Murphy Bed Router - concept

[jcoats]

I have thought of building a vertical router, kind of like a panel saw, but the material can move to easily if cutting through. Then the idea of a router that could fold down (taking less floor space when not in use) might be a reasonable idea, kind of like a murphy bed.

Overall I would like to cut a 100x50" sheet and use a standard router,
and have 6 to 8" of vertical routable space. Inexpensive and DIY is a
buyword for this project.

Any thoughts on the concept? No, I don't have plans drawn, yet.

Ideas? Suggestions? Material Source Suggestions?

[307startup]

Jcoats...what a wonderful idea! I have mentioned in previous posts about wanting to build a panel-saw style router, but could never get around the issue of fighting gravity when the parts are cut out (however I did manage to work out the issue of holding the sheet down using angle iron for registers at the lowest end to the floor and at a perpendicular angle running vertically...this allows one end to load, unload...with a fold-down angle iron "vise" mounted at the top using piano hinge...I digress).

Two issues that pop up in my mind...the issue of the Z carriage height...and ensuring the table is level when folded down for use.

Aside from cutting a hole in the wall and building a box out the side of the building structure, I'm thinking a fold-down gantry would allow this concept to work. Not sure how stiff this would work out in a real-life scenario, but I'm imagining "wings" that fold out and clamp down to the X axis carriage.

As for ensuring the table is level, this could be fixed easily enough by having a register on the floor that the fold down legs would anchor into, to assure a consistent (relative term) measure of levelness. Of course you'll want as little play as possible in your Murphy Bed router-table pivot that allows you to rotate it up into a stored position.

I'm definitely going to be following this build!

[jemmyell]

The height of the gantry could possibly be mitigated by having the machine pivot UP on the lower edge so the gantry was toward the wall. Then, building storage cabinets around the 'parked' gantry position would leave the offset from the wall unwasted. Fold out legs would complete the scenario.

Folded up the router could be completely contained within it's own box if desired.

-James

[harryn]

That is a really interesting idea. There is real value in a low to the ground design.

I am on the vertical router path - perhaps attempting is a better word. In my case, building it up in a former computer rack cabinet, but the moving table will hopefully allow 4 x 8 sheet.

The problem of holding material once it is cut out is somewhat universal no matter the orientation. In some cases, it can be held with double sided tape. Others have suggested vacuum table hold downs. There might be times when a part needs a screw from the back - not sure.

Some of the problem can be reduced if you don't use spiral up bits, as these appear to pull on the material more.

There are some software programs that allow you to leave some "tabs" in place between. The idea, is that you cut these out by hand when finished. I am hoping to not have to use this, but it is there.

There can be substantial Z depth to a router table, especially one as large as 50 x 100. I have found that this extra deep x extra wide cabinet is just barely big enough. (hopefully)

[ilvaporista]

I've been thinking about having the table at 15-30 degrees from the vertical on the side of the garage wall. When at rest the head could be up in one corner and still allow the car to be parked alongside. With it not being vertical the larger parts should stay put once cut. Another option is the fold-down route once the car is moved out but the z axis height would mean the table comes out further in to the garage. I could knock a hole in the garage wall but my neighbour mighy notice the router head in their part of the garage!

Still collecting parts and ideas before I take the plunge

[jcoats]

I was on the MechMate.com forum, and there is a thought there of making a regular 'y/z' gantry, and either a half (4'x4' type size) bed that would extend over the hood of the car (for 4'x4' MechMate is a bit larger outside dimensions, a nominal 5-6' x 6', so the 'y/z axis' would rest on a stationary 2' or so of the Z, and the rest would fold down (onto legs) from above. Still getting a smooth transition on the X axis from the stationary to the foldaway sections still needs to be overcome. This is a flat X-Design.

The tilted X-Y (at 30 degrees or so) is a good idea. When I first saw the design of using tabs, I too thought this might be really doable, but a full time fixed 30degree design would require that, or leaving a 'paper' think back for the bottom of your z to hold things in place. In the ShopBot forums and workshops I have heard of doing this.

The thoughts of making a rig that is truly vertical (like the old computer rack) is something I haven't thought of. Being able to fold down 'wings' to hold material as it passes 'through' the rack and the router really vertical. Hmmm. ... Reminds me of a larger version of the CompuCarve. I wonder if running some wide belts or rollers (possibly belt on one side and line of spring loaded wheels on the other?) on either side for both the X axis drive and to add some stability would help.

Just thinking, for 'slightly older' folks like me, bending to the floor is problematic. How about the idea of a 'roll away' gantry to a fixed portion of horizontal table, and some appropriate mechanics to take the 'front' of the 'cabinet' and have it tilt out and up with drop down legs that would have the rest of the X axis table. ... For the X axis especially, I like the MechMate design (ShopBot does it too) of rails and rack underneath the rail. on each side. The X-axis is 'propelled' by steppers that are actually built on the 'Y-axis' gantry, so the X-axis is basically a table with rails and has no motors, or other 'active components' (other than possibly hold downs) in it.

Hmm, time to go do some sketching.

I love, this forum level brainstorming technique.

Commercially, the only thing I have seen that would start to compare is the ShopBot Buddy http://shopbotbuddy.com/ 38"deep, 76"wide, 67"tall plus a 'power stick' to allow use of 4x8' sheet of stock.

[Santa Fe Al]

Hi,

Perhaps you could mount the router on the wall using garage door rails and wheels. By doing this, you could pull up the wall side of the router and have folding legs, which would be pinned in the down position when the router table is down for work. This would also apply to the other two legs.

A pulley system could be used to raise the wall side of the table after unpinning the legs so the would stay verticle while the table is raised.

By placing the gantry closest to the wall before raising the wall side of the table, it would ensure that the automobile would not strike the gantry.

Also, horizontal space usage would be minimized for maximum parking space.

Just an idea which may or may not work for you.

Al

[NEATman]

Jcoats-
I've been thinking of concepts along these lines as well. I was thinking that if the cross axis (including the Z) and risers could be brought to the end of travel, then it could be partly unbolted and pivoted 90°. This would "flatten" the whole machine down, and allow it to take up minimal shop/garage space. There could be threaded adjusters to make sure that whent he cross axis and Z are rotated back into place, that the Z would repeat and be perpindicular to the table.

NEATman
Keith