[Black Forest]

I have collected most of the parts to build my CNC plasma table. I have gone through 30 pages of the build project forum looking for ideas. So I am asking if you all would post some pictures of your tables in this thread so I could decide on a final design. Shop made or bought tables would be great.

What I am specifically interested in are the carriage design and the long axis sides. I want to build my table so the side rails are are lower than the cutting surface in order to facilitate easy loading.

I have the gantry built and now need to build the table.

[flyinwilly]

I used 2 x 2 angle to make a U shaped channel which I hung from the side of my machine. At the bottom of the channel I put my guide rail and hung the motors from there. Everything is below the cutting surface except the plate(s) that the gantry rides on. You can see pics of my build at "A Different Machine - Downdraft/water table". I used the 2 x 2 angle instead of the 4" channel because of cost but it was a lot more work doing it this way. I used V guides with belts (all enclosed in the channel) but you could run rack or screw drives with no problem.

Good Luck.

Willy

[Kerryfisher]

Have you seen mine yet?
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...75352601632753

Mine has side rails that are above the slats, I would do the same again as well, I can load easy enough, it protects the linear rail from water and damage, can use two blocks against the far side to push sheet up to which lines the sheet up parallel to y axis, somewhere to place small parts as it cuts and is a good lever to get a round bar under a sheet to slide off onto my loading method as in the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubyRYxWP4dU

[Black Forest]

Sean, Great build! The way your rails are built would be fine. I was referring to the tables with the gantry running on rails that are 6 to 10 inches above the slats with one open end to load sheet. At this point I am leaning towards using a downdraft system, not a water table. A 5 x 10 table also. Using a nut driven ball screws on X and Y. Mainly because I am building a dual purpose table for plasma and milling/drilling.