WidgitMaster's Largest Steel Router Table Project 9ft x 5ft x 8" Water Cooled Spindle

WOW!
Its been a long time sense my last build log here on CNCZone!
Much has happened in my life, some good, and some bad! Many of my family members have passed away, and my arthritis, which had made me stop my projects, has gotten under control! My workshop was unused for over a year :tired:

So instead of sitting on the couch watching re-runs, I have been reading and searching the web for the latest CNC stuff! One item which has caught my attention is the 2.2Kw Water Cooled VFD spindles from China! These look like a good place to start another project, although this project is NOT going to be a Mini-Router! In fact there is nothing MINI in this project at all :p

I have purchased several hundred dollars worth of 3”x3”x ¼” wall steel tubing, along with some 2”x2”x ¼” wall tubing. Several lengths of 16mm round supported steel rails (SBR16), with open bearing trucks. Several lengths of ½”x½” 20-pitch rack gears & pinions with belt drives from cncrouterparts.com The Z-Axis will have HSR15 linear rails, and an Anti-backlash Ball Screw! The spindle will have a submersible pump in a new steel take made for hydraulic fluid reservoir.

This router will have a maximum travel of 96.5”x49”x8” That’s enough room for a full sheet of plywood or MDF
Its been difficult to acquire the steel, as it’s only sold in 24-foot lengths, so I have made arrangement with a local shop to receive the truckload, and rough cut the tubes for me! Then ill get it to my garage for some preliminary machining prior to welding! This is the next problem, moving 9-foot long steel tubes to & from the welder! Hopefully I will have enough of the parts ready, so the welder can make a stop in my garage!

I will make the CAD file available when all the bugs are gone J

Its time to make chips……………..

Widgit

Today I started milling the steel end plugs (20 pieces. ) for the 3" steel tubing, they will be pressed into the ends, welded, and machined square!

Great to see you back in action..

Ditto.
Looks like this one is going to be a Monster. :)

Thanks guys!
It's good to be back in the Zone!

Here is a picture of my garage floor, after I removed all the machines and drew a line to get perspective on the routers size!
I have placed some scraps of tubing in the four corners !

Welcome back widgitmaster!!

MDF sheets around here measure 49" x 97". Make sure that you have that much travel + any extra needed for limit switch operation + the distance from your router bit to the rear of the gantry where it hits an end stop. The moving gantry occupies some of the available rail length. I have 12' rails and racks but maximum cut length is 11'4". 6" is lost to the gantry space.

I'll be watching....

Like an old friend showing up, you know lots of us will follow your thread:})

Welcome back

Hi widgit
Great to see you back. I am glad that they finally got the arthritis under control.


Mike

Welcome back Eric...it is great to see you back at it again. Your projects are always fascinating. I can already see clones of your Maxi project appearing.

Howdy Carv'e!
Thanks for the heads up on the MDF!
Hopefully the shop that's cuttin the long tubes will leave me an extra 1/4" or more!
Widgit

I've been busy all weekend shopping for stuff, looking for deals!
I now have one of those Super Dust Shoes from KentCNC, I think his use of Magnets is perfect!
Today I'll go to Grainger to get a 4-ft sample of e-chain with mounting ends, so I can add it to my CAD file!


Its really good to see all the familiar names popping in to my Build Log!
Thanks Guys!
Widgit

typing in e-chain at grainger returns this:

MP BIOMEDICAL Goat Anti-Human IgE, Chain 2 mL - Secondary Antibodies - 10H456|0855218 - Grainger Industrial Supply

for the life of me I can't figure out why you would need that, but I hope you get well, soon.

This is where I got mine from. Nice stuff and ships fairly quick.

Industrial & Scientific : Chains - SourcingMap

Not bad on pricing either.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kuroguy

typing in e-chain at grainger returns this:

MP BIOMEDICAL Goat Anti-Human IgE, Chain 2 mL - Secondary Antibodies - 10H456|0855218 - Grainger Industrial Supply

for the life of me I can't figure out why you would need that, but I hope you get well, soon.

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OOPS!
It's actually an Energy Chain or Wire Track or Cable Chain ......
Depending on who makes it!

This has been a busy day!
The SBR16 Linear Rails showed up this morning, and the cut steel was dropped of around 5 pm!

WOW, my back hurts just looking at it :tired:


The shop that did the cutting for me makes Air Boats, what a fun place to visit :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by widgitmaster

Howdy Carv'e!
Thanks for the heads up on the MDF!
Hopefully the shop that's cuttin the long tubes will leave me an extra 1/4" or more!
Widgit

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I spoke before reading the whole thread title. 5' x 9' should have travel enough to cut the MDF sheets edge to edge. :)

Today I worked on the Gantry side frames.
First I milled the riser tube to length, then I drilled & countersunk a fillet around the hole for welding!

Then I band sawed a 45 deg on the gussets, and milled them to length.
Next I cut a few 1" diam. round plugs, and champfered them in the lathe.
The plugs will be welded in the cross holes, and machined smooth prior to drilling & counter boring for 3/8 SHCS.

Next I milled the Long Y-Axis end stops to length, and drilled & tapped the holes for the limit switch setscrew stops.
Then I drilled & Counter Bored the hole which will attach the stop plates to the ends of the long axis tubes!

Great to see you back in action ! Look forward to watching this build.

Cheers.

Russell.