CNC machining

Here are some pictures of what I have been working on lately.  I have been needing an enclosure for the time lapse controller that I make.  I can buy some generic enclosures and customize them with the CNC machine. First, I worked on the tops. I needed to make a jig to accurately hold each piece in position so the machine would cut each one exactly the same. I set up to do five at a time. Later I may make a jig that will hold more.

 

 

 

Put five enclosure tops in and clamp with a couple of strips of plywood...

 

 
Machining the holes for the buttons and the LCD...

 5 done in about 8 minutes...

 

This is a small panel that goes in the end of the enclosure. I am machining 3 different shaped holes in each one. This jig holds 18 parts and it took about 15 minutes to machine them.

  Next is an engraved panel that will go on the top of the enclosure. This is 1/16th inch thick engraving plastic which has a thin layer of brushed metal on it. The tiny engraving bit cuts through the metal layer exposing the black plastic underneath.

 I cut a total of  48 of these. It takes about 20 minutes to cut six. These have an adhesive backing that makes it easy to attach the to the enclosure top.

 

 

Here is the assembled controller.. The first picture shows the end panel with the on/off switch, power jack and camera control port.

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Lights in Hopelands Gardens

Last night Brandon and I went to see the Christmas Lights in Hopelands Gardens in Aiken.  Here are just a few of the displays.  Christmas in Hopelands was first started in 1992.  They started with 20,000 lights and a 25 foot Christmas Tree. Now there are over 100,000 lights and more than 30 displays along 1.5 miles of lighted pathways.

FIRST DEER

After 2 years of horseback riding, extreme hiking, painful knees and lost toenails, I finally got my first deer.  We rode in 6 miles into the Gates of the Mountains Wilderness and hiked around for awhile.  Fred knew where he wanted to go and we hiked to this one spot and lo and behold! he saw a mulie buck roaming about eating.  He motioned for me catch up with him but to be quiet while doing so.  I didn't see the buck but Fred said he was there.  He had me get into position for a shot.  The buck disappeared. Sitting there for him to reappear seemed like an eternity.  Finally, he showed himself again but there was a twig in my way.  Waiting for him to move a few inches seemed like forever, also, but he did finally move and give me a good shot at him.  First shot at an animal, 200 yards, one shot and down he goes.  I must admit, it was pretty exhilarating.  I did not know how I would feel about shooting an animal, but it wasn't bad.  We donated the meat to our local food share for those less fortunate.

Our Trip to East Glacier National Park

Labor Day Weekend Fred and I went to East Glacier for get-away trip before my move down South. The first 4 pictures are before we started our 8.5 mile trek.  Notice how happy we are!

 

 

The beginning of our hike of the Lower Loop.  This was a 4.2 mile hike up to the Granite Park Chalet.  We thought, "oh, this won't be bad - 4.2 miles".  Boy were we wrong.  We had a change of elevation of 2200 feet.  It took us 3 hours to get there and 1 1/2 hours to come back down.  About 1/2 mile from our destination, this man going down said, "Oh, you came up the hard way, huh?" Fred said, "What's the easy way"?  This nice man explained another way to come in on a flatter but longer trail that did not have that much elevation change, then you go down the way we were coming up - hence the name - LOOP.  Anyway, we finished and felt like we accomplished something.

 

 

Not too far into the trek~

 



The Destination -- the Granite Park Chalet. This is a small lodge that is only accessible by hiking or horseback and has about 15 rooms for rent. It is very basic with no running water.

 

Goats on the side of the highway

 

 

We stayed at the Glacier Park Lodge

The AMTRAK comes the to depot across from the lodge. 

Summer 2012

Richardson's Lake - the place where we went swimming growing up

Brandon soaking up some rays

 On one of our many evening walks

 Shadow waiting for her ride on the 4-wheeler

 Big Sky - the 4th of July

 Riding the ski lift to the top of the mountain

 At the top

 320 Ranch

 The 4th of July Celebration at Big Sky

 Getting ready for our trail ride

 The Dining Room at the Ranch

Brandon wearing his Hunter's orange, his Clemson orange with antler's on his head. - Not really - that is Fred's elk hanging on the wall.