......I'd love to be a kind of bird to see your client 'surprise & scared' reaction to there turn, as you handed out the invoice....:D
Hoping this turns out great for you ;)

Nice chair... good work!

Another project just because.
Friend of mine lost his dog recently, so I cut this out of a scrap sink cutout of Livingstone solid surface material.

http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...95920x1632.jpg

It is way easier to read in person than a pic.

Moving more and more into panel processing.
Does anyone have a link or even better, plans for a DIY vacuum panel hoist?
I have an old electric hoist, and a sliding door track already.
Mainly looking for the vacuum pod/human interface part of the equation.
I saw one on another forum I liked, but it was very scarce on details.

A coffee table project for a friends mancave.
Reversible Mahogany top in a metal welded frame.

http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC04555.jpg

http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...s/DSC04556.jpg

You need to figure out your heaviest sheet good you plan on picking up with the clamp. Lets say a Sheet of MDF at 80lbs. InHg is = to Half Psi. So if you have a near perfect vacuum at 22InHg you would have 11PSI. In theory you could pick up your sheet with a vacuum pod the size of 2" x 4".

MDF bleeds air bad so lets hope you can get at least 5 InHG of vacuum. You would have 2.5 Psi. 80lbs (MDF) / 2.5(Psi) = 32 square inches to lift your sheet. A 4"x8" vacuum pod should lift a 80lbs sheet. You should figure in a bit more for bumping sheet into things and the jerking motion of the lift.

Even if you double the size it will not be that bad as far as size of the pod. What you will run into is your pump may not be able to keep up with all the free air of the MDF. Bigger can actually hurt you more.

Have a look at this for building a pod. http://joewoodworker.com/veneering/vacuumclamping.htm

A simple 3 way valve would work just as good.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-2-Way-1-4-...item2c62c4adf5

Another fun little project.

http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...ar1000x750.jpg

Somebody needs to post something.........

Some signs we did using 1/2" AZEK.
96 9" letters nested into one sheet of material with room to spare.
We pocketed the back boards .015", painted the two colors seperately, then used silicone to glue the letters into the pockets.
http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...psdf9e3b87.jpg
http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...ps154230e2.jpg
Doesn't appear that samples of MM work generates much interest...maybe I should stop?

Darren, I think you'll find there is a lot of quiet interest. That's some nice work you're doing there. Are the letters stacked? They look deeper than 1/2".

Hi Darren,
No, please keep on posting your works, it's always nice to see new stuff.
Nice work through ;)

Letters are 1/2" deep.
Thanks, guys.
I'm happy to post stuff, I just don't want to be seen as a person cluttering the forum with pics.
I would think seeing pics of completed work could inspire visitors to undertake a build.

On the coffee table project, it is mahogany with .125" pocketed and epoxy filled areas for the logos and laces. For the NFL logo, I first routed the entire shield, filled with white epoxy, then came back the next day and routed the red and blue areas,filled them, and after it cured, used an end mill to surface the epoxy just proud of the mahogany, then random orbit sanded the entire table.

Yep folks are looking

http://www.mechmate.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=78

Over 8400 views in this thread.

Keep up the good work. I love to see what the MM can produce.

Darren,
following Brad comment, I’ll add :
Have a look at your thread view count before posting…..and compare it with the numbers after a few days…..You’ll have a better picture and then will realize, regardless how many may see your enthusiast state, you first post these to share, not to compete how many may view it !?

I’m one of those…silent observer that appreciate your time, as well form all others members, to post your observation, projects, progress, experience….and on !
Hey….
Enjoy a GREAT holiday seasons…..and YES please, as others, continue to contribute and share !!
Amicalement, Robert ;)

Your posts and pictures are a great inspiration for all of us "lurkers" please keep sharing!

Darren,
I will say that I wish more pictures were posted. With limits on the pictures sizes and storage here you could always use a site like Flickr or Photobucket and have links to them. I find this is preferable rather than using up the allotment of space here. You do nice work. It is great that you share. Another nice feature of Flickr (and most likely Photobucket) is you can see how many times your photo has been viewed I you would like to know that.

Actually, everything is hosted by Photobucket and linked to from here. Seeing cool projects others have done kept me motivated during some of the darker hours of the build.

I know that dark feeling all too well. You definitely have a skill set above me with wood. My is mechanical and metal but I hope some day to become better with wood. I like the way you used epoxy and that is something I have never seen done where I live. Pretty cool seeing something like this from Missouri as my sister lives in Kansas City.

Darren,
Keep the pics coming. It is always great to see what different people are doing with their Mechmates! You are doing some excellent top notch work!

Darren, Don't stop posting pictures, they are of great inspiration , because of your pictures I have just started my build, currently building 3:1 gearboxes and will order steel work ing the new year, have already purchased one stepper motor from OM a 296 to get me started, so please keep posting, a here's wishing you a happy Christmas, Andrew

Hi Darren

The images you are posting provides lots of motivation for us all.
Like yourself I have made a point of posting lots of photos of work as they tell such a big story fast.
Love your work and also the techniques you are using to get lots of colors happening in your resin inlays.

Cheers
Ross

My attempt at one of Vectrics projects.
Could have turned out better, but the couple loved it.

http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...ps215fb517.jpg

Darren,
That looks great! I did not see that one in the monthly project download. Where did you find that one?

Hi,
Nice piece !
What kind of finishing is it ?
How did you darken the engraving ?

Hi Axel,
It was a 1" thick Hard Maple blank.
Finish was a lacquer stain with a lacquer topcoat.
Picture was before sanding/rubbing the lacquer.
Darkening the letters was as easy as not wiping the stain out of the letters, and letting them dry before topcoating.
My wife is happy, because she now has the perfect gift for whoever gets married in the future, with no shopping necessary.

Hi Heath,
I found it on the Vectric Forum.
http://www.vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=14960
Apparently is was for a users group meeting, initially.
Fun project.

Thanx ;)

Darren, in regards to your questions on your post 156, I may not have links your after, BUT, have a look at one of my costumer site, he specialize in venturi generated vacuum lifting devices.
It should convince you....if not give ya some / many ideas !!
Robert ;)

Very neat site. Thank You, Robert!!

Hi Darren

If you are still looking for the hand valves (hydraulic actuators) that Russell mentioned in post 156.
Go to http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1PCS-3-Wa...ht_2950wt_1168

We use them as actuators for the hold down on shaping machines, and this appears to be a very good price for an SMC type knock off.

Regards
Ross