New Convert - New I-beam 5x10 Build Start

[SEMPERFIDELIS61]

Hello Everyone.

I've been following the forum for some time and have downloaded the plans and taken the plunge. First however I need to break my engagement with the build I recently started over at Joe's CNC:o Actually, I may run with both; a very scaled down version of Joe's Hybrid Machine (say 2' x 3') for small carvings and build experience with the controls.

I really want the features I believe the MechMate can provide. I shied away as I was intimidated by the welding fabrication required. This is what led me to Joe's plans. However my drawings and modifications just kept looking more and more like what is already a component of the MechMate system. I was concerned about the weakness of the z-axis of that design as I want to generate high quality 3d carvings with Aspire.......so I'm going for it and I'm digging in right here.

Seeing JesseJame's posts and others that have had little metal fabrication experience be successful motivated me. I have access to structural steel and buddys that weld so I guess I will be picking up the tab for loads of pizza and beer over the next few months:) I ordered the laser cut parts and a few misc components that Mike offers on his web store and will begin to modify my table design to work for this new build. I will post my sketchup drawing for review soon.

[sailfl]

Scott

Welcome and good luck with your build.

You will not be sorry you built a machine.

[MetalHead]

Welcome to the team !!! You will be happy with the quality of this machine. Don't forget I also have a lot of the Electric Parts also.

[SEMPERFIDELIS61]

Please forgive my ignorance but I have a question or two concerning the concept of Belt Drives and Geared Steppers.

I understand the general concept that creating a geared reduction via a pully/belt or geared drive will provide more torque to the system and let the motor run faster and I guess therefore more efficiently (less heat & noise?).

Do the geared drives create to much play or backlash for very high quality 3D work? My main concern is generating very nice finishes on carved mantles and furniture panels. Would a belt drive be a better way to control the smoothness of texture?

I just ordered the parts kit from Mike and his belt drive plates to cover my options.

[domino11]

Welcome Scott!
Check out the link that Gerald left on the last thread. Since you have the belt drive plates coming, why not try that option. There are a lot of people using that as well as the geared motors. Do not forget you also have a range of pinion sizes to give you more speed or more resolution to some degree as well in your machine tuning.

[jessyjames]

Never mind. I read your first post and it said what I was going to point out.... Welding was very easy Scott and with a few practicing rounds you will be good to go. Plus buddies and beer can get you very far. I belonged to that forum at one time but with difference of opinions with Joe and have out-grown it I have stepped up to this much more robust design.

Cant wait to see what you do and if you need any help let me know...

James

[KenC]

Do the geared drives create to much play or backlash for very high quality 3D work? My main concern is generating very nice finishes on carved mantles and furniture panels. Would a belt drive be a better way to control the smoothness of texture?


How nice is nice enough for you? If you are expecting finishing what do not further sanding & buffing then you are looking at the wrong technology.

Degree of finishing has compound factors, belt reduction alone won't save the day all the time... feed rate, spindle speed, hold down, chip load, material properties, tool bit geometry, material & sharpness... etc etc are some of the factors... You can't just tell until you start cutting...

[SEMPERFIDELIS61]

I hear you. I don't expect to not have to sand, buff, hand carve to a degree...just didn't want to be left with significant ridges that would be pretty unreasonable to almost impossible to sand out.

For more artistic pieces, I intend to perform a fair amount of hand carving to establish undercuts and crisp corners. But in general was concerned that one method geared vs belt had less resolution due to the mechanics of the system. I am going to move forward with the belt driven system and see what shakes out from there. Thanks for your input, I appreciate your opinion.

[SEMPERFIDELIS61]

Never mind. I read your first post and it said what I was going to point out.... Welding was very easy Scott and with a few practicing rounds you will be good to go. Plus buddies and beer can get you very far. I belonged to that forum at one time but with difference of opinions with Joe and have out-grown it I have stepped up to this much more robust design.

Cant wait to see what you do and if you need any help let me know...

James

James, you are one of my motivators to proceed with the MechMate. Man I wanted a Shopbot....personally would have been willing to give up alot to have a well designed system delivered to my door....a lot except (perhaps) my wife:) She will never forgive me the PowerMatic Lathe that I bought without prior discussion 7 years ago (there are worse vices).

I'm convinced that I can produce (with the help of this forum) a machine every bit as good or better than the off the shelf Shopbot, even with my limited experience.

As far as continuing my build on the Joe's Machine....still thinking it through. Would like to have a second machine that could work away on a relatively small carving (sign or platter (say 18"x24")) while working on bigger items on a more robust machine. It would be interesting to continue to use Joe's plan as a starting point for the smaller footprint machine (24x36), using the screw on the z-axis. The smaller gantry would be stiffer and I could experiment a bit on that build while staying more true to the MechMate. The whole space in the shop issue is killing me though. Really thinking through options that somehow integrate my Delta unisaw/router table/outfeed into a multi function workcenter. The MechMate would take precidence at the centerstage of the shop:D

[SEMPERFIDELIS61]

I have not dropped off the face of the earth...just seems like it. I have been clearing the space in my shop, collecting software, welding equipment and getting a subpanel installed to allow power for the welder. Had a professional give me my first lesson laying down a weld bead with a Miller 350 mig welder. This has given me the confidence that I can do the necessary welding:).

Also, taking everyone's advice to heart concerning studying the site! It is tough mental gymnastics to convert the metric to standard us/imperial units for everything from bolts washers steel etc. I just have no frame of reference to envision the US equivalent in inches or feet when reading various hundreds to thousands of mm. Will get there though. I work adjacent to a large steel fabricator so have ready access to various structural steel members once I determine what I really want.

P.S. My laser cut parts are in transit from Mike...so looking forward to dry fitting together.

[jessyjames]

Good start Scott and I am looking forward to seeing some progress photos once they become available. This forum is amazing and the knowledge here will surpass that other one that we are both aware of but both have their strong points too..

Keep it up,

James

[smreish]

Just remember - 25.4mm = 1" It's pretty darn easy. Use that Memory key on your calculator to hold the value!

Or, be like many - run out and buy a metric tape measure.

Sean

[PEU]

go metric! :D