The past month has seen a lot of sidetracks. I’ve had the plan for this big wheel project largely figured out, but left a few details open ended until I got in there and really had a chance to look at things from every angle. Now that I’m there and gone over things a dozen times I’ve decide to change the configuration a bit from what I was originally planning. That means a few more custom parts. One or two things I’m not ready to take the cover off yet until I’m sure they’ll all come together the way I have envisioned, but most importantly several things require machining that up until now I’d have to send out for. Every time I have to send out for machining there’s a big stop and wait in the project, and finally I decided I need to have some machining capability in-house.
So off I went on a giant sidetrack shopping for a vertical mill and metal lathe. Didn’t have the budget for a new mill, so scoured Craigslist until I found a nice ACRA unit with everything I wanted. Then I had to get it from LA to San Diego, then rent a forklift and get it in the building, then get the shop area wired up for 3 phase power, then get tooling etc. for it. Just finishing that up, with the last part of that project being a new DRO system on the way and then I should be ready to start cutting with it. I also have an order in for a Precision Matthews lathe, which should be coming in another couple weeks. There will undoubtedly still be some machining jobs I need to send out for, but with this equipment I should be able to tackle probably 75% of the machining work that I come across needing to do. So while it’s caused a delay up front I’m excited to have cut down on delays in the future.
A few more pieces of the puzzle arrived during all that.
Aluminum driveshaft to transfer things between the Jerico yoke and Getrag diff:
New rear friction rings which will go on new 5 lug rotor hats:
