Thanks Gerald,

This is truly an amazing setup you have here, with a plethora of info into the making of this great machine, well done!!
Yes the plan is to use the E-Chain so that should be all good.
Ok, so that all appears to be good, so I will start my drawing for the end elevation of the table and then a plan view I guess.

Cheers
Tony.

Tony,

You might want to square off a portion of the channel ends. Sharp ends are no fun to bump into.

Agreed!!

As long as it is not going to have an impact on getting my 2 main beams from the same length of steel. Will check it out, and make the necessary change :)

Thanks
Tony.

Hey Tony,

Sorry its taken me a while to get back to you. Your drawing looks good. My lengths are slightly different. The main difference is my last leg is on the other side of the last cross bearer. i.e. your 2266 dimension is 2435. Other than that its pretty much the same. I'm personally not a fan of the angled end look and kept mine straight. Not sure if you've got prices for steel yet, but 'One Steel' gave me the same per price 'per metre' for full lengths as for part lengths. So you may not have to worry about getting both sides form the one full length.
I will try and dig up my drawing for the table width now.

cheers
matt

ok, found my drawings. Here is my original side view. I preferred the 45 deg end angles but i didn't have a cut off saw capable of cutting it so i went with straight ends.
Attachment 5938

Heres my end view with a couple of dimensions to hep you calculate lengths.
Attachment 5937

let me know if you want more.

Cheers

Small angle grinder with a thin disk works very well at trimming the ends, I did all my crossbearers and main beams with it.

Alan,
Just like cutting down the rails...just easier! Good point to bring up again!

Discovering good thin disks for small angle grinders was like discovering a whole new way of metalworking.

Thanks Matt,

Question - In your first drawing what dimension do you have overall from your first steel channel to your last steel channel where your spoil board sits. My drawing is showing 2422mm which is 18mm shorter in length than the finished sheet size of 2440mm, is that how it should be ?? or does it really not matter.

Thanks for the heads up on the thin cutting discs :)

Cheers
Tony.

My overall dimension for the cross bearers is exactly 2400. Your 2422 would probably better but i don't think it really matters. I'm planning on putting a vertical table section at the end of the table to do mortising and dovetail joints (same concept as here) So my vertical table section will prob be 25mm and i will surface the end flush with the top of the main table. Does that make sense?

Thanks again Matt.

Done another quick drawing for the width of the table being the "Y" again I am reasonably confident that the dimensions are correct but no harm in checking :)

Next on the list now, is the cutting list so I can quantify the amount of steel required.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...idth_Model.jpg

Cheers
Tony.

Hi,

Motors finally arrived after being held up in customs for three or four weeks, Big thanks to Paul (Skippy) for his efforts in arranging the buy and following up with customs.
So without further delay here are a couple of pics!! you can see in the background my all in one printer and Laptop as a size comparison!!

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...k/P9270807.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...k/P9270810.jpg

Cheers
Tony.

Metal Cutting List

From my drawings above and a cutting sheet size of 2440 x 1220mm I have worked out my main steel required for the table build. If anyone thinks I have missed anything out please let me know.

So here we go!!

75 x 75 x 3mm Box = 6 @ 720mm (legs)
50 x 50 x 3mm Box = 6 @ 1500mm (Y axis top & bottom cross rails)
50 x 50 x 3mm Box = 4 @ 1025mm (X axis bottom side rails)
50 x 50 x 3mm Box = 4 @ 1090mm (X axis diagonal braces)
50 x 50 x 3mm Box = 6 @ 720mm (Y axis diagonal braces)
76 x 38mm PFC = 8 @ 1640mm (Y axis cross supports)
200 x 75mm PFC = 2 @ 3040mm (X axis main beams)
65 x 50 x 6mm Angle = 2 @ 3380mm (X axis v rails)
65 x 50 x 6mm Angle = 2 @ 2080mm (y axis v rails)
100 x 50 x 3mm Box = 2 @ 1770mm (Y axis gantry rails) (Purchased 50mm longer than needed so they can be cut to size later)(Finished length will be 1720mm)

Let the fun begin!!
Cheers.
Tony.

