Hi All

From my 6 years of ShopBot experience, and moving it from a lightweight design to something more suitable for daily reliable production, a bigger brother has evolved. Since ShopBot won't do a gantry longer than 5 ft, and most of our boards in this country are 6 ft wide (9 ft long), we were practically obliged to build our own MechMate from the ground up. See www.mechmate.com for pics and more of the story in a forum over there.

Many people (mostly ShopBotters) have asked for plans, and I do intend to publish them once they are tidied up. These plans would be available to a wider audience.

What makes the MechMate different? Well, the Keep It Simple & Stupid principles are applied. It does not use the finest linear bearings and ballscrews - rather it uses affordable, reliable elements that need little maintenance, yet still produces a passable cut quality for the bulk of profitable jobs. The MechMate is geared towards maximising income for minimal outlay.

Anyway, this post was just to wet your appetite a bit - now I must go and clean up the plans! :)

All the best

Gerald Dorrington

Gerald that looks absolutely fantastic! :D It might be just what Im looking for as a build when I've done my small 2'x3' solsylva machine.

Do you have a guideline price for the plans?
Will the plans include step by step instructions and recommended parts like my solsylva plans, or just drawings?
When will they be available? (Sorry, no pressure! ;) )
Do you have a guideline price for the finished article?

Bye for now. :)

oops, I got beaten to the question

Hi Diarmaid

Thanks for the comments. The plans will be free - so that there can't be any complaints that someone got less than what they paid for! :).

The finished article you see here (2,6m x 1,9m table) cost me less than $6000 in materials and sub-contractors. (includes 3.4kW (5HP) spindle)

The "plans" will consist of:
1. - drawing sheets (all size A4) in .dxf and .pdf format. Typical for use by small/mid-size engineering companies. Actually, there will be flood of drawing sheets - a bracket which is cut, bent and drilled will typically have 3 drawing sheets because there is a chance that 3 different people have to do those three processes.
2. - A WBS (work breakdown structure) in .xls format that lists tasks, components, prices, (my) suppliers, notes. (that 3-process bracket will have 3 lines in the WBS)
3. - the Forum at mechmate.com where detailed discussions and photos can/will be posted for the things that are not clear in the drawing sheets and WBS.

You must realise that I am in a metric 230V 50Hz environment and follow Euro practices, but am quite comfortable to talk in inches and "half"-voltage....:)

Also, if this is going to be only a one person project, with me having to do a lot more documenting work than what I've done so far, then I am probably going to get bored and walk away. Hopefully a whole bunch of guys will get stuck in and actually help to develop the "plans", and help each other via the Forum. This is the true price that I am hoping people will pay - giving back comments, photos and modified files. I am hoping to have the tricky job of deciding which feedback actually goes into the "official" Mechmate plans.

But, first I have to take my annual holiday over the next few weeks......:)

All the best
Gerald

That sounds great Gerald, thanks in advance as it sounds like a lot of work.


Jason

230V 50Hz....Woohoo...Im in Ireland...:D

I'd love to help but I haven't even started my first machine yet so not sure how much use I'll be, Im a total noob without any useful experience :(. Although SWMBO did give me permission to get moving on my 2' x 3' machine because she wants things carved, so I'm gonna get the finger out when I have time and start, gotta wait until next months pay check to order the parts. Thankyou for doing this, and please don't lose interest, it really does look like a fantastic machine. Relax and take your time with it so you dont get bored. And most importantly, enjoy your holiday. :) L8rs.

Before I start doing detail content, I would appreciate some feedback on whether the format of the downloadable docs at www.mechmate.com would be suitable. There is a tiny sample at the downloads page.

Thanks

Im not at home at the moment, but when I am next I'll check some of those files for you. I imagine the .pdf should be fine, and when I get my full CAD program I figure I'd be able to try the .dxf but dont have any .dxf compatible program at the moment.

The format seems fine to me.

Jason

The .dxf files as separate files are rather large and I have now additionally put a .zip right at the top of the downloads page that contains everything. Nothing else will change there in the next month, except to fix errors.

