Looking very cool Joe.
I'm still trying to get my head around building your current one, but will be watching this project in parallel with great interest.
All the best with this one.
Claudio
Ok, alot of people have been asking about the machine, So after alot of thinking, designing, building, redesigning, rebuilding (three times) this is what i have thus far, it uses the my Carriage design on the X-Axis as well as the Y-Axis, the machine is accessed from the front. The X-Axis will actually be across the machine and the Y-Axis is front to back (Two motors). Using the STMD Drivers and the Keling 425oz motors, because of the length of the lead screws I travel at 120ipm. which is pleanty for me for a home built machine, (as it is I cut at 80 to 100 with rapids of 200ipm on my present machine). Using the 1/2"-8 two start acme, Dumpster Anti-backlash, and so on, the setup is very smooth, I will try to use a PC 7518 eventually on it but for now will prob. use the Hitachi.
Ok, what I am asking from you guys is to help design the Z-Axis as you can see in the picture the Z-Axis slide will be a bolt on to the front, 4-5/16" bolts. the width has to be 6" total for the bolt on plate and the over all width can not exceed 7.5" (to alow for the 48" travel) the bottom of the Axis carriage is 5.5" from table top and have to count for the auto tool changer. I have 4 V-Bearings which will be used for the Z-Axis slide. I have a few idea's but would like a little input and additional thoughts.
So if you can please submit DWG files and we can discuss them and maybe you will be the one to design my Z-Axis.
Thanks, Joe
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Looking very cool Joe.
I'm still trying to get my head around building your current one, but will be watching this project in parallel with great interest.
All the best with this one.
Claudio
Darn you man, will it never end... Very nice Joe!!
It's not a DWG drawing but how about something like this:
http://www.cadcamcadcam.com/index.as...ROD&ProdID=141
Looks like they are using 4 V-Bearings for the Y-Axis but the same could be applied to the Z with a narrower rail.
I purchased a bunch of the same bearings and rails also have been looking at Thomson slides and rails at Nook. Thinking about the same type of slide set up for a future machine or a mod to my Joe's 2006. Haven't put it to paper yet. Well back to checking out your pictures...
Thanks for sharing!!
Bob
That is where i got the V-Bearings and would like to utilize them in the Z-Axis. 299.00 for the slide is a little more i wanted to pay and only has 4" travel. need atleast 6".
Joe
Don't blame you! I wasn't suggesting a purchase, just the idea
Haven't gotten anything else drawn but I believe I have the # 2 bearings and rails drawn accurately in AutoCAD if you haven't done it yet and are interested.
Are you using the skate bearing and aluminum angle on the X & Y?
Bob
Yes, X and Y just like the Z-Axis carriage on present machine.
The Z i was thinking two Concentric bushing and V-groove wheel #2 on Lt. side and Two Eccentric bushing and V-groove wheel #2 on the Rt side, Two 12" V-tracts bolted to a 1/2" x 6" x 12" alumn. plate, and Anti-backlash screwed to angle on rear. Just need to draw it up.
Joe
Very Sweet looking Joe you are the man. I can't believe that you have the time to develop another machine with everyone asking you to cut your current machine. You are a man with to much time on your hands LOL.
Keep up the good work.
Rick
Yea thought the name would fit it. MDF, 80/20, pipe rails, HDPE, etc... a collection of materials.
Joe
Hey Joe, looking good.
I really like the pipes on the top and bottom of the lower rails (your Y?) instead of the sides. It solves a few problems in my mind. I guess the bottom trucks are the adjustable ones? How are you attaching the bottom pipe?
I don’t see a leadscrew attached to your Z carriage. Where are you planning to attach to it (top, bottom, back)?
Edit: Now I see it. Ooops, nevermind.
I have been playing with a set of V-bearings for my 6 inch wide Z. I went with official rails. They are $1 an inch, but you only need two 1 foot (or so) sections, so the total price is not that bad. IMService cut them to length for no additional charge. I mounted them on wooden standoffs. The eccentrics only give you .048” of adjustment, so the rail standoff placement and parallel is critical. My first design had the motor riding up and down with the router, but I think I talked myself out of that.
I went with split rails on my Y to allow greater adjusting. This could also be used for your Z and then you would not have to buy the bushings.
Good Job,
Steve
Last edited by spalm; 05-31-2007 at 10:32 AM. Reason: eccentrics give 2x .024 = .048
Joe,
Very cool, can't wait to see what it will do when it is complete.
If you cut it to small you can always nail another piece on the end, but if you cut it to big... then what the hell you gonna do?
Steven
Nice design Joe!
Can I ask how you managed to connect the pipe/rails for the Y and X to the support pcs? It looks like you have some sort of plastic spacers between the two but how did you connect it?
Bob
Looks great joe.
Here is a picture of how the X and Y Rails are made, hope this helps, using 10-24 screws drill and tapped into pipe rails every 6".
and a shot from the side of the caraiage slide.
Yes the Y-Axis carriage has the tensioning bolts on the bottom, i figured that would be best.
Joe
I like it. How are your two y-axis lead screws syncronized?
Rob
Here's my submission for the z-axis. All attempts for accuracy have been made, however I would highly suggest that all measurements be double checked.
The bolt head measurements are from some bolts that I have, however I found three different sizes so I went with the one I had the most of and that seemed to be the most common.
These ideas were what I was thinking of for a future mod to my existing machine or for a new machine. I drew these with the dimension as suggested by Joe.
Hopefully the drawings will provide some useful information.
Saved as version 2004
z_axis.dwg
Saved as version 2000
z_axis_2000.dwg
Bob