Hydro Machine 1.0 - Welcome Home
My original hydroforming machine was initially designed to make shells that are the same size as the Xenith - 20” in diameter. I eventually developed the machine to make 21” shells and then went on to build machine2.0 which formed 21.5” shells. I eventually transitioned away from hydroforming to make the RADIX, then on to the Xenith.
No longer needed, machine1.0 found a new home in 2018 and machine2.0 went dormant in 2020. While I do think my time working with hydroformed top shells is over, every now and again an Æther comes in for a retune and I am reminded how much I love the engraved, hydroformed bottom shells.
A month ago an opportunity presented itself…hydro machine 1.0 was looking for a home. I happen to be sitting on a few dozen sheets of steel but had no way to form them for bottoms shells for the Xenith. With to goal of making engraved bottom shells again, I re-homed machine 1.0, plumbed and wired to run side by side with machine2.0, fired up the CNC, and got busy making blanks for future engraved bottom shells.
While I will likely whine and moan while making these shells, I know that the minute they are colored and polished I will be thrilled that I took on the endeavor. Below are a few examples of what I’m talking about.
