Hello from Frankston Victoria

[macrex]

Hi all,

I having been wanting a CNC machine for a long time now.

I am a builder / handyman / welder with 20 years in the IT industry as well.

I want a machine that will be able to do CNC routing as well as plasma cutting, Havent done enough reading to see if the Mechmate can do both.

[sprayhead]

uuu yeah it can.

How about use half the table for one and the other half for the other... sounds gool.

f.

[conceptz]

Hi i have just started on here getting ready to build as i learn ( i am very confused at the moment lots of good info to absorb on this forum ) i will help if i can welcome :)Troy

[Doug_Ford]

Richard,

I would also like a CNC plasma cutter but don't really have the room for both. I don't have the need to cut lots of similar steel shapes on a production basis but rather I'd like to have the computer guide the cuts so they are accurate and smooth. For a little while, I thought about converting my router to a plasma cutter but changed my mind. I decided that if I need to have a smooth and accurate cut made in steel, I'll use my router to cut out a wooden or thin aluminum guide for my handheld plasma torch.

I think you would have all kinds of problems with a machine that did both. As you probably already know, plasma cutters throw off a lot of metal dust and I think you'd have an impossible task ahead of you trying to keep that stuff out of the router's bearings.

[macrex]

I think I will build a router only unit to suit 2440 X 1220 sheets. Plasma unit can wait and will probably be smaller anyway (1200 X 1200)
I already have a PC use (have 5 actually) and have enough steel in the workshop to build the table. So i would need to source the other components.
Any help on these regarding availablilty in the Melbourne region would be most helpful. Cheers

[rnixon]

I was told that you get better economy - up to 25% - from 2400 x 1800 sheets - if you can handle them easily.
That's the only reason I am building that size.
Hope that helps:)
Rick

[macrex]

Does anyone have a Mecmate in the Melbourne area that I could see working?
Thanks

[MattyZee]

Hi Richard, there are only 2 Mechmates operating in Australia, Jayson's in Horsham and mine in Adelaide. Although there are plenty in progress. Rick is making pretty good progress and will be done soon ;)

[macrex]

Thanks Matt,

Is that the same Rick who can do good deals on laser cut parts? Do you know where he is in Melbourne?

[Besser]

I ran some costings and from the parts bin your looking at about $6000 to build. All parts are available to the general person and I think as the forum gets craftier, the price will start to come down.

Be careful who you buy from. Most Ausi shops are more then happy to rip you off! Take for example a rack maker here in Melbourne that wanted almost $100/m for rack or a laser cutter that wanted $1000+ for cutting and bending, both can be had for less then half price. I'm now in negotiations with a local drive supplier, I told them I can get the exact same kit at my door step for a cheaper price (includes international freight) and instead of asking what price I needed to buy from them, they went into defense and started intermating they didn't believe me. I will name them soon but I hope for the right reasons.

Take it a step at a time and follow the tips people add. I have seen a good example of a builder not painting his first and it's going to get nasty when he has to pull it apart to paint.

[shaper]

Besser

I think you may find that pulling the machine apart to paint is pretty standard practice (if I recall correctly this is even the way Gerald does it) there is many examples of it all through the build logs. This method saves you having to patch up paint when you make mistakes or want to modify.

[Gerald D]

We paint, then assemble. Paint patching is with aerosol can.

[Kobus_Joubert]

I also painted first then put it all together. To align everything up twice is just too much work for me. For modifications...nothing that I can think off...drilled a couple of holes for the cable support and chains ...that's all.

[Besser]

Thanks guys for the heads up. OK, Paint, assemble, touch-up (I can see a good reason for close inspection of earthing needs)

[shaper]

Well there you go, Memory play tricks, could have sworn I read it the other way round several places. Still I'm not sure I'm good enough to get it all right the first time so I'll go with construct assemble then paint just to be sure.:D

[sprayhead]

From what I have seen a lot of people test assemble first, then unassamble, paint and final assembly.

What? 1 hour to unassamble everything? no worries.

F.

Well there you go, Memory play tricks, could have sworn I read it the other way round several places. Still I'm not sure I'm good enough to get it all right the first time so I'll go with construct assemble then paint just to be sure.:D

[macrex]

Have started cutting the steel, will start to weld it up next week maybe.