BOTTOM FEEDERS= a place for everything modified and/or custom made

[JimzDogz]

That's awesome.

Any idea what your first project's gonna be?

Firstly, I love the retro fit that you did in the Reo VV. My first project is going to be a BF based on the Reo VV. I plan to put the chip in the bottom with the display on the side. It will have access covers from the outside like an E7, so the chip and display are in sealed compartments. Mine will be slightly shorter and a little wider than a Reo VV, I'm still in the planning faze so we'll see.

 

[Quigsworth]

Hi guys, I've been lurking around this thread for some time and finally subscribed today. I just want to say, you guys do great work. I have picked up so many ideas here and can't wait to get started myself. Santa was good to me this year, but his shipping sucks. I picked up this little beauty for under $500.00 with shipping and tax included. It's scheduled to arrive next week, so hopefully I'll have something to show soon.

Two-Speed Variable Bench Mill/Drill Machine 44991 1 $549.99

Subtotal $549.99
Shipping & Handling $21.94
Discount (16045843) -$110.00
Tax $33.00
Grand Total $494.93

Exact machine I gave myself for Christmas, except yours is cooler cause it's red and mine's kinda this industrial green...only issue I've had so far is the "Z" axis or up/down. It tends to self lower unless you lock it (which of course I always forget at the most critical time )...seems tightening up the gib screws just that micro turn more then makes it grabby...maybe just a characteristic of mine but something to watch for...when you can recover some cash...the DP vice is an awesome add (way faster than bolting everything down) but don't do what I did...spend a bit more and get the pivot vice...

Enjoy...it makes modding fun (I spend more time just milling crap for the sake of milling crap )

...forgot, pics or it didn't happen...

 

[Quigsworth]

Going to grab this one this week (Santa money)...

Grizzly.com® --

 

[CaptSteve]

That sucks on the fail on what you were gunning for, glad you can pull it out of the fire (though making it a mech isn't exactly a fail to me...regs. are for little girls who can't coil )

Curious how you did the bottom...I'm working on the design of a bottom door mod now and I'm really trying to avoid as few press/friction connections as I can.

The bottom Quigs was one of the biggest headaches (you read my mind buddy it's freaky) and as you'll see from the pics I'll post later I used an aluminum plate held on with magnets. The big issue I faced was the negative contact and the next one I'll do I'm going to redesign the bottom completely. I'm thinking of perhaps a dovetail sliding bottom or a one sided hinged bottom. The main issue here is that you need to find a way to connect the negative contact (I did a spring loaded contact) as well as install a spring to provide some battery compression.

 

[CaptSteve]

Hi guys, I've been lurking around this thread for some time and finally subscribed today. I just want to say, you guys do great work. I have picked up so many ideas here and can't wait to get started myself. Santa was good to me this year, but his shipping sucks. I picked up this little beauty for under $500.00 with shipping and tax included. It's scheduled to arrive next week, so hopefully I'll have something to show soon.

Two-Speed Variable Bench Mill/Drill Machine 44991 1 $549.99

Subtotal $549.99
Shipping & Handling $21.94
Discount (16045843) -$110.00
Tax $33.00
Grand Total $494.93

Good choice Jim, Quigs got the same one and I'm about to order a similar one as well because I'm still messing around milling with a PITA drill press. Have fun, always wear eye protection and post lots of pics here for us to drool over.

 

[CaptSteve]

Ok here is the biggest PITA I've ever come across. Sadly the only way I could get this finished and functioning correctly is by adding a piece at the bottom to house a battery compression spring. I now know how to fix this problem on the next one but sadly I couldn't do it here without breaking the mod. On the next one I'll make a spring loaded positive pole for the battery which will solve this problem.

I'll admit to you I reached a point where I was seconds away from tossing this thing out the window and if there's anything I've learned from this experience it's that I need to plan much better how much space I need to fit what I intend in a mod. In this case winging it was a big fail.

More than likely I'll scrap this after I make the next one because I simply hate the fact that it has that extra bottom plate which wasn't my intention from the start.

 

[Aal_]

It doesn't look bad at all!!

 

[CaptSteve]

Thanks Aal but it's not what I wanted

 

[Roscoe01]

I like the bottom plate capt. I was thinking some aluminum inlays would look good from the start. Maybe a compass rose on there?

 

[CaptSteve]

Roscoe I'm done with this buddy, I'll start the next one soon with the DNA-40 in it and I'll do that one right from the start. At least this was a good test platform for the sunken Odin and frankly that was the only thing that went as planned. It vapes great and I haven't had any issues with leaks or condensation buildup.

