My attempt at Joe's router

[ccsparky]

ccsparky - Thanks for the compliments. I am using drill rod on the Y axis. It is 36 inches. I did see HERE where you can get custom lengths but I did not want to spend the extra money right now. Read the fine print on the right side of the page about half way down. So I will be using pipe on the X axis. I cut my pipe from 20' sticks at work. I went to HD to buy it precut and found that every piece had a slight bend near the end. I figure it is from the threader that was used, maybe it bends it under the torque load from threading.

Dwayne

Ouch, that will add up quick!
Good tip on the 20' lenghts! I got lucky at HD they had just filled the bin so I had several to pick from. Picked through the entire pile just to come up with 4 60" pieces that looked good. All of the pipe they had was pretty straight but several had really bad teeth marks and spots were you could see that they did not have it tightend properly and the pipe slipped while they were threading it. The 36" pieces were in pretty good shape.

Can't wait to see it!

[DayneInfo]

Another day and a little more progress. The way my mind works is like this. I cannot paint anything until it all goes together for fitment, then take it apart and paint. This will hopefully let me find all my problems and have a chance to correct it now. So to day I started assembly. I have most of the Z and Y axis done. I glued the lower Y torsion box tonight and will install tomorrow. I have also started the dreaded X axis glue up. Not really sure how I am going to do this, figured the end would be an OK place to start. Wait an hour or so then I will do the other end. I also will be adding to the scrap pile. I am going to recut the motor mounts and bearing mounts that go with them. I must admit though, this is alot like work. I might just have to let this thing run naked and not wear any paint. I will do better on my next one....LOL. By the way...that is my Sosylva in the background of the Y axis, this friggin thing is BIG. But what do you expect from a Texan. I will need a week off of work after this, just to clean my shop.

Dwayne

[thkoutsidthebox]

Dayne its looking great. Keep up the good work. I just finished my Solsylva and I have to say dont worry about the scrap pile. I was a bit too eager and didn't make much scrap, just banged everything together! Wish I had taken more care now and Im going to have to re-build the entire machine sometime to make it look better. (Although it does work great! ) Anyway, a scrap pile is good....something for me to remember!

[joecnc2006]

I must admit though, this is alot like work. I might just have to let this thing run naked and not wear any paint. I will do better on my next one....LOL. By the way...that is my Sosylva in the background of the Y axis, this friggin thing is BIG. But what do you expect from a Texan.
Dwayne

Yea some people do not relise how much work to cut out the router. but it is worth it.

Yea, I did not want a small average machine, Everything is bigger in Texas... lol

But I do have to admit when its together it does look impressive, Well atleast to my friends

On your X-Axis, don't forget to stager the (your puzzle joints) joints, on opposite ends of machine. Also use the pipe rails when gluing it together it will help keep it straight.

Looking good so far.

Joe

[ger21]

I manually hold down all the time. Just make a jig to hold in the x-y. No more dangerous than any other shop operation.... bandsaw, tablesaw or stationary router table......grinder, chop saw, drill press...did I miss any dangerous tool?

A stationary router table can't quickly move the bit into your hands.
And you left out jointer and radial arm saw.

[ger21]

wish I had a cnc to mill my angle alum.. lol I destroyed some woodworking bits to get them done.. but they came out nice! I like how you setup a jig to do it.

If you have a router table, it's very easy to route the notches in the aluminum angle. On your table saw, with the blade at 45°, cut a V shaped notch about 1/2" deep. Flip it over, set your angle in it, and run it over a straight router bit. Make about 3 passes and go slow, because the bit will want to grab a little. Makes very nice clean notches in a few minutes.

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showpo...4&postcount=70

[bp092]

I have both, and I could have done that but wasn't sure of the tooling to use. I know aluminum is soft but with a carbide blade you can cut aluminum without dulling it too bad?

[ger21]

just use a standard straight 2 flute carbide tipped router bit.

[DayneInfo]

On my Sosylva I used my router table and a 45 degree bit. I just cut the entire length a littl at a tim. I think I did something like 3 passes. That way I did not have to worry about a notch.

[Madclicker]

A stationary router table can't quickly move the bit into your hands.
And you left out jointer and radial arm saw.

My cnc can't move that quickly either, or I wouldn't have my fingers near it. I cut my finger with a utility knife yesterday....left that off the list also.

In my years of fabricating wood and metal professionally, I have many first hand stories of people that maimed and even killed themselves with machines. I guess I've been lucky. The only permanent loss of a digit was 32 years ago in welding school and it was only partly my fault. My left thumb is now a little shorter than the other because the bench grinder rest was not adjusted correctly. The welding lab instructor should have taken care of that to protect us stupid kids from ourselves.

One thing I've learned is that to save your fingers you need to stay on your toes. I can pull my hands out of any cutting operation in the blink of an eye.

Didn't really mean this to be long winded, but it brings me to a safety point I don't think many people that come here and build machines know: WEAR SAFETY GLASSES AT ALL TIMES IN THE SHOP! The pros know this, but many people that come here and want to build a machine, or even just casual woodworkers, don't realize how important this is. That video of the little girl staring at eye level at the router cutter was just flat scary to me.

