[widgitmaster]

Hi Bill!
Actually, this machine is something I've always wanted to do! Its going o be a long running project, as long as my funds allow it! I have a few large signs I want to make, and after I fill my little garage with saw dust, I may just sell it! But it's too soon to tell!


Now I cleaned up the welds on the inside of the long axis motor plates, and everything looks like its on target!
I have a few house projects to finish before I can get back in the shop! Also, I still need to get the 2nd long tube welded & machined! Hopefully I'll have the welder setup in my garage this weekend!
Eric

[widgitmaster]

Finally!

I found a good welder, he picked up the long tube and all the other stuff today! I followed him to his shop, and helped move the clams & jigs as he welded the 109" long beam!

Then he welded the x-axis slide unit, and it looks awesome!

[CarveOne]

Hey! That's my new welding helmet!! Or one just like it.

Those welds look far better than mine do, so I can't blame my "somewhat less than stellar" welds on the helmet. Looks like you have found a good replacement weldor pretty quickly.

[aarggh]

Man I'm loving this thread Eric! I'm curious as to whether you did any sort of analysis on the bearing blocks you've used. I'm looking at a very similar size and weight machine down the track, and I'm allowing for running two sets of linear rails (25mm diameter) with 4 blocks each side of the gantry, (also partly for alignment and anti-racking support) as I was worried about the weight on just two blocks creating ruts or grooves over time?

If I was using Hiwin or similar I wouldn't worry as the load bearing is different, but I'm just not sure about the longevity of supported round rails with this class of weight long term. Did you research it for your application or just more or less eyeball it?

cheers, Ian

[widgitmaster]

Hi Ian!
No actually! But I can tell you the case hardened rails are 25mm diam, with a 2mm deep case that's approximately 55 Rockwell hardness!
My attitude, is that if the bearings wear out, they are relatively inexpensive & easy to replace! I have NO formal engineering training, just a 3yr degree in Applied Science!
Widgit


Now that the welder has done his thing, those parts were impossible for me to look at without putting them in my mill
So I made the setup for cutting the step to hold the rack gears in the long tube, and actually got the 1st of 5 sections finished!

[widgitmaster]

Wow, I got allot accomplished today :banana:
I started early, and finished milling the step down the entire 109" length! Then I drilled & tapped all the M4 holes for mounting the rack-gear. Next I wiped all the oil off the beam, and deburred everything! So I carried the 92 Lb beam to the other side of the garage, and flipped it end for end so the rack-gear was on the proper side.

Now I can assemble many of the parts, and get a good look at the whole assembly for the 1st time! I tightened all the big bolts, and attached the 25MM rail. Then I attached the steel plate to the trucks, and lifted the heavy gantry up onto the plates. With a sigh of relief, I was grateful ALL the holes aligned and all the screws went in with a twist of my fingers!

This thing is way bigger than I thought, yet it slides as smooth as glass!

I'm a happy puppy

[jalessi]

Eric,

You might like these.

Set of 4 Level Casters with 2" Polyolefin Wheel Retractable Leveling Leg 600 | eBay

Your new machine looks awesome!

Jeff..

[lancut]

It does looks good and solid. I like your torque wrench:cheers:

[widgitmaster]

Nice caster idea Jeff! Ill have that in the back of my mind now

[widgitmaster]

This morning I jacked up the gantry, and removed all the mounting screws from its base. Then I used two long tubes and some clamps to secure the gantry while I work on the lower parts.

Then I cleaned up around the mill, trammed the head, and put an angle-plate on the table. After dialing it in, I clamped the thick steep plate to the face of the angle-plate. Now I can drill a 9/16 diam hole for the limit switch to protrude through.

[widgitmaster]

Next, I removed the angle-plate and dialed in the 6" vise. In order for the wires from the y-axis (long axis) to get to the upper junction box (not made yet), I need to drill a hole in the thick steel plate. To keep the wires away from sharp edges, I used a 1/4" radius corner rounding end mill. the pilot diameter of the cutter is .375" diam, so that's the size hole I drilled. These two steel plates need to be mirror image of each other, so I placed them on the mill and marked them with a sharpie! Next I put my solid stop on the mill's table, and placed the plate in the vise. Again, I put the switches on location just to see if I had the proper position. There is a threaded hole in the center of the back edge, and I don't want the hole intersecting with it.

[widgitmaster]

Next, I placed the plate on edge in the vise, and drilled & tapped two 1/4-20 threads in the tips of the gussets. Then I placed the big side plates in the vise and drilled & counter bored two mating holes. This will help flatten the slightly warped plate. The warpage was a result of the welding, as expected.

While I've been working on the 25MM truck mounting plates, I had the idea of putting a strip of neoprene rubber to cover the gap between the three trucks! This will keep the Swarf from getting into the timing belts, pulleys, and the pinion gears!

[widgitmaster]

One last setup for today, drilling & tapping the end-stop plates! With the plate in the vise, I drilled & tapped a 3/8-16 threaded hole in each of the four plates. Then I placed a setscrew with a lock nut in each plate. The screw will be adjusted so it trips the limit switch about 1/8" from solid impact.

[CNCfun&games]

Widgit,

Great thread!!
Could be used as the primer for the 4th. semester course in Machine Technology at our local College.

W. Smith Mission Viejo, CA

[widgitmaster]

Widgit,

Great thread!!
Could be used as the primer for the 4th. semester course in Machine Technology at our local College.

W. Smith Mission Viejo, CA

WOW!
Thanks for the kind post!
Widgit

[widgitmaster]

I decided to go ahead with the rubber swarf guard, so I modified the CAD file last night! This morning, I made the two aluminum strips which will clamp the rubber securely to the truck mounting plate. Next I drove to my friends printing shop, where he has a big paper cutter. With the print in hand, and the rolled up rubber, he quickly and accurately cut two pieces to the print dimensions! Without charge too, I'll have to stop by with a pizza one day soon

After returning to the shop, I marked the hole locations on the rubber with a sharpie pen. Then I used a leather punch to make the seven holes! Now I have to scrounge up some 10-32 flat hex socket head screws!

[widgitmaster]

Next, I removed the truck mounts from the router assembly, and placed one in the mill's vise. Then I used a 1/2" 4-flute end mill, and cut a .315" x .500" step on the inner edge of the truck mount. With several passes at 15 IPM, I removed .3 x .04" of steel per pass in climb mode. It would have gone faster if I had setup the spray-mister coolant system, but its a hassle


Now that both mounts are milled, I need to drill & tap the #10-32 threaded holes. Because the step cut into the existing 1/4-20 threaded holes, I will have to get some shorter SHCS to attach the gantry to the truck mounts! The rubber hides the sloppy looking holes, so that worked out OK!

The router is assembled one more time, and it looks like its getting bigger every day!

[CarveOne]

This is no worse than having a VW Beetle in the garage. The big CNC router machine will be much more fun and useful to have around.

[widgitmaster]

Long Live the VW Beetle !
I had a brand new one back in the 70's

[CarveOne]

I never had one. It's hard to believe that you can still buy a new one.

After watching your progress I can hardly wait to get started on my own upgraded frame project for my big machine. You can never make them too stiff. I keep finding that out after going too cheap on the metal parts materials and use it as an excuse to do another "upgrade".