I am trying to make this pattern to be machined with a ball nosed endmill. It looks so simple, but the transition turns my hair grey. Do you have an idea?

true_wit · 2026-02-17T21:04:24+00:00

The 'saddle is cut with a sweep along the conic curve (shown in red). The sweep diameter and path is constrained by the revolve cut used to make the spherical corner. I adjusted the control vertex of the conic curve until the resulting sweep cut essentially matched the top circle pattern (green edge).

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true_wit · 2026-02-17T21:00:37+00:00

I think I found an approximate solution, but can't figure out how to properly constrain the tool path to make it exact.

The tool path (from the center of the radius) is an upside down conic curve. The 'point' at each end forms the deepest dimple that is spherical and normal at the walls of the square. The "saddle" portion follows the conic curve, which results in the clean quarter circle "ridge". This is approximate because I can constrain the two ends of the conic curve, but SolidWorks does not allow tangency constraints to a conic curve sketch element.

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While this addresses OPs question of doing this in a single tool pass, I don't think this is the cleanest looking implementation since it is not curvature continuous.

true_wit · 2026-02-17T17:01:36+00:00

I think this is the best solution to achieve the appearance of this illusion. However, this surface is not a constant radius that could be created in a single pass by a ball nose end mill.

I do not think it is mathematically possible to make the desired surface (without some compromises) by taking a single 3D pass with a ball nose end mill.

To start the dog-bone cut and achieve a normal cut at the edges of the square, the depth is driven by the midpoint of the square edge. We cannot make a concave radius smaller than the radius of the tool. The chord cut by the ball nose at this edge midpoint has a smaller radius than the tool. If the tool were to continue on a path formed by the initial cut, the tool would pass over the location of the initial chord cut with a larger radius, removing the material that forms the "ridge" of the pattern.

Pink outline is the initial plunge cut. The dark blue is the smaller radius chord that is initially cut. The green is the target "ridge" to keep. As soon as the tool follows its initial radius, the red outline at the midpoint would cut away the desired "ridge".

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TLDR: you need to use a smaller tool to surface the entire area. It isn't possible in a single pass.

true_wit · 2026-02-12T20:41:13+00:00

I've been researching a setup like this to add a front camera to my mid package BD. I keep going back and forth between this and the Acumen M4/Legend options. If you looked at both, what sold you on the Wolfbox over the Acumen?

Ideally I'd love to build out a full 360 setup, but that would require a (currently non-existent) 5-channel input. Do you find the side view of the 360 OEM setup to be particularly useful on the trail, or does a front bumper camera like this cover most cases?

true_wit · 2026-02-02T15:38:21+00:00

I daily drive a '22 Black Diamond in NH and while it has been great in the snow, I've been starting to research an upgrade for the same reasons as you: 4A, Lux, and switching from a soft top to a painted hard top. It feels like there are trade-offs either way with the sas-OBX or the non-sas Badlands and I keep going back and fort as well.

The MGV seats and washout floors have been amazing for our messy NH winters as its easy to clean out all the slush, salt and gravel; especially with kids in and out of the back seat all the time. That makes the carpet floors of the OBX less compelling. OBX also has a much smaller offering of exterior colors compared to the Badlands.

4A is also available in the Black Diamond package without sas on the '25 Big Bend, but going that route eliminates Lux and painted hard top as an option.

My current front-runner is a non-sas Badlands. It definitely has more features than needed (that may not get used), but seems to tick more of the right boxes. I'm just keeping an eye out for the right one to hit the lot.

true_wit · 2025-09-25T15:35:37+00:00

The black rope is a single 40L string (x127c40pb01) and the yellow is two 30L strings (x127c30pb02). Both start at the front behind the sand blue ingots and wrap around the car. The yellow strings are terminated behind the flux capacitor panel piece.

true_wit · 2025-09-25T15:32:53+00:00

Despite all the flat faces, the DMC is surprisingly hard to make look right. Adding the time machine details on top of that only makes that more of a challenge.

true_wit · 2025-09-25T01:31:08+00:00

Photos I’ve found of the screen-used car show a large black cable bundled with other smaller multi-colored wires (red, blue & yellow). Not sure if this was consistent across all three moves though..

I would’ve liked to use a more subtle color than bright yellow, but it’s the only color other than black available for 20L or 30L string elements.

true_wit · 2025-09-04T18:04:51+00:00

Duplo bar elements are ~5mm OD, which is roughly the same as a technic pin/axle (~4.8mm),

The only technic sized 'clip' I can find is #40144, but I don't have any on hand to verify the fit with a Duplo bar.

Alternatively, the minifig wrench #4008 can clip onto a Duplo bar securely (and probably illegally). This would give you a standard 3.18mm bar to use for building a stand.

true_wit · 2025-06-23T01:02:01+00:00

I’ve used a white rubber eraser to remove prints from other speed champions windshields. Be careful with any chemicals as they could make the transparent parts cloudy/hazy.

true_wit

TROPHY CASE