Hi. I went through those files this morning before work, dxf's and all! They all seem great thus far except for two problems:

1) 20 X-Gantry:
10 20 450 W.pdf links to a '.dxf' file instead of the '.pdf'.

2) Common Ass & Parts:
M1 20 121 T.pdf links to a '.dxf' file instead of the '.pdf'.

However those two files work fine in the '.zip'.

Two other points I noticed which Im sure you know about but just to be concise.
1) A lot of the files didn't have any measurements shown in them.
2) The majority of files shown on screen didn't have any hyperlinks activated yet. (Just so you know in case they are not working but I figure they are not up yet.)

Great job! :)

PS: Something worries me that you might be able to clear up. I couldn't find a 'Log Out' button on your site?

Hi Diarmaid

Thanks for the comments and corrections.

The 2 incorrect links have been fixed. Those without links are still to be created. The logout button is more obvious now.

Regarding "missing" dimensions: Those drawings won't get much more dimensions because then there will be too many! :)

For parts intending to be laser-cut, the scale .dxf is available to the laser cutting company (all the lasercut parts already have their .dxf drawings in the download area). These are the file names with the second last character being a P.

Assembly drawings seldom need any dimensions. (second last character A)

A "cut-to-length" drawing only needs one dimension (second last character S (for Saw))

A "recatangle-cut-from-sheet" needs two dimensions (second last character G (for Guillotine))

Etc.

In the "T" drawing for the V-Tyre, you might say there are too many dimensions, but again I think that is the minimum required. :)

The logic will become clearer with time - have a look at the bottom of the .xls file, the "WBS" for a key.

There will be an area of variable dimensions where folk are going to customise the table bed sizes, and this affects a lot of the drawings still to be posted. A discussion on that will be linked into the Forum.

Hope I've answered you okay - please feel free to ask more. Thanks again for spotting the errors.

Oh well, the month's break was all too short, and I need to get back to the treadmill again.....

Some folk seem to be having problems with accessing the data in the password controlled area, and I don't know if I am really producing a friendly format of info. As a trial sample, there is a non-password-needed zip file over here: www.mechmate.com/MechMate.zip 672 kB

Before I waste time producing more data that might not be readable, comments on the data in the referenced .zip file would be appreciated.

Thanks

Dont know about the files but what a beast!! I like it (dont have room for it :( )

Gerald_D,

I've been looking at your website, VERY COOL! That control box and the "Y-axis carrier" are so professional looking. I downloaded and opened the zip file you posted here with no problems at all. Thanks for the PDF support.


Jerry


.

What ever happened to the MechMate router project????

I checked the forum on the website and no recent activity.....:(

....which I read to be low public interest, and so I wonder if it is worth pursuing.

Gerald_D,

Very Impressive! I can't speak for everyone, but i am impressed and interested and feel it is still worth pursuing. Keep Up the good work!

I havn't given up, but it is a lonely job.

At this size of machine I was expecting folk to be less "hobbyist" and more "industrial" and that they would know something about CNC in general. But I get flooded by e-mails from people saying things like "I am new to CNC, but I have some old stepper motors from a big printer - can I use them in the MechMate?" :rolleyes:

The primary application for a MechMate is cutting sheets of MDF and plywood into shapes. With this in mind, one needs to know what size of MDF and ply boards are supplied in your area, and then size the machine accordingly. Folk are not very forthcoming on what size machine they want. (See this thread (http://www.mechmate.com/Forum/messages/8/1172.html)) This is the type of thing that makes me deduce that serious interest is very low.

However, there are a handful of non-English speakers (shy in public) who are very seriously interested and correspond with me via mail only. When the plans do get more fully released, you could thank a gent in Iceland in particular:)

Gerald,

I am sure that a lot of people are waiting for your plans as I am. I think that people would rather avoid pushing you asking about status. At least this is my feeling after private conversations with people from different forums. Regarding the size of table and correlation with the size of MDF sheet I do not think people consider as an issue as long as the table is big enough in the respect of biggest MDF sheet available.

