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1. April 6, 2017:
One of my first issues occurred when I was buying the parts. Usually, when I copied and pasted the item number into McMaster-Carr, a list of the different dimensions of the parts would populate and the exact product's tab would drop down. However, for one of the products, no products exactly matched the search, so I went to their website and sent them a message. They replied within thirty minutes and pointed me in the direction of the upper left. I figured out that the product was under two different names.
2. April 17, 2017
I began working on my vcarve files (i.e. downloading the files, creating the toolpaths, etc.). However, I was trying to make a toolpath for the escapement drum and an error message kept popping up. At first I thought it was because the bit I set it to use was bigger than the space I wanted to cut. But, I measured the width and it was larger than the 1/16 inch bit that I selected. After a little research, I found out that I could close the vectors with a smooth curve and make that one toolpath. Then, I could make another toolpath to cut out the slot.
3. April 20, 2017:
I was still designing on vcarve and came across another problem with my toolpaths. I selected the outside of the a spinner connect and made a profile toolpath, but the toolpath would shift where the middle section slide in. I learned that making a new file, downloading just that piece, and fixing it there is the easiest way to fix the issue. After trial and error, I figured out that I needed to join the open vectors (like the union tool in Inkscape).
4. April 28, 2017:
I began prototyping using the laser cutter and cardboard. I wanted to make note of what didn't need to be cut out, so I turned on color mapping, changed the color of those holes, and decreased the power. However, this raised the question of how I was going to cut out the inside of the circle but not all the way through. I realized that I needed to change the profile toolpaths that I had for the partial holes because it wouldn't make a hole at all, only an outline for the hole. A pocket cut will be the only way to cut out an entire circle to a certain depth.
5. May 11, 2017:
To cut the tubes, I had to use a special tool so that the tube wouldn't dent. This tool had a blade and it spun around the tube, sort of like sawing. Every few spins, I turned the knob to tighten it a little. It was easy to cut the pieces of the brass tubes, but the stainless steel tube was thicker and required much more time and effort. Maybe a hacksaw would be better next time.
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