Eric's 4'x4' CNC Plasma table build

[Eric S]

Thank you. Been at it for a few years.

[Eric S]

Finished the Z axis motor mount.
Some pics.

1st Operation. Bottom side with locating bore/slot for 1/4" dowel pins. Machined the motor locating bore right though in this operation as well to ensure it all lines up.


Machining 2nd operation. No finished photo of this side but it was just faced and threaded for the motor to mount to.


A slot cut in two sides to save some weight and allow me to tighten the motor coupler screws.


Done

[Torchhead]

Off topic (sorry)

My plates are 1/2 and work fine.

Dnelson....contact me off list about your rotary axis posts

TOM(at)candcnc(dot)com

[Eric S]

Been working on the CAD. Table top is done except for some little bits. Still have to work on the legs, water table and slats.
I'm going with an aluminum gantry beam to keep the weight under 100lbs (it will be close) With the .25" aluminum angle for the drag chain support bolted to the backside it should be okay.



I added a 1"x1" steel angle iron inside threaded to bolt the linear rail to. I didn't think the M6 threads you have enough engagement with 1/8" wall aluminum. Also some speed holes to shave some weight.


Completed the magnetic break away floating torch mount. I will add a cable or something to keep the thing from dropping completely onto the table. It can't be good to just let the thing crash down.
The two limit switches up can see are for the Z tough off and an emergency stop if the torch breaks off.


And another tangible part complete Upper an lower Z axis linear rail and ballscrew bearing mounts.

[Eric S]

Been working on the water table and the depth ended up ranging from 2.5" along the edges to 4.3" at the deepest point in the center. I'm a bit worried that the depth is too shallow. Any thoughts?
I could go deeper without much more work or material but if these depths will work I'll just leave well enough alone.

Some pic's for clarity.

Along the edge 2.50"


Deepest point at ends 3.42"


Middle of water table 4.30"

[dnelso]

Eric
Table is coming along nice.I use 1/8 x 3 flat strap to cut for the table slats. The top of my slats are 3/4 of an inch from the top of the table.If you are going to use shorter material for your straps you will be fine.
Dave

[Eric S]

Thanks Dave. I was planning on using 2.5"X1/8" flat bar for slats which will be flush with the top of the table. My thinking was if I have something longer than 4.5' to cut I could cut the first part then slide the material forward and cut the other side....As long as I index everything correctly that is.

[Eric S]

Guess it's time for an update.
There has been a little progress, it's been a busy couple of weeks so I haven't had much time to work on the table.
Finished the floating/break away torch mount.
It is made for a machine torch so if I'm going to temporarily use my hand torch I'll have to come up with some sort of bracket system.

Steel plate to mount to Z axis and break away side of torch mount. The steel plate has a couple dimples milled in so the .5" stainless ball bearings that are pressed into the other plate align everything after a break away. Still have to epoxy in some strong magnets into the three bore you see.


12mm linear bearing mounts and pins.


Assembled. Well sort of I need to by hardware still.


Limit switch.

[Eric S]

Guess I should update this thread. Things have been very hectic the last while so I have not had much time to work on the table. I did manage to buy some material and cut out the X axis reduction drive mounting plate.

Plate


Positions of reduction drive and motor on plate.




Also found a used Chicago Pneumatic cp-9361 air scribe that I will use for a plate marker. Quite happy about getting a good price on that since the funds allocated for this project are just about dry

[Eric S]

Not a lot of progress. Been sidetracked by my "shop" Cut a hole in the side and welded in a door frame. Using the big doors all the time is a pain.

Guess a finished door photo would have been good. Picked up some porcelain tile for 46cents a square floor so that next. That way I will not have to worry about the plywood floor catching fire.

Also finished the gantry cross beam 3"X3"X1/8" 6061 T6 Aluminum. Also some plugs that I'm bolting into the ends to attach it to the uprights. Thought bolting it would save some warping and will make any future changes/adjustments easier.

