[CarveOne]

I kinda like all the extra room you have at the end of your table. So what is the travel going to end up at? Also what do you plan to do about holding your stock down?

A full sheet of MDF will fit on the table and can be repositioned with dowel pins for long parts, or rotated 180 degrees to finish out a full sheet of small parts. I'll just cut the sheets in half most of the time.

50" x 62" cutting area. The MDF waste board will have T tracks. There are no plans at the moment for a vacuum hold down of any type.

CarveOne

[FandZ]

A full sheet of MDF will fit on the table and can be repositioned with dowel pins for long parts, or rotated 180 degrees to finish out a full sheet of small parts. I'll just cut the sheets in half most of the time.

50" x 62" cutting area. The MDF waste board will have T tracks. There are no plans at the moment for a vacuum hold down of any type.

CarveOne

So know we have some more mods to look forward too.

[CarveOne]

So know we have some more mods to look forward too.

Oh yes, more mods will come. The big one is the 4' x 8' steel frame later in the year. Then the rails will be lengthened to 9' so that I can cut a full sheet of MDF without moving it or cutting it in half, or cut long molds. This is going to be built separately so that it doesn't stop work with the current machine until it's time to transfer the parts over to the steel frame.

There will be a few bells and whistles changes as I find them needed. Bumper stops for the gantry, dust shoe, pen mount, vinyl cutter mount, and rotary axis build. (And then maybe some glow lights, fuzzy dice, overhead rotating mirror ball, and a 1kw speaker system CD player when I get really bored with it. )

CarveOne

[widgitmaster]

There are talkers, and there are doers!

It's obvious which one you are Carv'e
Keep up the good work!

Widgit

[oldhack]

Oh yes, more mods will come. The big one is the 4' x 8' steel frame later in the year. Then the rails will be lengthened to 9' so that I can cut a full sheet of MDF without moving it or cutting it in half, or cut long molds. This is going to be built separately so that it doesn't stop work with the current machine until it's time to transfer the parts over to the steel frame.

There will be a few bells and whistles changes as I find them needed. Bumper stops for the gantry, dust shoe, pen mount, vinyl cutter mount, and rotary axis build. (And then maybe some glow lights, fuzzy dice, overhead rotating mirror ball, and a 1kw speaker system CD player when I get really bored with it. )

CarveOne

I like the mirror ball as that will make the machine run smoother. I tried the fuzzy dice but they kept getting caught in the e-chain.

[CarveOne]

There are talkers, and there are doers!

It's obvious which one you are Carv'e
Keep up the good work!

Widgit

Thanks Widgit,

Sometimes I talk too much and do too little also. There were some big time gaps in this build where nothing was being done but I persevered, and it will be completely useful very soon if this cold winter weather ever lets up. My employer has a mold or two for me to exercise the machine on and we'll see how good the accuracy and cut quality is. I'll use Renshape 440 material and cut something like fin or stabilizer molds for fiberglass and epoxy lay-ups. If I am allowed to I will post photos here.

CarveOne

[CarveOne]

I like the mirror ball as that will make the machine run smoother. I tried the fuzzy dice but they kept getting caught in the e-chain.

My favorite is the mud flaps idea on the gantry (popular choices around here are John Deere and Nascar) and would act like dust shields behind the router. The 1kw amp and CD player will insure that I can hear the bluegrass playing over the router noise.

CarveOne

[MyCattMaxx]

I vote JD as John Deere Yellow and Green are a Great color combo.

Here is a pic of a bird stuck in my feeder.

[joecnc2006]

I vote JD as John Deere Yellow and Green are a Great color combo.

Here is a pic of a bird stuck in my feeder.

Thats the color of my new Rack and pinion machine I'm finishing up now.

[CarveOne]

I vote JD as John Deere Yellow and Green are a Great color combo.

Here is a pic of a bird stuck in my feeder.

That one must have been really hungry and just wanted that one big seed over in the middle.

CarveOne

[CarveOne]

Thats the color of my new Rack and pinion machine I'm finishing up now.

Hi Joe,

That new one sure looks easier to build than than what I've done on mine. The R&P drives really cut out the need for a lot of the machined parts I made for my originally installed lead screws. (I'll re-use those parts on my first build upgrades later this year.) Looks good!

