CNC & Machining

The latest DIY ideas, techniques and tools for the manufacture of metal, wood, plastic, ceramic and composites. We talk about machining, using a lathe to machine metals like steel, brass, and aluminium. We make chips fly!

CNC Milling a Spherical Ice Mold

CNC Milling a Spherical Ice Mold

We have covered these spherical ice molds before. I have used one, myself, and they work pretty well. A chunk of ice is sandwiched between two halves of a metal mold, and fast conduction of heat away from the ice, through the metal, causes it to melt wherever the mold makes contact. The mold halves slide on rods to maintain their alignment, and gravity does the rest. With a mold that starts at room temperature, it only takes a few minutes to make a nice shiny ice sphere.

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How-To: Rifle Shell Pen Body

How-To: Rifle Shell Pen Body

I have before identified Instructables user Mrballeng as a craftsman’s craftsman, and this latest offering only serves to reinforce that opinion. His work is not flashy or complex, but it’s always thought out with exacting detail and does amazing things with everyday materials. Here, he uses a mini-lathe to bore, swage, and align two .30-06 cartridge cases before soldering them together, at the joint, and fitting the guts of a refillable plastic click-pen inside. Cool stuff.

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“World’s Smallest” Working V-12 Motor

“World’s Smallest” Working V-12 Motor

A Spanish craftsman named Patelo skillfully designed and fabricated this tiny working V-12 motor from stock stainless steel, aluminum, and bronze for his grandchildren Sara, Carmen, Jose and Pablo. It took more than 1200 hours of work. Not counting the 222 screws, he machined all 261 pieces himself. The engine operates via compressed-air injection, has 12cm3 total displacement, 11.3mm cylinder heads, and a 10mm stroke on each piston.

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