[bp092]

Sorry to hear about your finger, your teacher should have been more careful. I was brought into woodworking in woodshop with absolute safety at all times. If my teacher back in the day saw you using a machine without safety glasses he would hit the estop to kill power in the entire shop so everyone got pissed at you. It was engraved in me to use guards and pay attention at all times. I trust tools to do nothing more than perform a task but I do not trust them to mind my personal safety. Free handing on a router table is different than holding down material on a machine with a mind of its own. Sure it's highly unlikely that you will hurt yourself, but it happens, so why take the risk? I do a lot of dangerous stuff and work with dangerous machines every day. But I prepare myself every time so that if I slip or I fall I'm never going to have my fingers in the path of the bit, knives or blade. When my CNC is done I will probably wear glasses when cutting at all times. Just be careful guys, no piece of material or job is ever worth hurting yourself.

My cnc can't move that quickly either, or I wouldn't have my fingers near it. I cut my finger with a utility knife yesterday....left that off the list also.

In my years of fabricating wood and metal professionally, I have many first hand stories of people that maimed and even killed themselves with machines. I guess I've been lucky. The only permanent loss of a digit was 32 years ago in welding school and it was only partly my fault. My left thumb is now a little shorter than the other because the bench grinder rest was not adjusted correctly. The welding lab instructor should have taken care of that to protect us stupid kids from ourselves.

One thing I've learned is that to save your fingers you need to stay on your toes. I can pull my hands out of any cutting operation in the blink of an eye.

Didn't really mean this to be long winded, but it brings me to a safety point I don't think many people that come here and build machines know: WEAR SAFETY GLASSES AT ALL TIMES IN THE SHOP! The pros know this, but many people that come here and want to build a machine, or even just casual woodworkers, don't realize how important this is. That video of the little girl staring at eye level at the router cutter was just flat scary to me.

[DayneInfo]

Well I thnk I now have a Joe's wannabe in my shop. I finished the assembly as far as I wanted to go then tore it down. I did notice that I am going to have some issues with bearing contact on the x axis rails. It is apparently something I cut, the good news is that it seems to be a problem the full length of the axis. Hopefully this will make it easier to fix. I also want to point out that I HATE to paint. Did I say HATE...well that is what I meant. So I went for my special " half arse" look. I am proud to say that I accomplished it. I have to pick up some extra bolts that I want to use then I will start to put it back together. I think I need to clean the shop first, it is becoming a problem just moving around in there. I think I also need to decide where it will live its life out, this is not something I want to be moving around to get it out of the way. I have a spot in mind but will think on it for a few days. I still have to order my lovejoys and decide what to do about motors.

Dwayne

[David Da Costa]

Looking good Dwayne.

Is there a reason you are putting your y axis motor on the opposite side?

[Madclicker]

Free handing on a router table is different than holding down material on a machine with a mind of its own. Sure it's highly unlikely that you will hurt yourself, but it happens, so why take the risk?

If I hold a piece down in a jig that constrains x and y in a cnc it is extremely safe. The spoil board constrains the z- and the only force left for me to constrain with my fingers is z+. Since I only use straight flute or down spiral bits, the z+ forces are minimal. Don't take this as just some handwaving threoretical explanation. I have cut many hundreds of parts this way since I got my machine running and it works well. I will switch to dedicated vacuum jigs as I can.

I do a lot of dangerous stuff and work with dangerous machines every day.

I work with dangerous machines everyday, but try to never do dangerous stuff.

But I prepare myself every time so that if I slip or I fall I'm never going to have my fingers in the path of the bit, knives or blade. When my CNC is done I will probably wear glasses when cutting at all times.

You should make it a habit to wear eye protection from the time you enter the shop until the time you leave. You will consider cutting your finger trivial compared to blowing an eye out.

[bp092]

Totally agree with you.

If I hold a piece down in a jig that constrains x and y in a cnc it is extremely safe. The spoil board constrains the z- and the only force left for me to constrain with my fingers is z+. Since I only use straight flute or down spiral bits, the z+ forces are minimal. Don't take this as just some handwaving threoretical explanation. I have cut many hundreds of parts this way since I got my machine running and it works well. I will switch to dedicated vacuum jigs as I can.



I work with dangerous machines everyday, but try to never do dangerous stuff.



You should make it a habit to wear eye protection from the time you enter the shop until the time you leave. You will consider cutting your finger trivial compared to blowing an eye out.

[DayneInfo]

Looking good Dwayne.

Is there a reason you are putting your y axis motor on the opposite side?

Well..er...uh...I dunno. That is where it is at on my current router. I never noticed that it was on the other side on Joe's machine. Now I feel kinda stupid. But hey..I can change it, or leave it I guess. Nothing permanent yet.

Dwayne

[Madclicker]

shouldn't matter.

[David Da Costa]

No shouldn't matter, just put them on the side that is going to be the most convenient for cabling.

[joecnc2006]

Well..er...uh...I dunno. That is where it is at on my current router. I never noticed that it was on the other side on Joe's machine. Now I feel kinda stupid. But hey..I can change it, or leave it I guess. Nothing permanent yet.

Dwayne

The only thing that you may have to do is just reverse the Motor in Mach3 settings, because depending which side the motor is on it will run in reverse from other side.

Joe