Well, Tomorrow is the day, everything is lined up logistically and I just finished moving the shop around in preparation of the XK7130 Home coming. I took a short video and have posted a link below of my thoughts for the machine. I initially considered putting it near a wall, but quickly realized I would lose to much storage doing that as well as access to the back of the machine for maintenance and modifications so I laid it out a little differently than I have been picturing it for the last 6 months... Let me know your thoughts!
Sent from my QTAIR7 using Tapatalk
Hope it all goes well tomorrow.
I know the feeling of rearranging. I have been designing a layout of my future (soon come) workshop, which machines I want, and how to organize them. Alot of work gone into the layout but just like you experienced things will change with different thoughts in mind.
Looking forward to seeing that video.
Still uploading.. days about 15 minutes remaining..
Yeah, I was working on getting some orders built and packaged to go out and turned and say and got the bright idea to change the layout of of the blue and it just seemed to make better sense. Now to be fair, I was half looking at it from a lazy perspective and not wanting to move a ton of outlets for hardwired equipment, but the more I pondered on it the more it actually made sense and move away from being a lazy rationalization...lol. At least that's what I'm going equity...hahaha.. will post that video in a few minutes!
Chris
Sent from my QTAIR7 using Tapatalk
Ok, here is the shop prep video for the machine arrival! Sorry for the year, upload took longer than normal!
https://youtu.be/xw0dyM_DTXc
Sent from my QTAIR7 using Tapatalk
Nice Thread , i read all posts now im am on the last Site
Whish you a good luck with the Chines Machine , and i hope you have no troubles with it ^^
Mike
I think you picked the right type of layout for your shop. The horseshoe shape separates the pieces of equipment and allows you to have efficient use of space. Definitely glad you didn't decide to put the machine on the wall due to maintenance concerns.
How are you going to run the power to the machine? You mentioned your going to put the phase convertor in the corner behind the table, but what you don't want to do is to be stepping over the power cord.
May I suggest that you increase your workspace area by building/buying another workbench on casters that you can put facing the same direction as the cars, in front of the garage door. Obviously leave a 3 foot gap or so you can easily pass through. This way it isolates your mechanic and machinist work.
Nice clean shop by the way.
Thanks Mike! Hopefully it goes smoothly!!
I agree! For the power I planned on running an over head raceway. The table in front of the cars is a roller, it's on skates..lol. But I actually already bought casters to make it a permanent roller. It actually is another project I have planned which will become two rolling benches, one for the lift and the other for a mobile welding station that holds the MIG and TIG Welders and tanks so I can roll it from my back welding station and over to the lift area for on car tacking and fabrication work. Will have to get that project knocked out after the VMC machine is up and running!
Chris
Sent from my QTAIR7 using Tapatalk
subbed. great thread thanks Chris!
Waiting g for forklift to get here.. here are some pictures to appease until we can start offloading it!
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Very nice thread so far, keep us updated please . Btw - what control software were you planning on using? Linuxcnc?
Roadsidejobshop,
Yes LinuxCNC/Path pilot for the controller!
Ok, it was a chore getting everything unloaded this evening and with just two of us and my helper on a schedule that had to be ready for graveyard shift, we worked furiously and some picture opportunities were missed but it is finally in its home! Needs to be rough leveled still, I evened the load as best as I could so all 6 feet felt evenly loaded. Bit I was completely out of steam and had to get everything ready for returning the trailer tomorrow and get the crating cleaned up and ready to go to the dump first thing in the morning before turning the trailer in. But here are a few shots from uncrating and then the machine in place! I will get some pictures and some video after everything is returned and the clock isn't ticking to get everything done before return time for the forklift etc..! Machine needs some cleaning up as well, I will do some as received (was very clean, but we put greasy had prints on it everywhere during offloading..lol) and then post those up as well!
Thanks to all for following along!
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Made it home !! Awesome!!
