Not sure if this thread belongs here or somewhere else, but since it is a DIY Mod I figured here.

I have a Shopsabre 4 x 8 machine with 4th axis. I am growing increasingly frustrated with the limitations on the fourth axis, plus I want to do dovetails etc off the side rather than having to add dog bone cuts to the corners.

So I am considering replacing the spindle mounting plate with one that sticks far enough out one side that I could mount a router on so when I ran the spindle to the max X it would stick off the table where I would build a new table to accept the fourth axis components.

My concerns are, flex from adding 8 to 12 inches to the mounting plate. The ball screw and air assist having issues? with the extra weight of a router stuck off the side.

I am trying to decide if it would be better to make the router motor relatively easily height adjustable(beyond the Z axis travel), or to try to make the table for the 4th axis height adjustable.

Curious if anyone has added a 4th axis off the side without extending the gantry. I am just at the beginning stages of this. And even though I own a commercial machine it is from trying to start a full time business and having it fail, and not being able to sell the table for anywhere near what we bought it for. So money is a issue.

Similar Threads: