Mechanical Iris

tturanger · Post by **tturanger** » Tue Sep 01, 2015 2:51 pm

I came across this file the other day, it would be pretty cool to fabricate for use as an exhaust vent or air intake slot. I haven't tried it out yet but maybe someone on this board with a more mechanical mind than I will churn one out and share the process with the community.

EDIT: The file is 5mb i am having to find a way to downsize it so it can be posted

Post by **ou812** » Tue Sep 01, 2015 3:37 pm

is this it

tturanger · Post by **tturanger** » Tue Sep 01, 2015 9:48 pm

Pretty much

This one is just overly detailed

muzza · Post by **muzza** » Tue Sep 01, 2015 10:12 pm

A similar setup
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-hHr6dBxI8

tturanger · Post by **tturanger** » Tue Sep 01, 2015 11:12 pm

Seeing it in motion makes me believe plasma wouldn't be precise enough.

Post by **chattacuda** » Sun Sep 06, 2015 8:03 am

I really like the idea of making tools and gadgets using CNC plasma. So much more capability than simple signs and do-dads, although that is what pays the bills! I am going to try and cut one of the simple ones and see how well it works. That video link is amazing.

Post by **acourtjester** » Sun Sep 06, 2015 11:07 am

The DFX file supplied is for a much simpler Iris no gears just a handle to make it work plasma should have no problems cutting that one and it being functional

Post by **Zippo** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 3:58 am

Thanks for posting.

larrycameron44 · Post by **larrycameron44** » Thu Sep 10, 2015 4:21 pm

Has anyone cut this yet and got a photo to show?

Larry
NZ

68Percy · Post by **68Percy** » Thu Sep 10, 2015 10:44 pm

Thanks for the share! I just finished putting the pieces together... I kind cheated and used a waterjet.... the only thing I changed on the drawing was some of the hole sizes so that I can tap a few of the holes for 1/4-20 bolt. I used 1/4" thick steel so I could use 1/2" long bolts to bolt thru both pieces of 1/4" plate. I'll post the dxf tomorrow whenever I get back to my office.

68Percy · Post by **68Percy** » Thu Sep 10, 2015 11:03 pm

The slots were a tad long and need to be trimmed down so that the jaws don't over extend like in the previous pic. But it doesn't hurt for the slots to be longer than necessary.

68Percy · Post by **68Percy** » Thu Sep 10, 2015 11:23 pm

Some more pics...

Post by **OTHill** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 12:46 am

Nice cuts how long does it take to cut with waterjet?

larrycameron44 · Post by **larrycameron44** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 4:57 am

68Percy wrote:The slots were a tad long and need to be trimmed down so that the jaws don't over extend like in the previous pic. But it doesn't hurt for the slots to be longer than necessary.

Ohhhhh cool. How bout a video of it working ?

Larry
RusticMetalArt

68Percy · Post by **68Percy** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 5:24 am

That's about the only downfall to waterjet... cut speed is incredibly slower. It took a little over an hour cut time for all of the pieces. On 1/4" i usually run 6 ipm with 5 sec pierce on the waterjet vs about 200 ipm at 105A and a half sec pierce on the plasma. Cut quality and precision can't be beat though. No dross, no clean up, no heat deformation and warpage, tap holes on parts fresh off the table... The kerf is something like 0.035" w/ a 0.004" accuracy. Those numbers just don't happen on my plasma.

68Percy · Post by **68Percy** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 5:25 am

larrycameron44 wrote:
68Percy wrote:The slots were a tad long and need to be trimmed down so that the jaws don't over extend like in the previous pic. But it doesn't hurt for the slots to be longer than necessary.

Ohhhhh cool. How bout a video of it working ?

Larry
RusticMetalArt

I'll work on that... it took me a few hours to get a couple pics small enough to load on the site. Haha.

68Percy · Post by **68Percy** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 8:55 am

I changed the hole sizes and the length of the slots so that the jaws don't over extend. The holes that need to be tapped are in a different layer.

tturanger · Post by **tturanger** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 10:30 am

That's awesome, what are your operating costs like for the water jet?

68Percy · Post by **68Percy** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 1:47 pm

About $30-40 an hour plus labor rates ($70/hr). So we charge $100 an hour plus material for waterjet parts. Most of the time it's 4 or 5 hour cut times, so I set the machine and go cut other stuff on the plasma.

larrycameron44 · Post by **larrycameron44** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 5:43 pm

68Percy wrote:
larrycameron44 wrote:
68Percy wrote:The slots were a tad long and need to be trimmed down so that the jaws don't over extend like in the previous pic. But it doesn't hurt for the slots to be longer than necessary.

Ohhhhh cool. How bout a video of it working ?

Larry
RusticMetalArt
I'll work on that... it took me a few hours to get a couple pics small enough to load on the site. Haha.

Excellent even a link to a video of it on YouTube would be great.

Larry
RusticMetalArt

68Percy · Post by **68Percy** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 9:44 pm

Excellent even a link to a video of it on YouTube would be great.

Larry
RusticMetalArt[/quote]

Try this... I've never uploaded a video to YouTube. So I recon there's a first for everything.
https://youtu.be/j1aWshRDuDg

larrycameron44 · Post by **larrycameron44** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 1:17 am

68Percy wrote:Excellent even a link to a video of it on YouTube would be great.

Larry
RusticMetalArt

Try this... I've never uploaded a video to YouTube. So I recon there's a first for everything.
https://youtu.be/j1aWshRDuDg[/quote]

Brilliant thank you very much. Would this design that you have modified be ok to make from 14 gauge?

Larry
RusticMetalArt

68Percy · Post by **68Percy** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 8:51 am

I'm not too sure how the threads will do in 14 Guage. And the bolt length may be an issue. The shortest bolts that I had was 1/2" long so I could bolt thru both pieces without threads protruding and dragging on the back plate. I'm sure it could be done with a thinner steel, but you may have to use rivets instead of bolts. Then you could change the drawing to acommodate rivet diameter.

larrycameron44 · Post by **larrycameron44** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 3:39 pm

Great thank you for the info.

Larry
RusticMetalArt

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