Please, keep the good working and share your plans. Anyway, I think that some more details - instructions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Zoltan

.....Regarding the size of table and correlation with the size of MDF sheet I do not think people consider as an issue as long as the table is big enough in the respect of biggest MDF sheet available....

The biggest sheet of MDF is over 2 meters wide. Do you personally want a CNC router of that size?........
......or do you just want to look at lots of details and use (steal?) them in your own design? ;)

I might be strange in this way, but I am really only interested to help people who want to build a machine that is more than 70% MechMate, paint it blue, and put a big MechMate label in it! :)

As I said before, I already have too many people mailing me with "crazy" requests of how can I modify this or that. How must I stay motivated to complete the drawings when 80% of my time is spent talking to people who are really not interested to build a complete MechMate? If I make more of the drawings public now, then that 80% will only become bigger. :(

Hi again Gerard,
This is a fantastic looking design and please do stay motivated. For my own application, when I build my first large router, it will be for industrial use, and I will be carving gates and fence panels with it. Thus I believe I will be needing to build something with a min of an 8ft x 8ft cutting area. People need to customise their systems for their own particular uses, and since they are building it themselves they expect to do this. I would consider it a compliment if people used my design to make their customised system. This would not be abusing the plans in any way. Look at the small solsylva machine http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21411 that lots of noobies have built, it has been modified in ways too numerous to mention, but NONE of them could have even started it without the plans. In my case I want to build a MechMate, but just make it larger. This still means that I would buy your plans if they were for sale, and I would hope that you wouldn't mind me asking for help on this site and others about how to slightly enlarge it.....also I have no problem putting 'MechMate' onto it, but I want to paint it yellow! :D If I buy a car I expect to specify a colour, if I build my car from a plan, Im putting whatever colour I want on it! :hehe: ;)
Please don't get discouraged. Im sorry that I dont have more experience to throw into the soup, but maybe in a few years if your designing a second one, after me building and using your first, I'll be able to help more. :)
If people are harassing you by e-mail then consider putting a note beside your e-mail address on the site along the lines of: "This router is a work in progress, please do not contact me regarding any methods of modifying or changing the design for your own use. Im doing this in my spare time and cant spend hours responding to individual cases." Or whatever.

Ups...misconception...here the biggest MDF sheet I have seen was 2X2 and was thinking about the biggest regular size. I would not modify your design, and to be fully honest with you I do not feel very secure with my design skills to risk such an undertaking, and I would like to paint and label it Mechamate. Of course your plans would be feasible for me as long as your technical solutions are not demanding huge costs and not available technology here.

BTW, please, keep in mind, I never steal something. I would prefer not having. I am too simple person.


Zoltan

Don't worry Zoltan, I make lots of jokes. :)

OK. I understood.
I would be really happy to build a MechMate, painted and labeled as since one year I just tried to overcome my lack of skills in design by reading on here and building small hobby machines. Until now due to lack of skills I could not define a design for an industrial CNC machine, despite the fact that I am still dreaming to a day when to make my living from making products with CNC router.
Thank you.

Zoltan

Hi Zoltan and everyone else,

Yesterday I managed to post 56 drawing sheets compared to the 17 that were there before. And still there is a lot more to do.....

The thing that keeps me motivated is to walk past our MechMate and see it cutting every day with zero problems and zero maintenance. The open rack & pinions have not been cleaned or greased for about 4 months - we just blow most of the dust heaps off the table so that the next sheet of wood can be aligned. It really is a reliable solid production machine, built low-tech.

In the drawings you will see more about the rails for the v-rollers - this is probably the thing that will worry everyone the most, but somebody with a milling machine can produce them.

All the best
Gerald

Gerald...what can I say...WOW! :D I got the pdf's of the new files. Unfortunately due to my lack of experience with technical drawings I find it a bit hard figuring out what goes where. But looking at the photos on the site I can figure it out without a too much hassle.
And speaking of the site, I have to be honest and admit that I haven't visited in a while, but it seems like you have a thread for every possible question I could ask, which will be great when building! :) Also seems to be a good turnover of membership input into the forums. I like the way that you have left the primary measurements open for people to be able to adapt the size with the mimimum of fuss. Great idea.
Keep up the excellent job your doing on this. Thanks again.
:)

Thanks!

