Hello.
I am almost finish with my cnc design.
My design is a combo design usign something from many designs..

What I am wondering is if my Z axis be strong inuff to support this router:
A BOSCH GMF 1400 CE
http://ukptocs.bosch-pt.com/boptocs-uk/Product.jsp;jsessionid=B777D8BCFC35A6C83DCADFF546A08205?division=gw&ccat_id=81984&prod_id=9878

A you can see on the picture I want to use a 400mm height and 10mm tick steel plate to mout Z-axis to it and 370mm height and 10mm tick steel plate to mount router on it..
The question is: will it be strong enought?

PS! Sorry if my explonation sucks! Just tell me and I will try better explonation... And sorry for my english :P

Guessing you are using 4 linear bearing housings for support of Z. I'm not big on designs that mount the plate to dip below the bars like that. Just looks like it adds to the way it can torque on the bearings no matter how deep you plunge you are torquing the same amount. (ie typicaly my Z would have more support at the highest point and have less support the lower it goes so I need more support to cut something really hard I would in theory just raise the table. My linear bearings are on the stage on X or Y and my rods move or are attatched to what is the back plate of your Z.

I had a bosh like that on my gantry before putting the 3-1/4hp porter cable on it. The bosh is a great router and nice and light..

Looks good though. What you going to be cutting though. I'd say you might want to consider a bit more braceing to prevent twisting of the gantry as well but the design looks like more can be added if ya need to later.

Most of my work will be in wood, but I will do some things in aluminium too.

The only problem with my gentry is that I need 200mm betwen table and gentry so I can use 200mm height wood objects... Otherwise the Z axis will be much lower...

i think the truss will be plenty stiff in the z direction, but the gantry truss could use more stiffness in the direction of the x-axis, or table length.

is the gantry truss constructed of steel square tubing?

I have 10" of travel or so with my Z design. difference is my bearings are on the stage and my rods are on the Z plate (for the most part opposit of yours if you can imagin..) With that the Z plate also benifits from the stiffening of the rods..

Just a different way to do it..

i think the truss will be plenty stiff in the z direction, but the gantry truss could use more stiffness in the direction of the x-axis, or table length.

is the gantry truss constructed of steel square tubing?

Yes all are steel

I attach a cad drawing...

Any suggestions?

I have 10" of travel or so with my Z design. difference is my bearings are on the stage and my rods are on the Z plate (for the most part opposit of yours if you can imagin..) With that the Z plate also benifits from the stiffening of the rods..

Just a different way to do it..

Any picture? I am very interested in other solusions.
For me: more Z travel = better machine

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24582&highlight=wcarrothers1

was a thread with pics and such.

Think there are pictures also floating around of it with the Porter cable router mounted to..

b/


b/

Seems basically ok to me, come to think of it I recognise the design ;)
I'd agree with wcarrothers1 reverse the Z axis arrangement, i.e, the rods moving.
The rods, assuming 25mm will need fixing every 300/400mm otherwise they're like elastic bands :) The ends of the Y gantry, the triangulation material seems rather thin. It would be better to use triangles (gussets) of metal welded/bolted in. The 25mm square tube doesn't need to be that thick, mine uses 1.5mm and is solid.

How are you making your carriages? cnc I presume. there's a lot of difficult machining otherwise...

Looks good to me also but maybe some bracing in the z axis like this
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=28191&stc=1&d=1167422302
z-axis-bearings.JPG

Seems basically ok to me, come to think of it I recognise the design ;)
I'd agree with wcarrothers1 reverse the Z axis arrangement, i.e, the rods moving.
The rods, assuming 25mm will need fixing every 300/400mm otherwise they're like elastic bands :) The ends of the Y gantry, the triangulation material seems rather thin. It would be better to use triangles (gussets) of metal welded/bolted in. The 25mm square tube doesn't need to be that thick, mine uses 1.5mm and is solid.

How are you making your carriages? cnc I presume. there's a lot of difficult machining otherwise...

la_coterie: yes it is your bearings design and this is one of the best I think.
But I have some difficulties of making them.
I do not have CNC for steel and it is very expensive, so I am in a kind of dead end..
Need to find other solution or somone who can create such bearings for me.

Right now I wait for a price for sttel table. Will get it tomorrow, but I think it will not be chaep...

la_coterie: want to crate a set of bearings? (I will ofcorse pay for it)

la_coterie: How did you create your table? I belive mechmate has a solid table but very heavy and needs a lot of steel, and I belive that it can be a little overkill...

la_coterie: Do you have a plans of your machine or other pictures. I am truying to find a best and resonable cheap solutions. Want to sall your plans?

Looks good to me also but maybe some bracing in the z axis like this
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=28191&stc=1&d=1167422302
z-axis-bearings.JPG


Thank you.
I see you point, and re designing a Z axis.

Not really re-designing but rather adding to it when its extended downward that ya have some angled bracing of some type. In fact what I drew out was just a quik thought. I think I,d do it differently than what I drew out on it.