[joecnc2006]

Inside the Z Axis Slide.

[joecnc2006]

Here is the gantry together and Like (Lionclaw's suggestion) I will be installing 4 threaded rods all the wat through it left to right. The Z-Axis slide is just a little tight so i need to adjust it a little. (maybe hollow out the bearings ever so slightly). Total weight 77lbs right now and it is pretty well balanced just slightly more to the rear.

[Jason Marsha]

Good work Joe.

Jason

[Lionclaw]

It's looking awesome Joe. It looks like you managed to get your hands on some nice galvanized pipe? Or is it conduit?

Get cracking on that table! I can't wait to see how your double rail system works out :cheers:

[joecnc2006]

Thanks, Jason

It's looking awesome Joe. It looks like you managed to get your hands on some nice galvanized pipe? Or is it conduit?

Get cracking on that table! I can't wait to see how your double rail system works out :cheers:

It is the galvanized gas pipe from Lowes, just a tad more expensive than the black, but i did not want the paint on the pipe to affect the accuracy as it wears even tho its would be very slight and i think it looks better.

[mhiggins]

Joe,

You must have been drawing this one up before you even finished the last one.
This post probably belongs on the thread for your second machine but it doesn't look like that one is very active now.

I like your new design but your second machine is a little more along the lines of my current manufacturing capabilities. I have come up with an idea that might improve the old design for those who aren't quite ready to tackle this one. Since it used unsupported pipe I thought I could add a set of adjustable bearings inside the lower gantry to take some of the side load off of the pipe. This lead to a slightly more complex idea of building torsion box gantry sides with three sets of bearings.
See my drawings. (I only have one of the horizontal setup the other two didn't survive the floppy disk transfer from work to home.)

Since then I thought it might even be useful in a design like your current one. Maybe a supported top rail with an unsupported lower rail fully captured in the lower gantry torsion box.

Just throwing out some ideas for review.

Mike.

[joecnc2006]

Joe,

You must have been drawing this one up before you even finished the last one.
This post probably belongs on the thread for your second machine but it doesn't look like that one is very active now.

I like your new design but your second machine is a little more along the lines of my current manufacturing capabilities. I have come up with an idea that might improve the old design for those who aren't quite ready to tackle this one. Since it used unsupported pipe I thought I could add a set of adjustable bearings inside the lower gantry to take some of the side load off of the pipe. This lead to a slightly more complex idea of building torsion box gantry sides with three sets of bearings.
See my drawings. (I only have one of the horizontal setup the other two didn't survive the floppy disk transfer from work to home.)

Since then I thought it might even be useful in a design like your current one. Maybe a supported top rail with an unsupported lower rail fully captured in the lower gantry torsion box.

Just throwing out some ideas for review.

Mike.

that would help some left to right as the gantry would be pushing on both pipes instead of one in any given direction.

like to see more when you get it.

[mhiggins]

that would help some left to right as the gantry would be pushing on both pipes instead of one in any given direction.

I'm still in the early planning stages and the design may change a few more times before I actually start building.

One of the things I really like about your second design, and this one, is that the bearings are outside the rails rather than inside like the original JGRO. This would appear to increases the Y-axis travel without increasing the overall width of the machine. I probably won't end up using the vertical torsion box idea since that will take up a lot of my Y-axis travel with the extra thickness. I have a limited overall size that I must maintain if I ever plan to get my truck back in the garage.

I have gotten a ton of ideas from this thread and your previous machine. I'm anxious to see the table for this one.

Keep up the good work.

[joecnc2006]

I went to lowes and looked around but did not really see anything i wanted for motor mounts that would accept the 10-24 screws needed for the nema23 motors, so i descided to make my own it is very stout, cut them out then drilled and taped the ends for the screws to secure it from the bottom and also the motor to mount ontop, here is what i came up with (I will know when I get the machine up and running if the heat from the motors will have any effect on the HDPE but i think it will be ok).

[sdantonio]

Hi joe,

I saw that you went with the lovejoy couplers that Andy recomended. I did a search for alternative couplers and found that McMster-Carr http://www.mcmaster.com/ sells exactly the same thing for considerable less. Coupler hubs are about #2

[sdantonio]

sorry, hit the wrong button. Coupler hubs are $3.26 each and the spiders are either $2 or $6.50 for buna or hytrel. So the whole thing can be <$10 for a complete coupler assembly. The lovejoys I've seen are running around $30 each. just thought I'd mention this in case your looking for more or if someone else is looking for them. On the McMaster site just do a find product search under spider and a padge of them will come up.

Steven

[joecnc2006]

sorry, hit the wrong button. Coupler hubs are $3.26 each and the spiders are either $2 or $6.50 for buna or hytrel. So the whole thing can be <$10 for a complete coupler assembly. The lovejoys I've seen are running around $30 each. just thought I'd mention this in case your looking for more or if someone else is looking for them. On the McMaster site just do a find product search under spider and a padge of them will come up.

Steven

Actually USE-ENCO.com is cheaper here is the actual shipping order of mine, so if you need the part numbers its on there, and other things i got for my machine..

[joecnc2006]

The lovejoys had a ever so slight little play in them with the Rubber type Spiders that come with them so i cut my own and they fit tight and no play at all now.

[ger21]

The play is (was ) to allow for slight misalignment.

[joecnc2006]

The play is (was ) to allow for slight misalignment.

I should not need it in my machine, it is pretty much dead on for alignment or within reason.

[joecnc2006]

I just was not satified with my Z Axis so i redesigned it and I am now using skate bearings It is very smooth and easy to move compaired to the other one I had In posts #41.

This has two 6" bearing slides and I managed to design it in such a way as to use U bolts and another bearing on the backside to keep it snug against the 3/4" Drill rod.

I am very happy with it now, and it has no racking in it at all that i can tell by trying to twist it by hand.

The travel is 6 3/4"

Joe

[Lionclaw]

Pretty nifty Joe. Looks good.

[sdantonio]

Hi Joe,

Nice fix on the Z-axis, creative. Can't wait to see the whole thing together

Steven

[joecnc2006]

Thanks, Lionclaw and sdantonio,

I believe it will work out better, I started cutting the bottom portion and will pick up the pipes this week, the galvanized gas pipes are a little more expensive than the black, but i like them because of no paint on them.

Has anyone Used EMT piping? it is thinner, and i was thinking in this design where the rails are fixed and supported they might workout.

Joe

[sdantonio]

For some reason I thought I had heard bad things about the galvanized gas pipe. I don't remember exactly what the comment was though. It could have been just price related.

Steven