The Making of a custom CNC machined Sidewheel.

[PetefromTn]

Hey folks,
    I am new around here but I thought you might like to see what I have been working on.  Some of you know me from other forums and know that I machine some custom scope sidewheels.  Well I used to make them entirely by hand using manual milling machine and Rotary tables and then Manual Lathe work with custom radius attachments I built.   Well that is the past and I have been working on getting this CNC machining center ready to rock with a complete control retrofit and some nice brand new tooling.  This has been a LONG arduous process and has taken me a long time but the machine works great  now and it is very precise. I always have folks contacting me about making more custom sidewheels but I had been turning them away while I worked on this monster here and do other things I have going on.  Well once the machine started showing signs of life again and I got my software working well with the machine I started making some simple parts and testing things. Everything went well beyond my expectations so when a fellow called me about a custom sidewheel around the Holidays I decided it was time I started to use this machine for what it was meant for.  Making some cool parts! 

    Anyways I designed the wheel in my cad software and after going over the design with the customer I started doing the Cam work.  Had a bunch of trouble getting my cam to play nice with the machine but after a lot of fiddling and changes I got it working and about a week ago  I was finally able to put cutter to metal.   I got a bunch of new toolholders so  I had to get everything setup in the software and touch off all my tools in the new control which was different than I am used to so had to take it slow to make sure I don't crash the *(&^ out of it LOL..  Anyways the wheel came out beautiful.  This is actually the second one I made the first one looks nice too but I goofed a tiny bit on a Tool Length offset and put a scar on it that I was able to remove on the lathe you can see the goof in the pics.  It looks nice now and I am going to get it deburred and cleaned up and maybe sell it here soon.  The finished picture shows the second wheel after deburring and cleanup still needs a bit more work before it is done but not too bad.

    The best part is that now I have a working code and I can make as many as I need to now.  I think the design is really nice what do you guys think?  Peace

[PetefromTn]

And the final pic...

[Monkeydad1969]

That's beautiful, Pete.

Now, how about for the masses?  I need a side wheel for my BSA Contender, with a set screw to hold it in place.   

Joe

[Motorhead]

Pete,
Awesome stuff !!

Best of luck getting the bugs eliminated enough to offer up some parts one actually could order 

[PetefromTn]

Oops uploaded the wrong picture now that is the final pic...LOL.

Pete

[sixshootertexan]

Looks nice Pete. Glad you got the code problem fixed.

[PetefromTn]

Oh that is why I posted this here LOL.. It took me so long to get to this point I think folks started to think I had died or something hehe   The machine is now working perfectly and I got all the bugs worked out of the software side of things now. She is ready to make some cool parts.  I could use some cool parts machined sales to help me pay myself back for the huge gaping hole it took in my wallet to get me to this point with this monster.  I am working on another airgun related item but right now I am waiting on a part to be delivered to allow me to move forward with it that is related to the item.  Won't spill the beans just yet but it shoud be interesting.  At some point I want to try my hand at machining the custom monoblock receiver I am designing it is nearly completed.  I gotta sort out a threadmilling operation for it and get a nice single flute threadmill here to use for it before I do tho.  Already got a fixture designed for it.  Things should start getting interesting around here now. Peace

Pete

[Hanabata808]

Those are beautiful sidewheels!  I wouldn't mind being a future customer for one on my hawke.

[ezman604]

Most excellent work!!!

[PetefromTn]

Those are beautiful sidewheels!  I wouldn't mind being a future customer for one on my hawke.

Thanks guys,   It took awhile to get here but I think the pictures speak for themselves.  The mill is cutting some nice parts and I can make more at any time now thankfully.  Honestly if I make more of this one it will probably be even better than the last one because I will tweak the code even more.  I am working on a really nice 3d one too. So pleased to be where I can make nice parts again.  Peace

Pete

[PetefromTn]

Johnb,
     LOL thanks man yeah I am working on it. The drawing is  nearly where I want it.  Now that the machine is accurized and working properly I should be able to make a really beautiful receiver.  It is gonna take a bottle res so I need to source one that I can make the threads to here already got a fine HW barrel here for it and the trigger is the similar design to the one I had in my pistol you shot but nicer with more adjustability.  Hoping to get the new trigger parts EDM cut here soon.  Lots of work still to do on it but hoping for a real sweet action. Peace

Pete

[ezman604]

And if you are close, I'd sure enjoy looking over your shoulder while you make metal chips.

