[DonFrambach]

Prepared and mounted the router table. Still have to connect the X-axis motor. Lost a couple of inches of working height when I changed to the back-to-back mounting of the Y and Z axes. Kind of wish my gantry was a couple of inches taller.

[Jay C]

Absolutely. You and I share the same issue ... 10tpi single start But because you are using dumpster and made it yourself, you'll have a lot easier time upgrading than I will.

You'll need new screws, AB nuts, and maybe the couplers I'm not sure ... but it'll be worth it. Of course nothing wrong with 30ipm either, it's what I cut at mostly, just takes longer to jog.

-Jay

[RomanLini]

It looks very sturdy there Don! That should compare well to small metalworking mills and have a larger XY area.

Losing that bit of Z travel might not be so bad, it should pay off in improved rigidity. You did say that this machine was about rigidity and not about getting huge travels...

[trav]

Hi,
Curious as to what size 8020 the main parts are made up of.
Cheers,
Trav

[DonFrambach]

Curious as to what size 8020 the main parts are made up of.

Trav,

The parts are 15 series 8020 extrusions.

Each upright is two 1545 extrusions screwed together.
The gantry top piece is two 3060 extrusions screwed together.
The base is made of 3030 extrusions with 1530 cross braces.

The gussets are 15 series
Some of the plates are 1/4", others are 3/8"

photo below shows main parts.

Don

[DonFrambach]

Losing that bit of Z travel might not be so bad, it should pay off in improved rigidity. You did say that this machine was about rigidity and not about getting huge travels...

You're right about the priorities. I'm going to proceed with the current geometry. I could put in a taller gantry later.

Don

[Drools]

Just my 2 cents
For such a small work area, I think the single start screws are fine.

[DeadTom]

Well we are up to 4 cents because my 2 cents agrees with Drools 2 cents (opinion)
Tom

[trav]

The parts are 15 series 8020 extrusions.

The uprights are two 1545 extrusions screwed together.
The gantry top piece is two 3060 extrusions screwed together.
The base is made of 3030 extrusions with 1530 cross braces.

Thanks Don,

Hard to gauge the sizes from photos alone when you're new to all this :-)

What's your (and anyone else watching's) opinion on the ability of this rig to cut metals harder than Aluminum? (given the right spindle and tooling of course)

Cheers,
Trav

[DonFrambach]

Got the X axis motor attached. Have almost 14" of X travel. Need to lubricate the leadscrew. Currently can only jog at 15"/minute without horrible sound.

Have an idea to regain 1 1/2 to 2" of Z travel. I'll replace the bottom bearing block from the Z axis with the smaller one supplied by CNCRouterParts.com. I'll remove 1/4" from the bottom of the block and mount it on top of the steel plate and shift the steel plate down as far as possible.

photos:

[DonFrambach]

What's your (and anyone else watching's) opinion on the ability of this rig to cut metals harder than Aluminum? (given the right spindle and tooling of course)

Cheers,
Trav

Don't know. I suppose I'll have to give it a try. I'll be sure to post results.

Don

[DonFrambach]

Added an extruded table with T-slots.

Installed an old Wolfgang Engineering spindle.

It works!!!

Need to reverse my X-axis so it doesn't carve everything backwards!
Need to work out a better hold down system.

[restless1]

Don what size linear rails did you use and where did you get that table (did you make it yourself and are you going to surface it?the solid aluminum table not the t slot table i mean)...
The only reason I ask is because I converted my 5 foot by 7 foot aluminum cnc table over to rack and pinion and with my existing spare parts I can almost build a clone of yours... Although it will not be as re-enforced as yours it will be good enough for printed circuit board work....(i also have the wolf gang 350 spindle)..... Thanks and great work so far...

[DonFrambach]

what size linear rails did you use

The X rails are SBR20 rails that I purchased from Glacern but I see that SBR20 rails are available on eBay. The Y and Z rails were purchased from CNCRouterParts.com. I intitially used regular length carriages from CNCRouterParts.com but changed to extended length carriages when I revised (and I think improved) the Z axis as I was building my machine. I used a 7" steel plate for the Y axis and a 4" steel plate for the Z axis.

where did you get that table (did you make it yourself and are you going to surface it?the solid aluminum table not the t slot table i mean)...

the table is a 12x12x3/4 cast aluminum plate (Mic6) that I purchased from MetalExpress.net. The plate is advertised to be flat within .005" but I have not confirmed that.

[DonFrambach]

Put the electronics in a box. Also put another box with a switch on the Z axis to power the spindle. That box is under Mach 3 control.

[DonFrambach]

Regained about 1 1/2" of Z travel by replacing the bottom bearing with the smaller one from CNCRouterParts.com. Removed 1/4" of the bottom bearing so that it could be mounted on top of the 1/4" steel plate which was shifted down.

First two photos show Z travel.

Third and fourth photos show old bottom bearing and new bottom bearing with the steel plated shifted down.

Fifth and sixth photos show small bearing supplied by CNCRouterParts.com before and after 1/4" removed from bottom.

[DonFrambach]

Put limit switches on the Y axis. Still need to do Zup and X axis. Plan to connect all switches to one input.

The Z axis can be shortened by about 3 inches. Will get around to that soon.

[DonFrambach]

Shortened the z axis by 2 1/2 inches. Could have shortened another inch but was afraid I'd cut off too much.

Installed a z-up limit switch. Put in series with my Y-axis limit switches. Don't plan on installing a z-down limit switch because I don't think it's necessary.

Installed an "e-chain". Intentionally a little too long - much better than a little too short. Discovered that my z-axis motor cable is too short. I ordered a longer one from CNCRouterParts but wonder if it would be best to just make a cable so that I can make a cleaner installation as shown at soigeneris dot com or http://www.dyengineering.com/IP40.html

[restless1]

Looking very good Don ever thought about proximity switchs...very accurate ...
What sort of control will you be using...

[DonFrambach]

Looking very good Don ever thought about proximity switchs...very accurate ...
What sort of control will you be using...

Thanks for your comment. I plan on using the switches only for overtravel. I will zero to my workpiece but may change that as I get a more experienced. At that point more accurate switches may be required.

I'm using a Gecko G540.

Don