[Voyager77]

Very detailed design and neat execution, love it!

[Eric S]

Thank you. Now I just need to have more hours in the day so I can find the time to work on it more

[Eric S]

Slowly but surely

Reduction drives fit together. Haven't checked the play in them but I pretty sure they would be under .0005" at the moment. Once they at mounted up I'll get a dial on them.




1/2" thick gantry side plates I had waterjet cut then machined the necessary bits.


Z axis together. You can also see the air scribe actuator and slide mounted. The other half of the scribe mount is still in the works.

[Eric S]

Finished off the plate marker system



X and Y axis will be using these AGW25 Rails


Side plates assembled.


Gantry together Note the gear boxes removed. Sight clearance issue with the drive shaft lengths. Spur gear hits the beam. Going to have to take them back apart and shorten the shafts. At least it's an easy fix.


Still have to sort out hard stops for x axis but gantry is pretty much complete. Picked up some steel so I can get started on the table. Getting closer.

[eloid]

Any updates on the build, always interested how everyone drills and aligns there linear rails for the x, y axis..where machined.

Can you post any tips how you aligned your rails
and mill and drilled the long lengths of tubing
Im assuming you mill is a cnc mill?
is the x axis beam steel?

[Eric S]

Work on the table was side tracked for a bit but back it at.
Work has started on the table. The 2"x4'x1/4" wall steel tubing was cut to length and threaded on the CNC. Luckily the tubing came to me quite straight just the ends had a curve so I made sure to cut it off first. Sorry I didn't take photos of the machining but the tubes were too long to do in one shot so I had to flip them. Using the Haas mill made short work of drilling and tapping the M6's for the linear rails and M4's for the racks. I don't have a great way to measure the over all lengths. Used a tape measure for the first one then on the second I laid it on top, hanging over slightly and measured the hang over distances with calipers to be sure they were the same.

Table is starting to take shape. Built it upside down. Had a long level that would reach across and diagonally. Measured with a tape to be sure the rails were parallel and square. It's about 5'x 6'


The end of my "shop" is going to be a tight squeeze.
2"x2"x1/5"wall Legs and 1"x2" cross bars. The Job box I picked up used and have plans to make it into the water storage tank under the table.


Caped the legs with some 3/8' plate threaded for adjustable feet.



Almost done. Upright now. Taking photo's in a small bot id not easy lol


Picked up some 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" x 1/4"wall angle and 16 ga sheet metal and starting on the water table.

[Eric S]

Thank you TheTurtleLab. Wish I had access to a shop like yours to.

Got a little done yesterday. Sure is slow going measuring and checking for square a billion times.

Water table time.
Angle cut and ready for 1st tack


The second reason for the overhang was to allow for easy clamping of material at the ends. Seems to work


1"x1" along the sides to support the slats.


16ga floor all tacked in. Just need to fill the ends. I ended up going deeper than the 3 1/2" originally planned, lowered to 5 1/2" at center and 3 1/2" at the sides.


Long weekend so back at it today!

[eloid]

any photos of you machining the gantry, for the linear rails.
Like to see how you referenced the linear rail

[Eric S]

Sorry didn't take photos of machining the gantry cross beam. It was pretty straight forward though. Aligned three Kurt vises in the CNC, loaded the beam and started drilling holes (spot drill then drill) At the end of the machines travel I flipped the beam around, used a pin the same size as the drill to located the last hole from the first operation. Clamped the beam in place and drilled the rest. To be more accurate I could have used a dial indicator to find the position on the last hole but there's enough clearance around the bolts to allow for some adjustment anyway.
Once mounted on the table I plan on attaching a dial indicator to the Z axis and run it across to be sure it is parallel to the table.
Hope that made some sense. If not let me know and I'll try and clarify

[Eric S]

Found a photo off the net that might help with the description of milling the beams for the rails.
Not my parts but same concept.