Working With Aluminum Continued

Here is something I don't do very often, turn a piece round on my milling machine.
 

I'm holding my cutting tool in my vice and then placed the threaded end of the bolt into a 3/8" collet. Then you just take light cuts while pulling down on the quill. You could do the same thing on a drill press, as long as the vice was clamped down properly.
 

Here is the laser pointer that I'll be using. Unlike some other laser pointers, this one has single throw, single pole switch, like you'd find on a flashlight. However, most laser pointers have a momentary on/off switch, which won't work for this application.

This laser pointer is really a bore-sighting tool for a 12 GA shotgun. It has all aluminum construction, it's red anodize and it's made really well.
 

Here is the on/off switch that is made out of thick rubber and uses two thin batteries. This will work perfect for the people playing the game and I believe this will be hidden only to be found once you've solved some other kind of clue. That rubber area can double as a snap-cap if you chambered it in your firearm.
 

Now it's time to make something to hold the laser pointer. I squared some thicker aluminum as my starting point. This will make sense once you see the following operations.
 

I drilled a clearance hole first and then I bored through the block. If you look close at the laser pointer you can see it has three different diameters, which is what I have below. And yes, I'll wait while you check out the laser pointer above one more time.
 

I made an end plate that will keep the laser pointer from falling out. This plate is 1/8" thick and will be held on with two 6-32 flathead screws. You can also see the two clearance holes in the side of the block that will be used to hold this onto the 3.0" round piece that I made earlier.