[FoamCaster]

Wow.. this place has gotten HUGE ..:drowning:

started building this bad boy after having built some stuff from Crankorgan, and the infamous JGRO stuff (actually built 3 JGROs).. I'm not a complete idiot, but some of my resources are way limited..

I started out with the wood frame.. got that built, bought several pcs of aluminum plate, but couldn't find the aluminum c-channel, so got a steel piece - same dimensions..meh. I had a crapload of trouble finding anyone locally who would cut and drill the aluminum pcs for me ..I actually hired 3 welding/machine shops a year and a half ago to make the pieces...haven't heard a word from none of them. One of them has my acme 1/2" two start 5tpi leadscrews with matching nuts..had them simply turn the ends down..that was the full year and a half ago! (they "lost them") - what can I do? sue them? lol.. I have friends that can do the cutting/drilling, too.. but they're just too busy with whatever. The pieces of aluminum I left at my last attempted friend's shop are probably still there.. bout a hundred bucks worth of T-6...GONE.

So I decide to dust off the plans after about a year..figure, hell. Ive built machines out of woood.. might as well build the thing out of what I can cut.. 1/4" Masonite. figure I'll laminate two pieces together and shop temper or just seal them them once I get the holes cut n stuff..

Got some 425 Oz steppers sitting on a shelf with a home-built box via xylotex that I plan on using.. I know - kinda wimpy.. but hey - I have less options than most folks..and I'm tired of trying to job out stuff in this less-than-eager, and non-professional community that I live in..

So. My problem inasmuch so far is how to attach these makeshift end plates on the gantry beam to a steel c channel. I'll figure it out eventually.. the end plates actually look pretty good - I cut them singly using a jigsaw and used some vinyl-cut patterns that I stuck on the Masonite..(pic) next step is to glue and clamp and then drill.

...Suppose this is my build thread, huh?