I'm in... another Joe2006 machine

[bp092]

It looks good though. I'm glad to see saw dust so I know I'm not the only messy one. I actually had to do this assembly outside of my shop because I have too much stuff going on in it right now and don't have the room. Either way I'm hoping to get a majority of it done this weekend. I made a few mistakes already that I don't really slap myself for but know it is going to slow me down. 1 - didn't buy full thread bolts on the longer bolts from bolt depot (reordering this weekend, not a big deal) 2 - put the nuts on the outside (fixed, easy fix actually, just plug, glue, sand bondo and redrill) and 3 getting over zellous and putting both sides on the first torsion box I did without priming inside (the gantry one). I like you stapled them together but was careful because 18 guages were too much for half inch mdf, even at 3/4". It just tears out. But as a cabinetmaker I had to atleast try because staples save a ton of time in cabinet assembly. I think of them like virtual clamps so you can imediately work on something else instead of waiting for glue to set up. Did you see any splitting on your MDF? I also see you used what looks like ply for the skins, any reason? And I like you feel the main torsion box is a bit big for one glue up so I'm going to probably use a slower drying white glue instead of titebond to give me some extra time to finigle with the parts. Either way I'm thoroughly impressed by how clean joes parts are that he sent me. It gives me great hope because I know I can produce the same quality not far off if I finish this build right.

Originally Posted by DougO I don't think it is smaller size motor that is the problem. I use the same Xylotex 269 oz setup that some are using with Joes2006 model and they are getting in the 80 ipm neighborhood. One thing the Sosylva uses 5/16"x18 leadscrews. More threads - slower speed. I think the main thing mine is so slow is me. I don't know enough about the inner works to get the motors working like they are supposed to. I can manually jog around my table @ 40 ipm but when I run a program, the machine stalls out if I go over 15 ipm. I can just be cutting air, do not actually have to be cutting wood. I think if I worked with Mach3 people enough I could get the machine to cut faster. It cuts good with no problems and is very accurate at the 15 ipm speed so that is where I have left it. I have just gotten off on Joes2006 machine and forgotten about the Sosylva. Have been trying to put some of the torsion boxes together today. I think I got the y-axis, gantry bottom, & x-axis torsion boxes all together except for one on the outer skins. I will leave one side open so I can paint all the insides of the boxes. I needed a couple of extra hands on the x-axis torsion box. It is huge and I tried to glue it up using the 1" pipes that will used in the box. By looking at the picture, I think I could use the x-axis box as a fooseball table( I guess that is how to spell fooseball) if the cnc does not work out. Looked like one to me. Everything is still fitting together and looking right so far. I ordered the HDPE parts from Joe and got them in today. Everything looked like they were in perfect condition. Maybe I can start putting some paint on some parts tomorrow.

[DougO]

Well there goes my painting for today. It has been flooding all morning and you can tell there is not a lot of painting going on in my shop. Maybe I can find something else to work on.

I tried tacking my parts with a finish nailer and the nails weren't holding to good in the mdf so I went to the staples and they worked a lot better. Don't see any splitting in the mdf.

I used the plywood for the outside skins because that was the only 1/4" anything I could find. I had the plywood already so it was the best thing for me to use. I didn't know if it would make any difference to use 1/2" mdf so I just went for the plywood.

[joecnc2006]

there is enought clearance for 1/2" mdf for the Z-axis carriage, it would add just a little more weight only.

and on the X-axis torsion box, others have used 1/2" mdf as well will good results.

Joe

[ccsparky]

Originally Posted by DougO By looking at the picture, I think I could use the x-axis box as a fooseball table( I guess that is how to spell fooseball) if the cnc does not work out. Looked like one to me.

I was thinking more along the lines of this...

Add several pager vibrator motors under the top deck, paint it grass green, add yard lines and end zones. I'd have an electric football table when not cutting or if I go the vacuum route I could reverse the air flow and yep you guessed it... air hockey

Keep up the great work, looking good!

Oh, and congratulations on the new grand-daughter!!

[DougO]

I'm fixing to start on the painting part of the project. The primer that I am using says to use soap and water for clean up. Does this mean that if I spray the primer I will use water to thin it (if needed) or paint thinner?

[DougO]

Well I guess I have all the parts primed and if the weather holds out maybe I can get a top coat put on today. This painting is a pain. I am starting to get anxious. The machine is starting to look like something.

[ccsparky]

Originally Posted by DougO Well I guess I have all the parts primed and if the weather holds out maybe I can get a top coat put on today. This painting is a pain. I am starting to get anxious. The machine is starting to look like something.

Looking good. What color have you decided on?

Oh and were does that big disk mount? I don't have that part yet.

[DougO]

I was trying to find a place to mount a satellite antenna so I could watch TV while the machine did its work Just kidding.. That is just an old mirror my wife had taken out of the house and it is just leaning against my shop. Does look like I could use it for something though??

I think my torsion boxes are going to be battleship grey (looks industrial) and the other parts I think are like a royal blue. I am retired from the post office so I need postal blue in it somewhere. I am going to give that a try and if it does not look right, as much as I hate to, I will repaint it white. The white ones look nice but I just thought I would try something different.

[DougO]

Ran into a problem today. The 2 inch bolts I used in the top of the z-axis carriage to press down on the bearing slide had a long shoulder on them and not enough threads to put enough pressure on the bearing slide. I think I ran some of the shoulder of the bolt through the nuts because I could not get the bolts to back out. The bolts would just turn and turn but would not back out. After about 30 minutes I finally figured out how to get the bolts out. Ran all 4 of the bolts through a die and just to make sure I threaded them almost to the head and they worked fine then.

The machine is going together slow but it is getting there. Looking a little better each day.

[ccsparky]

Originally Posted by DougO Ran into a problem today. The 2 inch bolts I used in the top of the z-axis carriage to press down on the bearing slide had a long shoulder on them and not enough threads to put enough pressure on the bearing slide. I think I ran some of the shoulder of the bolt through the nuts because I could not get the bolts to back out. The bolts would just turn and turn but would not back out. After about 30 minutes I finally figured out how to get the bolts out. Ran all 4 of the bolts through a die and just to make sure I threaded them almost to the head and they worked fine then. The machine is going together slow but it is getting there. Looking a little better each day.

Thanks for posting about the bolts, I'll be finishing my bearings today and installing them at least by the weekend, I'll watch out for that!

In your previous post I was trying to image what the color combination would look like... It looks good together! Keep up the excellent work!

[joecnc2006]

Looks good Doug, i like the blue. glad you were able to get the bolts working fine, also use the same on side of gantry.

[DougO]

Well I'm starting to get the gantry together. A fellow needs 5 hands for this, but I finally made it.

I included a picture of my metal bandsaw. It seems by reading some of these threads a lot of people use these. They sure are handy.

I have a question. For the router mount assembly I see some bolts in pictures and have not read anywhere how these bolts are fastened. I have included a picture with red arrows pointing to the bolts I am talking about. I take it that there is a fourth bolt hidden behing the router that is not seen in the picture.