CarveOne

[CarveOne]

I spent the evening rearranging the computer and control box locations under the table so that I can see the BOB status lights and have better access to the control box when I start adding the home/limit switch wiring. I made four steel anchors that fit the ends of the Igus e-chain and screw to the 1x3 support board and then zip tied the wiring in the e-chain to the support board six inches away from the anchors where it never has to bend so that the e-chain stays straight on the support board. I also cut the A axis motor wires, removed it from the gantry box tube, and re-routed it onto the leading edge of the Y/Z axis e-chain support board.

Today I will bring home a sheet of MDF and cut it to 49" x 72" for the spoil board. This length allows some extra room for clamps at the ends of a 62" long part. I'll attach the spoil board to the work table top with threaded inserts in the table top and brass or nylon screws through pockets in the spoil board. I'll pick up some roll paper at Staples for the plotting tests.

CarveOne

[CarveOne]

The electronics enclosure is tilted for a better view of the BOB lights. I still need to figure out a better way for the motor wires to exit the enclosure. The enclosure cover is not attached yet.

I'm not sure where the best location is for mounting the e-stop switch yet. I removed the plastic dust shield behind the keyboard so I can reach the e-stop switch better where it is shown. I forgot to buy an electrical box for it today, but maybe I can find a substitute for it around here somewhere.

I decided to cut the MDF to 62" length instead of 72" and will mount it to the table tomorrow with eight brass threaded inserts in the work table top. The photo shows it in the approximate location of the cutting area of the machine. I'll locate it more closely by running the machine tomorrow. The left over piece of MDF is going to be used for some test cuts.

One of the photos shows how much the Y axis pinion drive projects past the end of the gantry. It is no farther out than the X axis e-chain. I'm pretty happy with that.

The photo of the rear side of the gantry shows the metal anchors on the e-chain. It's just a piece of 1/8" x 1" flat steel stock with a hole that fits the "pin" of the e-chain and a smaller hole for a #8 wood screw to hold the anchor to the support board. I notched the board to fit the anchors so that the anchors fit up against the e-chain snugly.

I picked up a couple of rolls of banner paper today to use for plotting paper. Each roll is 30 inches wide by 52 feet long. {That should be enough for a while. I didn't look at the length when I picked up two rolls) I'll install the bumpers on the gantry and make the end plates tomorrow. Then I need to decide what I will do for a dust shoe. I need to get some of the more flexible 4" hose for the dust collector. The hose that came with it is rather stiff. Need some T-track and clamps also.

CarveOne

[jsantos]

Looks like you're almost there. Those e-chain anchors sure looks much better than what some other guy did - just screwing the e-chains to the board. :-)

[CarveOne]

Looks like you're almost there. Those e-chain anchors sure looks much better than what some other guy did - just screwing the e-chains to the board. :-)

Well, that works too. I only used steel because I didn't find any 1/8" aluminum, plastic, or gold bar stock laying around.

CarveOne

[MyCattMaxx]

You do realize that BOB has been speelin his name backwards all his life? Just funnin'

[judleroy]

The machine is really looking good! So.... do you have any idea what the first thing your going to cut will be. If I had to guess I would say parts for the router? Kidding aside do you have anything your dying to make? I'll bet whatever it is the machines up to it. Maybe something to mod one of your other machines. I'm just dying to see!

[FandZ]

At first glance, your machine looks simple and easy to replicate. But when you really start to look at it, you can see your experience as a fabricator with all the different techniques you use. Simple aint easy.


On your Z axis, how did you mange to tap your router mount at an angle like that? I've been trying to figure out the best way to do just that. Best idea I could come up with is useing a jig in a vice.

[CarveOne]

You do realize that BOB has been speelin his name backwards all his life? Just funnin'

No kidding, does he really do that? Sneaky little devil. Some people just do things behind your back don't they?

CarveOne

[CarveOne]

The machine is really looking good! So.... do you have any idea what the first thing your going to cut will be. If I had to guess I would say parts for the router? Kidding aside do you have anything your dying to make? I'll bet whatever it is the machines up to it. Maybe something to mod one of your other machines. I'm just dying to see!

I would like to try a solid guitar body and a neck for fun eventually, otherwise it will be the usual stuff that others cut while getting familiar with the software. It will be used for R/C model wood parts, R/C foamy parts, signs, but the main use will be for cutting molds for our commercial stuff at work when needed. I have a couple of files for 1911A pistol grips that I will try out soon.

At least it is something to look at now if you still want to drop by sometime.

CarveOne