[PetefromTn]

EZman,
     Well the skunkworks are in East Tennessee which is a LONG WAY from west Tennessee...  Sorry. Peace

Pete

[PetefromTn]

Okay folks got the sidewheel mounted to the VERY nice and expensive March Scope the customer sent me.  The wheel has a sinusoidal pocket machined into the back of it that allows it to mate very snugly to a sinusoidal boss that mates to the factory stock focus knob.  The Boss is nice in that it has a delrin crush ring inside it that allows you to clamp down onto the factory knob without damaging it.  The wheel can be removed and replaced at any time for packing it inside a hardcase or whatever to keep the wheel from causing damage during trips or falls to the scope internals.  The Boss and wheel are keyed together by a special odd lobe of the sinusoidal pocket that makes it only able to be installed in one spot so it goes back the same way every time.  It comes off with a single setscrew.  I got it mounted up today on the scope and managed to think to snap some nicer pictures of it so you can see what it really looks like on the scope.  The scope it will be going on is actually silver but this is the same exact model in black. 

    I designed this scope boss hub to be able to install on virtually any sidewheel scope the same way so it can be made to fit Hawks, Niko Sterling, Nightforce, Whatever you name it.  If you have a leupold Competition scope and want one gimme a call so I can discuss it with you as it will be much different setup.   This wheel hub was made to fit the HUGE Marsh sidewheel scope factory focus knob which actually houses the button to turn on the illuminated reticule inside it. The wheel itself has a hole to put your finger thru in the center to do this and my sausage fingers fit thru fine so it should be good for most anyone.  The Hub is like I said machinable to fit about any sort of scope you might want.  Anyways here are some pictures of the finished wheel mounted.  Thanks and peace

Pete

[ezman604]

Just fantastic. Show quality stuff there Pete. Sure wish I had one of dim fancy CNC'in' machines.
LOL
Great work sir.

[QVTom]

Very nice work Pete, be sure make some time for your projects too.

Tom

[PetefromTn]

Ez and Tom,
     thanks guys.  It was a labor of love....at least so far LOL.    The wheel is one of a couple I made here that I am trying to produce for the FT community.  I am also working on a nice Steyr scope riser rail with droop comp built in.  Just trying to make this monster start paying me back for all the TONS of time and money I invested in it LOL.  I am trying to finish the design for my FT receiver but I need a few things to make it happen like the tank and some hardware parts.  Money is kinda tight right now especially after I just had to buy a bunch of new toolholders for the machine so right now I am trying to get some stuff made and sold to help me out.  I work on the receiver cad model here and there and it is getting there slowly but surely.  I also would like to try my hand at the project we discussed Tom at some point when I get things rolling in here a little better.  How is your project coming along?  Peace

Pete

[QVTom]

I understand about making your investment pay returns, but can you put a price on passion? Ha Ha!  I know this trap all too well.  When I bought my fist milling machine about 25 years ago, a used Taiwanese Bridgeport clone, I only had hobbies in mind.  It didn't take long for small parts manufacturing to get incorporated into my business and the the hobby aspect quickly died.  Then I converted it to CNC and boom!  I was making stuff for everyone but me.  Over the years that little machine funded the machine shop I have now.  It's amazing how life just randomly changes direction.

I've sure you've considered this in your side wheel design, I'll toss it out jut in case.  You could make a couple of generic wheels to flog that have a common attachment method, then you need only to make adapters for the common scopes or custom for the uncommon ones.

Looking good and can't wait to see what manifest next, enjoy if/while you can! LOL

Tom

[PetefromTn]

Tom,
    LOL I know right.  This actually started for me about twenty years ago as a hobby and way to make parts for my airguns and sportbikes.  Then I got some better machines,  then I got into CNC and then it just left Hobby stuff behind really.  I still make the occasional part for myself when I have time but for the time being I need to just make parts.  I am pleased with the way this machine is working and I am able to make about anything you could imagine now as long as it will fit in the machine.  It is a LONG way from my more hobby based machines and I hope to use it to good effect.  Just got a call from the customer and he wants another wheel just like this one and he is going to send me his rifle to make some more custom goodies for it.  Never really thought of myself as someone you send airguns to in order to have custom parts made but  until I can get some more contract based work in here for the machine I will do what I have to do.  Oh and don't take that the wrong way I am really gonna HATE having to work on some high end cool airguns hehehehe   

    The wheel design is precisely what you described.   I intended to make a hub boss that could be easily machined to fit other scopes without having to redesign the wheel each time I get an order.  With the removable hub I can get the wheels done quicker and I can also change up the design features of the scope wheel to appear differently.  That is actually pretty simple to do and I can for instance not include the scalloped edge or the triangular arc'd pockets on the OD to make it simpler.   I am somewhat flexible with it but what I do not want to do is get into a major redraw and redesign for each wheel that is very time consuming and winds up not being profitable or even taking time from me for free.  I am trying to find good paying work for the machine right now with local and online stuff so hopefully with that I could keep busy enough that I can worry less about bills and spend more time designing and machining cool airguns and parts. We shall see how this pans out I suppose. Peace

Pete

[PetefromTn]

Just to show the first one was not a fluke I took some photos of the three I have ready to go to customers so far. Two are spoken for and the third one is a blem it is actually the first one I modified and is now fixed so it is for sale.   I am working on some more cool stuff here too that is NOT scope wheels... Peace

Pete