Hi Ivo

That is a good looking build!
I also thought about an integrated Indexer, your approach is definitely a good one.

Show me more...:)
Greetings

Some pictures meanwhile. Looks like i bended one cable chain carrier wrong, but let it is - works so too. For indexer valley i made closing plate for that if i need bigger flat table.

Nothing like moving on and no time wasted, but in your case, you’re speeding up…. Nicely !
Nice progress Ivo, looking forward to see it in action !.....what, maybe by Sunday ?? :D

Maybe on sunday, but not on this sunday yet. Need to build Z axis. Im making it on linear rails. On weekend i plan finish sketching it and make metal work.

For now Z axis is almost done. When i get water cooling system http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/Produc...C=1160&ID=1618need build place for it. Then need search gas spring and make painting job.

Hmmmm or this??? http://uk.thermaltake.eu/product_inf...745&ov=n&ovid=It has 3 times bigger cooling.

Nice progress!

Certainly a very nice Z axis design!

Looking good Ivo.:)

How much Z axis travel will you have?

Z axis travel is about 50cm.

Today i was cutting on plasma table what i have built. Was windy day and sometimes power from grid is waving. Not so much that it goes off but enough to shut down computer and ruined cutting job two times. So came on my head idea to add on system UPS (about 1000VA) what poweres computer and drivers-steppers. Idea is on that little power waving can cause computer shutdown and maybe loosed steps, but if plasma unit (on mechmate spindle) is unpowered about second - two it fires itself again or dont loose fire at all. On mechmate is possible make so if is small power loss and main relay opens it stops feeding and spindle goes up to safe z. Has anyone done it and some advice on that idea?

One picture of this plasma too, havent made pictures now its made on summer when was doing wiring job. Control box later moved off to separate it electrically to maschine. Plasma causes lot-lot of electrical noise. I built it for one metalworking company just before started my own mechmate.

For now its cutting:) I replaced spindle to cheap router because spindle VFD what i had was faulty, and replacing it takes about 2 or 3 weeks. It cuts nice and smooth. Only this router is noisy, water cooled spindle is much-much quieter. But looks lihe i need to order Mechmate stickers.
To finally complete i need to end wiring job, sensors, puchbuttons etc. dont work yet. And then start build indexer axis.
One picture of one test job too. Its made on my friend picture. G-code is made with Artcam.Tool was 6mm ball nose and stepover 0,7mm

Well done Ivo! You are now in the "älready cutting" section of the forum

Why the square hole in the head? :)

Looks like it could be an ear. :)

Congratulations, Ivo! I like the plasma too...did you adapt the Mechmate design?

:D:D No its not ear. Just hasnt more uncutted mdf, and thought that hole will be cutted over but didnt. On plasma yes main beams and crossover beams are adapted on Mechmate design. But damn i think that router will not last so long if i get fixed VFD back, started today already making little unusual noise, but still working.

Finally i got today stickers. And it looks with them nicer then i thought :D.
On Z axis temporary tied little anvil because router is lighter then spindle and Z axis was loosing steps sometimes when making down moves

Hi Ivo, yes that looks quite smart! And you have serial number 37.

Congratulations Ivo! :)

Good job Ivo! Looks great !

Gerald should not be serial number 38? In builders log i already see number 37.

Gerald,

Yep, Ivo is right. Bill of Weiser, Idaho has Serial #37.

Oops, make that #38 then! :o

Update Builder's Log
 

Ivo,

Congratulations on your build and Serial #38!:)

Here is the Updated Builder's Log.

Please let me know of any changes to your entry that you would like to make.

I'm anxious to see you put the "indexer notch" to work.

Gerald,
There must be too many now if you are starting to lose track of the numbers. :)

Bear in mind that most people finish and post their pictures late at night after a hard day's work. But because most are to the west of me, I am already asleep. And then, at about 5am when I look at the forum for the first time, and am STILL asleep, I get confronted with keeping track of numbers! :o

Here are pictures first bigger job what i had done with mechmate. Its kayak model for making molds. It was very messy job. After it was done i collected in my shop about 800 litres styrofoam dust :D. Cutter wad made from 12mm HSS metal drill bit, because it looks so that HSS cuts foam much better than HM bits.

Very impressive!

Any problems with the dust in the gear racks or in the v-rollers?

Yes there was at beginnig pretty big problem with dust. Gear on Y axis collected so much dust that gear started jump over rack teeth. On pictures you can see dust protectors improved from cardboard and air tube what blows dust away. With X and Z axis wasnt problems. V rollers can handle dust very nice, they press it together and it falls down.

Ivo , I like what you did! making one of those is on my bucket list:)