Hi All,

Recieved my steel quote the other day, $1190.00 all cut to size including delivery.
I'm not up to date on steel pricing but I thought this was pretty reasonable.
Steel will be ordered shortly and the build will begin!!:D

Cheers
Tony.

Yeah, thats sounds about right. Pretty good actually, better than what i paid for mine. Looking forward to seeing your build progressing!

Thanks Matt, ordered and paid for our steel today, for table builds for both Paul (Skippy's) table and my table.
I have requested they deliver the steel on 16/09/09 hopefully that will give me enough time to clear the junk out of my garage and clear some space for the steel and provide enough room to get the table build underway:D
I cannot wait to get this baby underway!! I'm starting to get excited!!

Cheers
Tony.

The Steel for both Paul (Skippy) and my table arrived two days earlier than planned, and as usual I was out of town on business. Luckily I had it delivered via a crane truck who kindly off loaded it into my front yard.
Now I just have to move it all into my garage.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...k/IMG_0055.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...k/IMG_0054.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...k/IMG_0056.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...k/IMG_0057.jpg

Guess I just got to find some time now to start the build.

Cheers
Tony.

How cool is that, some of it is already blue...:D now the fun starts, hope you have some willing helpers to move it all, enjoy.

hope your neighbors dont freak it! Tell them you're building a mobile phone tower in the front yard! hehe

So the question is, DO YOU PAINT IT NOW?

If the neighbors freak, then just ask them for help to move it! :)

Wow....That's some beefy channel. Jealous I am.

Alan you made me laugh with that comment about it already being blue!! not the right colour blue though !!

Haha with the mobile tower in the front yard, bet I had them all wondering though!! Think I'm going with the assemble, then pull apart what I can, then paint!!

Had my son and his mate move the large PFC's however I had to do the rest, took some time to move it too, but all done now, and undercover out of the weather.

The channel is 200mm x 75mm PFC and yep very beefy and awfully heavy!! glad I had the young fella's to move those for me!!

Cheers
Tony.

Ok,

I need to start looking at what is required for the V rollers and axles and whether or not there are any local suppliers here in Aus. I also need to source what is required in the way of bearings for the skate so again if anyone has any info on what is required and again local suppliers please let me know.

Cheers
Tony.

Hi Tony,

I made my rollers originally and had good results from them. However they were not perfect so I purchased some and upgraded. It was a while ago when I did this but after ringing around the best price I could find locally was AU$70 per roller. I ended up ordering then from Rick at Superior Bearing Company. I was very happy with the service and the price. The bearings for the skate elude me at the moment I will have a look when I get a chance if no one else beats me to it.

Regards,

Jayson.

Tony

Have a look at this seller on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com.au/6301-2RS-12x3...item53d99c522d I sourced these bearings from him for my skate but I have not built it yet, so I can't tell you how they went. Hope this helps.

G' this thread need's to be moved to "under construction"

Somebody else must have moved it already - Thanks!

Thanks Guys,

Hopefully we will be starting the table builds shortly, still gathering materials and parts. Not sure as too whether or not we are going to tackle the welding ourselves or have someone help us out.
I have a trip to the UK coming up in a couple of weeks, so there is not going to be too much happening, hopefully after that we can get stuck into it.

Cheers
Tony.

I am currently in the UK. Looking forward to getting things happening when I get back to Australia.

Cheers
Tony.

Hi All,

I'm back in Australia and ready to get things rolling along again!!
Skippy and I are looking to move on our racks and pinions and I was wondering if someone can confirm the lengths required for our tables.

Table size is 2440mm x 1220mm

Would I be correct in saying that lengths required are as follows.

X axis = 2440+185 = X Axis Racks 2625mm
Y axis = 1220+155 = Y Axis Racks 1375mm

Z axis = ?????????? Im not sure what is required for this one and not sure how I calculate it so any help would be appreciated.

Cheers
Tony.