Anyone else have space issues?

[cxixer]

Hello all. I'm getting to the drawing phase on my router and I keep running into issues. One thing is I'm designing a 60x60 table for the router built from square tubing, and I have a space issue in my shop. Everything, including a downdraft table and other tables in my shop are on wheels, but I have never seen a mobile cnc.

Would it be a bad idea to put a cnc on locking casters? The reason I want this is to be able to move it out of the way if I need to assemble something or need to put a car in the shop. Eventually I'll have a bigger shop, but for now - this is my dilemma. Would there be any issues with this idea?

thanks in advance!

[neilw20]

Originally Posted by cxixer Hello all. I'm getting to the drawing phase on my router and I keep running into issues. One thing is I'm designing a 60x60 table for the router built from square tubing, and I have a space issue in my shop. Everything, including a downdraft table and other tables in my shop are on wheels, but I have never seen a mobile cnc. Would it be a bad idea to put a cnc on locking casters? The reason I want this is to be able to move it out of the way if I need to assemble something or need to put a car in the shop. Eventually I'll have a bigger shop, but for now - this is my dilemma. Would there be any issues with this idea? thanks in advance!

As long as the structure (legs mostly) is triangulated so that if you "crash" a leg or caster while moving it, the geomery is not adjusted to a new shape.

[High Seas]

Have you considered going vertical? Mount the router against the wall like a lean-to tent/shed.
This comes with its own set of issues, like counterbalance the router with springs, or heavy duty servo, and it then more-or-less becomes that wall of the shop/garage.
On the plus side it uses less floor space and its otherwise unused space! Loading it for a job will be something to work out - but there are commercial cnc routers built this way. Might do a quick search on "vertical router" , I think Geoff or one of the other English blokes is on a path like this.
Jim

[wcarrothers1]

Think the major reason they are not mobil for the most part is any torquing on the low leg will make the table not level in relation to the head. Course if you don't want .001 accuracy in the Z or it was not neccessary I guess moving it would not cause much. + is a factor of how ridgid your table structure is. I'd think mine is pretty good how ever I don't think I'd ever want to move it because I'd want to re-zero everything and run the table through a resurfaceing just to make sure it's all perfect again (ok maybe not really but anywho.)

Perhaps you could check I'm sure some of the production machines have rolling casters avaliable.

Think the reason you mostly don't see it is most of the machines are done on a slim budget and good casters to support a machine = more cost.

b.

[Geof]

Originally Posted by High Seas Have you considered going vertical?.......... Might do a quick search on "vertical router" , I think Geoff or one of the other English blokes is on a path like this. Jim

English bloke??? Sheesh, look in the top right corner of my posts . But I was born there I admit .

cxixer; If you want to make something mobile without affecting accuracy design a sub-frame or chassis that the machine sits on and support this chassis on three casters. This way it will not matter where you move it or how uneven the floor is it will always have the same type of support from three points.

[cxixer]

Thanks for the replies all! I did take this accuracy issue into account, just wasn't sure how much it would affect the machine. I might look more into this before building.

[BobF]

What I have done on some of my tools is mount casters to make it mobil as well as heavy duty lifting levelers. This allows me to level the tool in its new location and also lifts it off the wheels slightly. This much more stable than any locking casters I have seen.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...filter=leveler