The "what goes where" drawings are still coming, but here is a little introduction to the logic in the numbers:....(it is the numbering system used in my dayjob)

Start by looking for all drawing sheets with an S as the "Process". This is for Sawn Steel and are the drawings you use to (S)tart your (S)hopping. lol.

In the top left corner of the title block is the next higher level drawing, or next process. If it ends in a D then it is for (D)rilling, or (W)elding, etc.

When we start a production run of a particular machine, we select out all the S drawings for a (bar) steel merchant with saws, the G drawings for a sheet steel supplier with guillotines, the T drawings for a machine shop with lathes, the P drawings for a laser cutter, K for spring supplier, etc. Of course the supplier situation will not be the same everywhere around the world, but it makes the project more logical, less daunting, I hope.

Gerald,
I have to commend you on doing such a great job. The last few months I've been doing more CNC research, and I came across the Shopbot website. I've read a lot of your posts on there, but I had no idea you'd more or less created your own CNC design by modifying your Shopbot.

I'm still quite far from attempting a large scale CNC like this. I'm just getting started and building my first small CNC router from David Steele's Solsylva plans. Hopefully someday, I'll have the knowledge to build me a MechMate. I also like the design of it better than the Shopbot, so please keep working on this. :)

Hi Gerald,

Thank you. Your work is really a value add for all of us.

Please, tell me how you cut the angle rail at 24 mm.

Zoltan

1<O:p</O:p

Gerald
I have read this entire post and checked out your website and your are definatly on track. I have not wanted to build a small wooden hobby router, I am interested in something a bit more industrial. Yours looks very good. There is only a few designs that would be suitable for me, and yours is one of them.
I detected some discouragement on your part. Your right, its lonely on the top. I would say your on your way to something great. Your becoming the expert!!
Enough of the pep talk, I was wondering if I could use some motors from a copy machine........just kidding.
I had no trouble downloading the pdf and zip files. I could open them no problem in autocad and solidedge. If I could get them in 3d, that would be even better.
4' x 8' is the biggest piece I would use.
Is there any reason the gantry couldnt be moved up to give more travel to the Z axis? I need about 12".
I am anxious to see what comes next.
You do good work and your generous. That allways pays off.


Thanks JK
No, I cant spell.

Hyrum & Zoltan, I didn't see your messages till today - sorry about that.

The rails are cut to about 25mm high in a bandsaw. The bandasw has guides on the table and the rails are pushed through by hand. The rest is done in a milling machine.

Runinby....

Thanks for the encouragement :)

The Z-slide is "overhung" in that it is supported only at one end and then dangles down. Increasing that overhang length has a very big effect on flex and accuracy. If you accept that the cut quality will deteriorate as the gantry allows higher workpieces, then the sky is the limit....

The ShopBot guys with raised gantries often put dummy "stages" on the table to lift boards up nearer to the gantry.

Hi All

I have been kicked into life by a couple of guys who have actually started cutting steel and they wanted more drawings, pronto! My major headache was the z-slide, since I used a bit of expensive linear rail that I had lying around, but couldn't expect the DIY builder to go finding something similar.

This is the alternative Z-slide that fits in with the overall scheme of laser cut and bent plates:

http://www.mechlift.com/2014.jpg

http://www.mechlift.com/2008.jpg

The full story on that z-slide is posted here: http://www.mechmate.com/Forum/messages/1168/1860.html

As far as the table goes, most of the essential drawings are now published. I want to get that side 100% complete before doing a couple of drawings on the control box and a some wiring diagrams.

All the best
Gerald
www.mechmate.com

Looks good Gerald. Lets get some pics of those in process machines.

Jason

oops,

I just checked out your link and saw all the pics.

