Warranty? We don’t need no stinking warranty! We’re hackers, and if you have access to a multi-million dollar CNC machine and 3D CAM software, you mill your own headphone replacement parts rather than accept a free handout from a manufacturer.
The headphones in question, Grado SR325s, are hand-built, high-end audiophile headphones, but [Huibert van Egmond] found that the gimbal holding the cups to the headband were loosening and falling out. He replicated the design of the original gimbal in CAM, generated the numeric code, and let his enormous Bridgeport milling machine loose on a big block of aluminum. The part was drilled and tapped on a small knee-mill, cut free from the backing material on a lathe, and bead-blasted to remove milling marks. A quick coat of spray paint – we’d have preferred powder coating or anodization – and the part was ready to go back on the headphones.
Sure, it’s overkill, but when you’ve got the tools, why not? And even a DIY CNC router could probably turn out a part like this – a lot slower, to be sure, but it’s still plausible.
Looks like a Bridgeport GX-1000 with a Siemens control. About an $86k machine when it was new, $110 with all the bells and whistles.
I was going to comment on that as well, nowhere near multi-million unless your doing it in peso’s or the old Zimbabwean dollar.
still a fun little project
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. That doesn’t even look like a 5-axis, either.
+1 for pronouncing lathe as latte!
Good job if you have more than enough money. This workshop costs hourly more than a headphone.
Only if it is used 24/7 in 3 shifts. Otherwise the wear on the machine and tools and the electricity used with this small parts will not be that bad
That was inspiring. I have a small CNC mill and router at home that I built myself and should give something like this a try. Thanks for the tutorial and well done video.
Even the highest grade of headphones have their weak points. With new pads, a comm set I have from a SAC bomber might be more rugged and take some good elements instead of the crystal type.
Cool project. Fixing stuff is great rather than throwing it out.
Never found a set Grado’s I liked…
Of course, that’s MHO and YMMV. ;)
I was disappointed when he spray painted the part instead of hard anodizing it.
“if you have access to a multi-million dollar CNC machine” … yea right. that must be just about everyone. fucking stupid text.. just stick with the subject.