashing is a good idea, and maybe even the aluminum studs from home depot.

I don't know if a snap on cover would keep things very water tight...

But if Azek could be made to work, that would probably be my first choice.

Mike...

P.S. You guys haven't talked much about the nice outside coverings/skinning...

[atahoekid]

It seems that canvas is still the outside material of choice. I did mine in fiberglass and you can make it smooth but it is a ton of work and epoxy is not cheap. I'd been considering using aluminum sheeting but there's expense in that, frp was talked about but weathering in the sun seems to be a question. some talk has also been generated about filling the canvas's weave with something like a lagging compound or similar just like the wood canoe builders do, but no one has actually done it yet that I'm aware of. Rosie did try it on a boat and she seemed happy with it, but she's dropped out of the discussion, so we can't ask any questions. That's what I can think of off the top of my head for exterior finishes

[GPW]

Canvas is Easy for the home builder ... affordable, durable ... and nobody has yet to criticize my finish ... All proven long ago by the Old Timers ...

[atahoekid]

If I were granted a do-over, I'd use canvas and try to smooth out the surface with that lagging compound. I'd leave all my trim pieces and corners in rough canvas just like the Road Foamie.. I like the textural difference.

[mikeschn]

So nothing new lately...

Mike...

[GPW]

New ... Just the fact that you put together a CNC machine and cut those sides is really pretty Amazing !!!
I keep drooling over your Nano Cub Foamie' drawing ... just imagine for a minute , that with all those curved surfaces the foam alone would be strong enough , and once skinned on the inside and out , perhaps inside with one of those plywood side profiles you’ve cut out , ~ 1/4” thick , it wouldn’t add much weight but would add a lot of strength , and being inside would be protected ... wouldn’t need any “braces”, etc. , but it would give you a place to screw to ...
For a hatch hinge you could use one of the canvas hinge ideas we discussed earlier ... That would be easy and built right in ...
You could add an independent dowel “hard point” where needed in odd places..

And , you could really cut out everything on the CNC .... How Cool is that ?? ... Once you cut out one , you “could" cut out many more ... Possibilities (kits) ...

[mikeschn]

So if I sent you 2 sides cut out of 1/4" plywood, could you do anything with it?

Mike...

[GPW]

Theoretically , YES, if I wasn’t at the end of one build and already into the next ... I think the idea would be to just glue the plywood framework to the sheet of foam , and call it a day ...trim the foam edges with a router ... That and a simple outer skin would just Have to be really Strong eh ? Light too...

[atahoekid]

Man, the list of possible ways to use those CNC'd sides is pretty long and leaves lots to the imagination. You could use it as a core, you could use it as an inner skin, as an outer skin, as an outer substrate, as an inner substrate, as a template. I think I'd use it as a core with 3/4" foam inside and outside. If I thought it were strong as it stood, I might forgo the bulkheads. Great starting point for a project (not for me though, I'd like to keep working on refining mine and maintain peace and quiet in the household ). Man, I gotta get my hands on a CNC machine before the next project....

[GPW]

Mel, without my friend’s CNC , likely the FoamStream wouldn’t have happened at all ... It really does make some jobs so easy , and Everything is Accurately cut ... all the ribs were Identical ... Made straight/square assembly a snap . Makes making multiples of the same Very Easy ... “if I were 20 years younger" ( guess I can say that now ) , and had access to a CNC , I’d be seriously thinking about doing a little Foamie trailer “manufacturing” ... CNC can not only cut out the ribs/sides (like Mike’s) but can cut out the Foam too ... Once you got all the programming sorted, and the fits correct , it would be just so easy to pop them together ... as many as you wanted ... all Identical, any color you want ...


Thoughts for Mike’s sides... You could do anything from a simple frame and some cross stringers , canvas covered only... (antique aircraft style ) To a full blown Hybrid Foamie with all the trimmings ...and everything in between ... For Aluminum fans , you “could" even cover over the foam and frame with an Aluminum shell ...

Just one question arises with the use of the CNC .... What do you do with the “drop -outs” ??? Can’t let that go to waste eh ??? Maybe re-purpose those into some kind of snap together trailer furniture ...???

[atahoekid]

HMMMM.... If I were ever to get REALLY irritated, frustrated or bored with my current job.... A CNC machine, some shop space, enough working capital to get started on a few trailers and I could see a new career... The wife would probably have me psychoanalyzed and committed

[mikeschn]

Man, the list of possible ways to use those CNC'd sides is pretty long and leaves lots to the imagination. You could use it as a core, you could use it as an inner skin, as an outer skin, as an outer substrate, as an inner substrate, as a template. I think I'd use it as a core with 3/4" foam inside and outside. If I thought it were strong as it stood, I might forgo the bulkheads. Great starting point for a project (not for me though, I'd like to keep working on refining mine and maintain peace and quiet in the household ). Man, I gotta get my hands on a CNC machine before the next project....

Check out joes 4x4 hybrid. I'm going to doing some upgrades to my machine that'll make it look more like joes 4x4 hybrid. It might take a year or two though.

http://www.joescnc.com/themachines-hybrid.php

Mike...

[atahoekid]

Oh My!!!! Now you've started something... I'm gonna blame this all on you...

[GPW]

CNC is really The fabricators dream tool ... You Can (possibly) do all this with hand routers and jigs , jigsaws, drills, etc. but it takes FOREVER to accomplish and Never has the accuracy of the CNC work ... Best of all , if you don’t have a CNC machine, you can Rent time on one that somebody else has ... It’s really not that expensive by the hour ... The difficult part is providing the machine with the proper program/drawing , tool path , etc. etc. etc. ... always a daunting prospect for me .. For some people it’s easy , making it child’s play to turn out quick accurate parts , and in multiples too...

[Madmike8]

I bought a Shapeoko CNC kit and assembled it. It's a cheap small CNC router. I also bought the parts to build a bigger 3'x4' version. I figured it was cheap enough to buy and learn CAD and CNC before jumping into something really expensive... I'll use the small version to make parts for my R/C endeavors... Now if I can get our new house finished so I can devote some time to it...

I'd like to see the details of yours...