TD-4242 Posted March 21, 2006 Author Share Posted March 21, 2006 Sorry for the delay in getting these made. After trying to turn these by hand I have decided that my failed parts count was far too high. For each 2 lewis guns I made only one was sellable. Many of the parts were a total loss and I've got enough that are just bad but I can build my own Lewis out of them. but still they were not good enough to sell to anyone. So I decided to get me a roto cast machine. After doing some shopping on line and looking at models and going wow that is only $6000. If I made that and then made about 600 lewis guns it'd be almost worth it. Of course because the world market for lewis guns would be at best 100 and I rather doubt that even. There is no way I'd be buying that machine. So on to plan B. Make my own. I'm not much of a welder but I can get pices of metal to stick together. My dad has tons of scrape steel in various sizes and shapes, and I think I can buy all the other parts (bearings, motors cranks, gear boxes, etc) for under $200. I know many people are wondering what a roto cast machine is. Think of the NASA space chair that you sit in and it spins you in all directions. Now replace you with a mold full of liquid resin. Well I started with building a prototype out of legos to make sure I understood the gearing and the general how to make it. Think of the lego tire as one of the lewis gun molds. If you are intested in seeing it in motion email or pm me and I'll email you a 460k vidio of it in action. wwarner42@cox.net I then spent this weekend picking though some of the steel at my Dad's place and cutting it into the sizes needed. Brought them all to my house and tonight I started welding them together. I still need to get some more steel tube for the outer rotating section. Overall though it has started up and I think will be comming together some here before too long. -Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runJEDIrun Posted March 21, 2006 Share Posted March 21, 2006 cant wait! im glad your taking your time with the molds and you actually really care about quality. im willing to wait. no rush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD-4242 Posted March 28, 2006 Author Share Posted March 28, 2006 Been working on the rotocast machine. Got all the metel tubeing that I needed and am now waiting on some bearings that I ordered on ebay. I also got the assembly about 99% done. I still haven't decided on how I am going to do the sprokets and chain. I'm thinking of just hitting up a goodwill and getting what ever old bike they may have. It'd be nice to have a 1:1 ratio though and unless I could find two bikes with same same sized spokets I wouldn't be able to do that. I may call some machine shops around and see what they may have. Here is the current progress. It is starting to take shape and I can spin the inner section even without the bearings. -Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD7606 Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 My dad used to say, you may look stupid asking... but you would be an a!"%$% if you don´t ask.. and this is one of those times... i dont get it about the rotocats..whathever, I am sorry but I dont follow you bro can you explain me like kermit the frog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD-4242 Posted March 28, 2006 Author Share Posted March 28, 2006 Hi **, Kermit the frog here..... Hehehe, anyway Rotocasting is a way to make a resin part that is hallow on the inside. I have been doing it by hand. Basicly I take a mold, pour a small amount of resin into it. Not enough to fill it up like I'd do if I were making a solid part. then I tumble the mold in all directions so that the inside is coated with the resin. That way when it cures the part is hollow, strong and light weight. The problem with doing it by hand is that the molds sometimes weigh as much as 40lbs and the resin takes between 7 and 10 minutes to cure. That is a long time to be holding 40lbs up and spinning it around. Two problems crop up. Either you get repetitive and don't spin it in all directions and everything comes up uneven and full of bubbles, or you get tired and set it down and evertything bunches up in one area. The rotocast machine is going to work like the space chair rides that have two circles that spin in opposite directions and it spins you all around in every direction. Except instead of putting you in the center I'll put one of hte molds. If you'd like to see the lego prototype in action email me wwarner42@cox.net and I'll send you a 450k avi movie file of it spinning. The lego tire in the middle is there to simulate an actual mold. -Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD-4242 Posted March 29, 2006 Author Share Posted March 29, 2006 99% of the way their. I have finished the rotocast machine other than a few holes that I'll use to mount the molds into the inner frame. I also now have a movie of the real thing in motion so email me if you'd like to see it. wwarner42@cox.net check here for more pictures with discriptions and everything. http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a331/ ... hine/?sc=6 -Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilovesand&dirt Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Bill, Any updates? How is the progress? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD-4242 Posted April 27, 2006 Author Share Posted April 27, 2006 Well, I got all new tile throughout my entire house and completely remodeled the guest bathroom replaceing everything except the bath tub. (I had to fight not to replace that as I really didn't want to rip it out.) Ohh you mean on the lewis guns.... Well, I am about 99% of the way there. I kinda got interupted with getting my house remodled as quickly as possible because my Girlfriend was moving in. Now I'm on that last 1% which always seems to take %50 of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilovesand&dirt Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Well, I got all new tile throughout my entire house and completely remodeled the guest bathroom replaceing everything except the bath tub. (I had to fight not to replace that as I really didn't want to rip it out.) Ohh you mean on the lewis guns.... Well, I am about 99% of the way there. I kinda got interupted with getting my house remodled as quickly as possible because my Girlfriend was moving in. Now I'm on that last 1% which always seems to take %50 of the time. Congratulations on getting all the remodeling done. I am sure it was a pain but now its done. Oh and sorry about your girlfiend moving in, you think you don't have time to do stuff now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK9661 Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 don't do it.......... run, run fast and don't look back!! now the honey do list starts, what you did was just prep jk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theGreatSot Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 BWAHAHAHA... no seriously... Thanks for sending the vid of the rotocast machine in action. That is some serious engineering right there man. I can't wait to see how the new lewis guns come out! Definitely put me on the list for one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pavetrooper Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 Put me on the list too, please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD-427 Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 SIGN ME UP FOR ONE OF THOSE GUNS!!!!!!!! how much will they be and do you ship to canada? thanks rod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD-4242 Posted May 18, 2006 Author Share Posted May 18, 2006 Right now this project is on hold until I get some things here at home done up. I am sorry for anyone that has held off on getting a lewis for this project to finish up. It isn't canceled but will be on hold for at least a month or possibly more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tk-d Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 Hi sent you a pm but you can definately cont me in for one of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyranneix Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Not to hash up an old thread but how is this project coming along? is it still on hold? As a newb to the 501st and a future MEPD hopeful, I have loved what I have seen of your work! Please keep up the good work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitecommando Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Well, I do not know how the mentioned project is coming out, but I have been approached to convert a schematic of a Lewis Gun receiver to a positive prototype mold. Of course, the back end will have the rifle end added. To be formed similarly to this... http://arizonamodels.com/manuals/Lewis-Plan.jpg The barrel will be primarily PVC with an end cap with some detail panels. Fabricated like so... Stay Tuned. Price should be fair - between $125-$200 for a kit. Mods, if need be, I can start a new thread... there seems to be some growing desire for this weapon. Me and a friend can provide a portion of the MEPD population with a nice looking gun. I know we are not the only ones offering it, but it will be flavored in orange. Not to hash up an old thread but how is this project coming along? is it still on hold? As a newb to the 501st and a future MEPD hopeful, I have loved what I have seen of your work! Please keep up the good work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SethB6025 Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 Feel free to start a thread when you've got something started, knowing how quick you work that shouldn't be too long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitecommando Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 I finished it this morning! Feel free to start a thread when you've got something started, knowing how quick you work that shouldn't be too long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakengine Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 I, for one, would still LOVE to see this Lewis gun project come to fruition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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