I'm definitely going to make some more mods with sunken atties including a smaller one for an RM2 and Cyclone

 

[turbocad6]

I had a similar problem when I did my first grand, I originally planned on putting the up/down buttons inside under the door so I built the chip housing just big enough for the chip then I realized I didn't leave enough room for the wires so I decided to make a 1/4" extension plate, then I figured since I'm making an extension anyway may as well put the up/down buttons there, then after putting the buttons I realized I still didn't have enough room for the wiring, now because of the buttons, so I had to build another extension...

like you I was never really happy with the results and once I built something to replace it, that was the end of that

 

[opensec]

Firstly, I love the retro fit that you did in the Reo VV. My first project is going to be a BF based on the Reo VV. I plan to put the chip in the bottom with the display on the side. It will have access covers from the outside like an E7, so the chip and display are in sealed compartments. Mine will be slightly shorter and a little wider than a Reo VV, I'm still in the planning faze so we'll see.

Long time lurker too with a first bottom feeder project to be started soon.
Dogz, I was following your post, I was planning on using the same hardware you ordered to built your squonker, how did that end up?

 

[OthatGuy]

Do it bud!

 

[CaptSteve]

I had a similar problem when I did my first grand, I originally planned on putting the up/down buttons inside under the door so I built the chip housing just big enough for the chip then I realized I didn't leave enough room for the wires so I decided to make a 1/4" extension plate, then I figured since I'm making an extension anyway may as well put the up/down buttons there, then after putting the buttons I realized I still didn't have enough room for the wiring, now because of the buttons, so I had to build another extension...

like you I was never really happy with the results and once I built something to replace it, that was the end of that

Yeah Turbo when you start making compromises like that it's time to put the mod in the "screwup box" on the highest shelf in the shop where they'll never see the light of day again

 

[opensec]

Do it bud!

I have some wood around, a dremel dying for some action and free time on my hands, so yeah, just need to wait for the new year's celebration and hangover to be done

You guys have inspired me big time, V1 will be an unregulated wood box squonker, but if all goes well, the ultimate goal is to build a regulated version, DNA 30 or 40.

will soon order the parts, this step is harder than I thought, too many options

 

[Quigsworth]

Ok here is the biggest PITA I've ever come across. Sadly the only way I could get this finished and functioning correctly is by adding a piece at the bottom to house a battery compression spring. I now know how to fix this problem on the next one but sadly I couldn't do it here without breaking the mod. On the next one I'll make a spring loaded positive pole for the battery which will solve this problem.

I'll admit to you I reached a point where I was seconds away from tossing this thing out the window and if there's anything I've learned from this experience it's that I need to plan much better how much space I need to fit what I intend in a mod. In this case winging it was a big fail.

More than likely I'll scrap this after I make the next one because I simply hate the fact that it has that extra bottom plate which wasn't my intention from the start.

Nice woodwork Steve...I'm on V3 of an organic, even non-symmetric "right handed" handful of flowing wood...I really appreciate your skills, it's much harder than it looks to do...I've resorted to playing with modeling clay to "sculpt" what I'm looking for, that Geppetto is an artist...

I came to the same conclusion, invert the batt and put the spring up top, your "dovetail" slide bottom brought me to my next conclusion...instead of a dovetail, a simple mortise/tenon hinge...by not completely removing the bottom I can use flexible solder wick/braided copper for the neg. which affords the dropping of that friction connection (I hate un-necessary v drop, regs. can compensate for that, but it's a mech killer)

This is why I've been looking into going with a mosfet, my typical mech sw. will be impossible to install...plus I have several SS flush mount momentary's from way back to use up

A lot of thought has to go into building one of these...not so sure you should just scrap it, shame really....

 

[2buildawall]

CaptSteve it looks awesome with the aluminum band on the bottom. Did you install the chip? I like how you adapted to the situation and were able to make it work and look fantastic.

This is one of those that only you will see the problem and I know that feeling. That is what has kept me from even starting. I am at the point now where I have over thought the thing to the point of annoyance.

 

[Quigsworth]

Paralysis through analysis...been there...

 

[BobC]

Roscoe I'm done with this buddy, I'll start the next one soon with the DNA-40 in it and I'll do that one right from the start. At least this was a good test platform for the sunken Odin and frankly that was the only thing that went as planned. It vapes great and I haven't had any issues with leaks or condensation buildup.

I'm definitely going to make some more mods with sunken atties including a smaller one for an RM2 and Cyclone

Yeah Capt, looks real bad, I'd get rid of it if I were you

Here's my address where you should send it, don't worry, I won't tell anybody you built it

Seriously, even with the added bottom section, it looks great

 

[CaptSteve]

What's a crying shame is the wood blank I used it's a beautiful piece and the main reason I didn't toss this thing was the wood. Anyway I'm a firm believer that for every success there must be a few screwups. I did learn a lot from this which will help me heaps on the next one.

In fact I had some more thought on how not to have any sort of bottom plate and I found the best solution. I'll make a ring (more like a short tube about 1/4in long) at the same diameter as the battery hole to which I'll solder the contact and I'll thead the inner part of it and I'll turn on the lathe a cap with threading on the outside which screws into the end of the ring and compresses the battery with a spring. Just like a tube mod really only you won't be able to see the tube because it will be embedded in the mod and only the cap will be visible underneath.
This way I can make it with no door and no bottom plate at all.