Alan Conolly is building a 3D model with Google's SketchUp. His post, (and link to the file) is here: http://www.mechmate.com/Forum/messages/329/2574.html.

I had never used SketchUp before, but I quickly managed to see this "X-ray":
http://www.mechlift.com/mmsketch.jpg

Sketchup is great. I like it! :D

Don't be discouraged, I like your design.

For everybody else,

Copier steppers = NO, this is an industrial sheet cutter.

I'm waiting for the big finish. :)

Just a quick update....

While 740 people have downloaded the plans, it seems as if about 40 MechMates are actively being built, and 2 have been completed to the stage where they are cutting wood already (Doc Tanner & Fabrica (Sri Lanka)).

It is picking up momentum.....

All the best
Gerald

www.mechmate.com

After 6 years I am still amazed that a crude beast of a MechMate (or ShopBot), with no linear bearings, no ballscrews, can produce such fine work, even on a small scale.

This 6x4" was done by Fabrica in Sri Lanka:

http://www.mechlift.com/001.jpg

More of the story here: http://www.mechmate.com/Forum/messages/2/3502.html

For those who are contemplating the MechMate, Donald Neisler is doing a group buy on the laser cut & bent plates, out of Texas, shipping across the States. Here is his info: http://www.mechmate.com/Forum/messages/2/2596.html

All the best
Gerald

www.mechmate.com

Its impressive Gerald, now we need someone to try a 6 foot by 4 foot version of that dragon.:)

Jason

After 6 years I am still amazed that a crude beast of a MechMate (or ShopBot), with no linear bearings, no ballscrews, can produce such fine work, even on a small scale.



What do you think the resolution of the machine is? without any gear down, just straight pinion drive.

That example above was with 3.6:1 gearing I believe. My two machines are direct driven, without any gearing, and I believe that I would have come fairly close to the example above. Technically, our direct-drive resolution is about 0.04mm [0.0015"] while for the example above it was 0.011mm [.0004"], but these numbers are fairly meaningless in practical wood cutting terms when grain is involved.

For those who cannot afford the standard V-capped tracks from BishopWisecarver or Hepco at $40 per foot, or even the same thing from www.superiorbearing.com at about $10 per foot, here is a experiment I did this weekend:

http://www.mechmate.com/Forum/messages/11/3790.html

http://www.mechlift.com/3812.jpg

You don't have any excuse to NOT build a MechMate now! (well, aside from the space, etc.):)

Gerald, that is a fine example. I am working my way up to a MechMate, I still think it is a better upgrade than a shopbot.

Joe

Double post:
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36018

Excellent idea Gerald. You are so right about no excuses now as the guide rail cost and availability were the reasons the V bearing idea was scrapped on my diy machine.

Jason

Hi All

The www.mechmate.com website was down this week while I changed the forum software over to vBulletin. Apologies to those who wanted plans in a hurry for this weekend ;)

Please visit again and refresh your browser, if you still see old pages. These are the new pages: Home (http://www.mechmate.com/index.html), Forums (http://www.mechmate.com/Problems.htm), Downloads (http://www.mechmate.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=20), Contact (http://www.mechmate.com/forums/sendmessage.php).

Thanks

Gerald_D

Gerald, I can't register on you're forum. I keep getting this error message.
A required field called Preferred unit of length is missing or has an invalid value

Hi Ger21

On the sign-up page you are obliged to indicate whether your preferred unit of measurement is mm or inches by clicking one of two "radio buttons". Is that not being shown to you? (I've had problems before while logged as a mod on one board, another board on the same software would be affected - my board now also uses vB and you are a mod here?)

I didn't see it there. :confused: All set now, thanks. ;)

Glad to have you aboard - could do with the services of an experienced vB mod! If I can still figure out how the modding works in vB...... :)

New Forum Looks good, Now to start collecting all the parts :)

Joe

Hi All

I have been kicked into life by a couple of guys who have actually started cutting steel and they wanted more drawings, pronto! My major headache was the z-slide, since I used a bit of expensive linear rail that I had lying around, but couldn't expect the DIY builder to go finding something similar.