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Ok, long day again, phase converter arrived!!! Took the day to get reorganized after the chaos yesterday, the dip was a bit in disarray and Twitter some restructuring..lol. I did unpack the tooling and have pictures below of all that. I also just finished cleaning the outside of the machine, tomorrow I will take the inside and then get it leveled and the skirts installed and take a ton of pictures and some video footage.
I am very pleased with the machine as a whole! There are a few things I've found I would have done better but I can still do them easy. The machine is actually much smaller than I anticipated.. is only shot 5'-3" deep (without the coolant tray behind it), 7'-2" to the top of the z axis servo motor encoder, of the z motor was removed (4 bolts and 3 harness plugs) it's about 6'-5" with the head fully lowered. It easily would fit through even a 7' garage door using a fork lift and a good driver! I need to measure the width again though I grabbed a measurement of that but must have forgotten. From the floor to the top of the enclosure it is 5'-5"... I'm guessing since the average height in China is much delete than other places they didn't feel the need to make it any taller. This does create a bit of an issue due to the door skid to support. I'm 6'-1" tall, and if i bend to load a vise, my further well smack that support bar. I will bring this to Fred's attention.
The other item I found that was disappointing was where the bundled wire runs pass through the sheet metal bulk heads, there is no abrasion protection. Note is very cleanly cut debuted and painted, but I'm not a fan of testing wires on sheet metal hole opening edges, is just a potential disaster waiting to happen down the road. This is readily rectified with split hose, clip on edging. I made Fred aware of this issue and they will revise it for future machine builds.
Other than that I think all else visually inspected out excellent! Very well built machine and fit and finish is far beyond what I would have expected from a Chinese manufacturer product. I did tennis all the safety decals, they were pointless due to being in Chinese..lol. They forgot to ship the coolant pump, so they will need to send that out to me, it will arrive well before I'm ready for it I'm sure, and I'm sure it was a last minute oversight due to trying to find a place for all my added tooling they packed (and issued very well I might add). Probably missed it due to all the boxes they weren't used to seeing in the machine.
So here are defined teaser picture and I'll get more tomorrow once the dip is all set back up and the interior is all cleaned!!
Thanks to all the followers! I'm so happy to finally have it here!!!
Chris
Awesome!
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Cool Milling tools and a little Collant pump engine ^^ bevor the real is coming
Mike
Ok, after most of the morning spent and 2 tolls of paper towels, half a can of wd40.. the cosmoline protective coating is finally removed!! Man that was no fun.. lol.. pictures below!
Also, if any of you want specific pictures of anything, please let me know. I am kind of just going through the paces getting everything cleaned up do when I start working on it. I am more familiar with everything.. sort of like the best way to go over a used car is hand wash it yourself because you inspect it from many more vantage points than just a simple walk around.
So far I have found a 3 missing bolts small sheet metal fasteners. One thing I may do is swap out the interior hardware which is black oxide coated socket head cap screws to a stainless steel button head for a cleaner look and feel and to prevent rusting, something black oxide coated fasteners tend to be good at.
So let me k ow of you want pictures of anything and I will post them up!
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
What is the distance between T-Slots?
Looking at the pictures and I'm not being critical here, but why didn't they make the enclosure double wall, which would eliminate the chip shelf at the bottom of the enclosure where it is bolted to the chip pan? Save yourself lots of headaches with improper sealing and install sheetmetal panels inside, slightly protruding below the flange, so the enclosure becomes instantly leak proof with no silicone or sealant.
I'm sure to find other little quirks, but then again, maybe you just ordered it that way to save money.
All in all your machine looks promising. But little details like that is what will distance it from the competition.
Just my thoughts.
Hey Chris.....Thanks for posting the review of the machine it's very informative I've been eyeing the Chinese machines for sometime.
Could you explain why you are choosing to go with LinuxCNC? It seems to me that the GSK controls are more than capable and perhaps the equivalent of the Fanuc control?
Thanks
John