Help with new metal router table needed

[DRP]

Hi all
After learning a huge amount with a JGRO donated to me (which I shall also be passing on soon) I have decided not to build in wood for my second machine.

Although starting out with a buz for building, my priority has now changed to producing as so many small jobs are backing up for people which has really taken me by surprise.

So my aim now is to secure a very strong and accurate table that I can put to work without any more tinkering. I have been looking at straight out purchases, but they still fall outside of my budget given the size I need. I have also been looking at kits, but again size is an issue and there seems to be a lot of compromise with the ones I have looked at for the price, therefore it looks like I am gonna have to build. Unless someone in Germany can deliver from stock or from the US that wont charge me 50% shipping

I need to be able to cut 1 metre by 450-500mm and looking for a very rapid build using alloy profile sections (I think). I have the 3NM kit (type 23 steppers) with 2 x 7amp psu's from Motion Control which can be transferred, so its mainly about the table only. I am not cutting anything exotic just wood, foam and maybe some alloy, but haven’t a clue as to loadings (as one supplier asked me today).

Although there is a budget, I am more interested in getting it right even if its overboard and would be really grateful if anyone could offer their advice or help.

Questions:
I suppose first off, does anyone know of a plan I could work from using bolt together alloy sections?
If I wanted to go twin screws, how do you wire the 4th stepper?
Trapezoid or Ball screws and what pitch/lead (I am hopeless with this) I know its about stepper capability, speed and resolution but I still cant put it together so I would really settle for just an opinion
Is there a serious gantry system/kit that I could use without needing parts to be made (its the 4-6 weeks waiting I don’t have)?
Which rail system would you use rod , saddle etc etc (anything but the gas pipe thingy, I cant go back there again)

Not being lazy, I am also trying to read everything I can find on CNCzone, but its a massive place!

[Drakkn]

Hi

I too am in the UK and buiding a steel/aluminium machine - Take a look at my thread and see if it can be any help to you http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37139

Regards

Tony

[GaryCorlew]

If you can buy steel and have the use of a welding machine, then mechmate is the one to build.
http://www.mechmate.com

[DRP]

Hi Thank you for your replies

Tony I have had a look at your thread and it looks great, I do have the facilities with metal, its just time like all things I guess however I may end up just haveing to find time as there doesn’t seem to be any instant solution. I have learnt of another chez manufacturer trying to get a friend of mine to take on the UK distribution, for "a lot of table for your money" product range.

However he is pondering (AHHHHHHH) and I cant seem to convince him to get on with it.

Gary:
Had a look at the mechmate, and it does seem to have quite a following, however I also read the bit that he may well be closing the forum because he has had enough. I also run/own a UK forum (not related to CNC) and it does try your patients sometimes. However you soon realise that you don’t own the forum, the people who post do and you are just the keeper. It doesn’t quite seem right to pull the plug because you get cheesed off, you have to be bigger then that, I hope he can see things this way in the end );
Thank you for pointing me in that direction, if it stays up then I will be having a good look at this.

[dertsap]

the mechmate is a nice design , the plans are downloadable on their site ,ive been considering building that one in the future , i just need to justify why i need to build another one and figure out where to put it

this is the one ive built ,its pretty solid , it may help with some design ideas
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23120

[Coogrrr]

I will be building a large table and the mechmate is the only thought for me. This one will have a plasma cutter on it but will be able to route also if I need.

Do the mechmate regardless of his thread closing. The following built behind it will make another thread as that machine design will likely never die.

just my 0.002" worth

Coog

[Gerald_D]

Originally Posted by Coogrrr . . . . Do the mechmate regardless of his thread closing. The following built behind it will make another thread as that machine design will likely never die. just my 0.002" worth Coog

Thank you!

I don't foresee that the site and the "plans" will disappear. But I do foresee that the interactive forum part will be locked for read-only. It is hard work running a forum and it needs constant moderation to keep out spammers, sales people and lazy questions by folk who havn't done their homework. I want that forum to become the "manual" on how to do it right.

All the best

Gerald

[DRP]

Again Thanks for the replies.
I have now looked at the drawing's and was seriously impressed. It is a machine to be proud of and I am not surprised by the huge following. It is certainly something I would love to produce, however even with the level of facilities and element of ability, there are still parts outside of my scope and I would have to try and have things made, although I am still thinking how to achieve this. Maybe I can tie up with someone in the UK.

With regards to the forum, I fully understand the level of effort because I too am in that position. Whilst someone has to start these wonderful places, its really the poster's who build them to what they are. Yes some poster's drive you mad and that’s because (which I think is a positive thing) it attracts people from all walks of life including the dumb the stupid and outright ignorant. if that’s the way we need to think of them. However we don’t HAVE to answer and sometimes silence speaks volumes. At these times its better to step back and let others take the lead, you can never have enough moderators .

After saying that, I still have un-answered posts on here .... that’s food for thought lol .

[Gerald_D]

DRP, "dumb" and "ignorant" questions I can handle - what I can't handle are lazy questions. When I get the feeling somebody hasn't bothered to read a single thing and has spent one minute to ask a question that has been thrashed to death before, and then wants me to take five minutes to find him the links. . . . . . . why should I put in five times the effort that he has? Anyway, glad you liked the drawings and the site!

[thkoutsidthebox]

Originally Posted by DRP .....I have the 3NM kit (type 23 steppers) with 2 x 7amp psu's from Motion Control which can be transferred...... .....If I wanted to go twin screws, how do you wire the 4th stepper? .......(its the 4-6 weeks waiting I don’t have)?

I can't help with most of your questions, but in relation to the 4th stepper question, Im not sure which kit exactly you have?

With my HobbyCNC kit I simply added in the 4th axis the exact same as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd axis. I attached one stepper to each of my Y axis screws, then I slaved one of them in Mach3 so they run together. There's nothing very complicated about it.

The one thing I have learned after building two machines is that it doesn't happen overnight. I think you'll find that it'll take at minimum a week or two just to gather all your parts as you start, even buying and building concurrently. And to get an industrial type machine at the end you have to really take your time and build the machine steadily with lots of attention to detail and lots of patience. Your looking at 4 weeks at least, so if you have the money to buy, are willing to buy, and only have to wait 4 weeks, then you might be better off. If not, then realise now that your looking at a few weeks anyway.