1st build: Bright orange steel framed router

[basskitcase]

I am getting towards finished with my first build, which is a chain drive steel framed moving gantry design with open linear bearings on supported rod. I still need to reinforce the base, build the table top (sheet of plywood on the top til i can get that done) and level everything up.

[basskitcase]

[basskitcase]

Well, i tried to link to the pics. Any idea why they might not be working?

edit: well i was trying to upload files that were too large. I got them working now.

[whiteriver]

Make sure size is correct. Click upload in the Manage attachment screen after selecting which pics you want.

[basskitcase]

Any comments...concerns???

[basskitcase]

I just made my first cut out yesterday, which was the very popular roadrunner in mach 3. Today i am hoping to reinforce the base and hopefully get the MDF table with countersunk nuts done. I will post pictures soon...

[gmfoster]

Thatis a nice looking router. I suspect you will find you might want to incorporate some triangles in the gantry but they will be easy to add. Looks as if you are a very handy fabricator.
Garry

[nofx]

How do you find the rigidy of your tube frame? I'm planing something with sqUARE TUBE myself and was curious how it is. I like the design alot. Hows the backlash in the chain drive on ur zaxis?
Jon

[basskitcase]

If i had to do over, i would have used 2" steel, but overall its pretty good. I have a little bit of racking in my x, but thats more a factor of not having the bearings very far apart (might fix this in the future, or go with a moving knot, or both). Having two layers of steel is much better, and if you notice from my pictures, there are two layers on the vertical part, but only one on the horizontal, which i plan to change (i think this is giving me a little bit of flex).

Honestly, I'm still fine tuning it right now, so i haven't evaluated the backlash of the chains, but since i'm using a 10TPI screw, the lash should be very miniscule in terms of gantry movement (this is why i decided chains would be acceptable). Really, if you keep the chain reasonable tight, there really isn't much visable lash (i know this adds some inefficiency, but I'm willing to accept that for how easy it was to implement on my machine compared to building the structures to direct drive it).

[basskitcase]

I used the machine to cut out holes so i can bolt work down from the top. I cut hex slots for the nuts and drilled the hole through the rest of the way. Worked great!

Also, i used the router to cut out a wooden piece i used to make a cyclonic dust separator for my machine (which works but I'm not quite done tinkering with it yet)

[basskitcase]

As mentioned before, i had planned on changing out the wooden z axis bearing support for a steel one. I used my router to cut out 3/4" spacers out of MDF to go from the 1.26 OD of my bearings to the 1.6 ID of my pipe. I then disassembled the machine, removed the bearings from the old support and pressed them into the steel pipe. I put these back onto the rails, and tack welded the pipes to my bolt on support frame. After making sure everything was level, square, and not seizing, i did a final weld. Its now smooth as glass!

You can't see it very well in the pics because it's not orange like the rest of the frame, but on the bottom of the gantry, i welded a second horizontal support to the bottom frame, so as to help add some stiffness.

I also started my conversion from 1/2-10 single start to 1/2-8 2 start screws with dumpsterCNC delrin nuts. All i need to do now is make the pieces to connect the nut flanges to the framing, and I'll be up and running again.

I also made a vacuum attachment to help eliminate all the dust that was filling the basement! So far, it works pretty good, as i was able to do about a half hour of constant cutting this morning with much less dust than 2 minutes of running it before holding the vacuum hose up to it.

Once i get all this done, I'll start making a new and improved holder for the router that will also hold the vacuum attachment (right now i have to bolt the vac attachment on and off when i need to change tools).

[hemsworthlad]

Hi Basskit,
Nice upgrade should work a lot better! . . . I was just wondering how does that block of wood affect the cooling of the router.? . . . would think it act's like an insulator and would over heat bearings.?