This is the alternative Z-slide that fits in with the overall scheme of laser cut and bent plates:

http://www.mechlift.com/2014.jpg

http://www.mechlift.com/2008.jpg

The full story on that z-slide is posted here: http://www.mechmate.com/Forum/messages/1168/1860.html

As far as the table goes, most of the essential drawings are now published. I want to get that side 100% complete before doing a couple of drawings on the control box and a some wiring diagrams.

All the best
Gerald
www.mechmate.com

great spindle motor. where i can by it?

I had my machine 95% completed beore I discovered the Mechmate. I built a 4 axis CNC indexer that can do wood columns up to 24" by 10'. My POS gantry wouldn't hack it and I built the Mechmate gantry as a replacement. A first class design and the best I have ever seen. See mine at http://www.turningaround.org/4_axis_mill.htm

There are now some videos on YouTube:

The big MechMate built from scratch: (Front of dust foot removed)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGVQQf_iQpI

What was originally the 8x4' Shopbot is now fully converted except for the X-rails, x-racks and x-pinions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGQ2J4GgXkg

The workshop where it started - now the home of CAM Craft
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSelxyC5LU0

Hi Gerard,
Thanks for sharing these videos with all of us CNC enthusiasts & Mechmate fans.
For my self, I’m still hopping to join you group one day, the question as with many others I assume, I lack time to devote some the right time for the hole making of process ( learning curve as being the one taking the most !)
Will chat more soon (hoping) as being another one jointing your great MechMate family.
Amicalement, <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comhttp://www.cnczone.com/forums/<st1:PersonName>Robert M</st1:PersonName>

As from last Friday, the free drawings at www.mechmate.com are for the Mamba version of the MechMate. (The Classic has been filed in the archive)

What makes the Mamba different to the Classic:

Choice of using "BWC" rails or making your own
Extended Z-range from 200 to 250mm [8 to 10"] without increasing flexibility
Optional 350mm [14"] Z-slide
6 rollers on the Z-slide (4 rollers will reduce z-range by 50mm [2"]
Optional motor plates optimised for the geared motors
Details provided for attaching cable chains on Y and Z axis
Details provided for a grinding tool to shape rails

While allowing for the choice of rail types/styles, the rail height was increased by 4mm [3/16"] which can cause some difficulty in mixing a small number of drawings between the Classic and the Mamba.

The Mamba set is being considered as being for a fee in future. I don't know when, if, or how much at this stage.

Thanks to all who have contributed to developing this set of drawings, and a special thanks to those that will prove the drawings - they are still a "Beta" release.

Thank u GERALD... I will definitly work on ur machine...

To those considering a MechMate, I have released a very detailed bill of materials - six, 8 point font, 11" x 17" pages worth. It includes EVERY part (paint, screws, bolts, steel, etc) and the supplying vendor to build the table and all the major electrical (drivers, wire, switches, etc) parts. The BOM also contains drawing-by-drawing times and tools required.

The basic cost of the MechMate is as follows:

Table+motors: $4,500 USD
Drivers+electronics+laser (less CAD/CAM): $3,000 USD
Dust Management: $500 USD
The total cost of a complete MechMate without a spindle or vacuum table, is about $8,500 USD. This easily puts the MechMate on par with commercial units in the $15,000 to $20,000 USD range.

The total physical build time for the MechMate is about 100 hours with the proper tools and skills. There is no cost for the plans which can be found here (http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?t=376).

Hope this helps...

david

Here are some videos taken of my MechMate prior to being painted:

MechMate Cutting 3D Moulding at 400+ IPM:
YouTube - MechMate CNC Machine cutting 3D at 400+ IPM

Mechmate Cutting panel and detailed text at 400+ IPM:
YouTube - MechMate at 450 Inches/Min

My MechMate Dust Management System:
YouTube - MechMate Dust Mangement system
(More info here: http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?t=790)

MechMate Dual Laser Center Finder (non-offset):
YouTube - MechMate CNC Machine Dual Laser Positioning System
(More info here: http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?t=793)