First production job started! - Malvern, UK
 

I must start with a huge thank you to Gerald and everyone on the forum for the input which I have learnt so much from. My machine is very much "unfinished" but almost all of the work to do is cosmetic. Unfortunately it has been a somewhat stop-start project. After a decent start and progress with laser parts, motors, steel and re-using much of the control side from a previous project, the machine nearly became homeless when we almost gave up the lease on the workshop it was housed in. I stopped work on the MechMate and actually offered it for sale to another forum member who lives close-by. Very soon after that we had an enquiry about making some curved display units for a customer and it was apparent that this would be something the machine would help greatly with.
After some months we have just got the go-ahead, so it has been a rush to get everything working because as usual once the customer says yes, they want it yesterday. But this has at least been the saving grace for the machine and the job should pay for it to be properly finished when the weather warms up!

Here’s a short video just to prove it works (I can hear you all laughing at what it looks like:)!!)

So far it is proving very reliable, since I set up realistic speeds in motor tuning it hasn’t missed a beat. (or lost a step)

Mark.

P.S. I posted here as it doesn't seem to fit too well anywhere else and I'm still "planning" to finish it!

It "looks" like it works perfectly. That's a prize, by itself. :)

Very well done!

Well done Mark! :)

. . . . now having seen the end part of the video, that is a novel dust foot - back at fixed height while front rises with router. Interesting...

(You can cut off the ends of the rails now :))

I knew Gerald would spot the rails. :) I left the ends on originally in case I damaged the machined edges during the build, I could re-skim them before I cut them to finished size. But now I'm happy with them that will be my next job.

I should get a good idea of how it works in "production" over the next few weeks, the only thing that is certain is that any problems will be down to me. hopefully fixable by me as well.

(hope I don't get problems with that "cumulative backlash"):rolleyes:

Mark.

Mark,

Would you please post a closeup of the hold downs?

Thanks

LOL!!

Good looking T-slot table top, is it an stand alone table?

Mark, after the first ten hours of operation, you need to run your machine upside down for ten more hours to unwind the cumulative backlash. After that, it's broken in, and you shouldn't see any more errors. Alternatively, you can ship it to the other side of the equator for those unwinding hours. It's a little time consuming, but the effect on your perceived cuts is striking.

<ducks>

Congrats on your machine. Don't forget you can use the MM to cut it's own decals.

LOL!!!!

you guys are fantastic!!!!

Can't stop laughing after 5 minutes!!! LOL!!!

Brad,

I know very well this is true, I moved my machine on the equator line, one part on the north size, and one part on the southern hemisphere. I simply cut in the morning on one side and in the after noon on the other side to rewind my cumulative backlash :D
For large board that are used of my whole machine I usually don't have problems :D

Ries

LOL!!!

Ahhhh..... now I have mount my table North South direction with a 2.5 deg tilt to compensate my 2.5deg north of the equator location and only cut in the morning :D

I'm obviously going to have to set up some kind of "spit" arrangement to turn the machine over at regular intervals, in the mean time I'll make sure I alternate between "climb" cutting and conventional.:D:D:D

Jeff, that's very true.

Nils, I'll get the camera out over the weekend. The hold downs are made from a form of Acetal plastic, they're offcuts from the machine shop next door!

Ken, the table is integral, the "T" slots are formed by simply rebating 19mm MDF each side and gluing down to the table top to form the T

Mark.

A capture from the video:

A couple of pics of the hold-downs. The plastic is hard enough to tap a thread into and I've recessed the top so the cap screws sit flush. Once you've got a few, you can use some simply fastened in place as dead stops and some to hold the work.
Mark.

Interesting, this will go on my upgrade list.

Nice Work Mark! :)

Mark,

Nice idea. It would be nice if you could find plastic bolts that you could use to replace the steel ones. I just know the first time I use one of those, I would be hitting a bolt. If they were plastic, you would destroy a bolt but not a bit.

It looks like you have made a smaller hold down / spoil board that sits on top of you first table board.

Seems like a good alternative to a vacuum hold down.

My local friendly fastener centers has nylon bolt. If anyone need them just let me know.

Thanks Heath.

Plastic bolts are the next move, I have some, but with a much coarser thread than I have a tap for!!

Mark.

Mark,
You can countersink the bottom section of the holddown and press in threaded inserts then you won't need the tap.

Jason

Looking for nylon parts, this is the place to be

http://www.skiffy.nl/docs/menufr.cfm...gina=start.cfm

my 2 cts, Polder

The Machine is working quite hard at the moment, managed to produce two distinct piles.. Only another 500 or so to cut! :eek:

Mark.

If you don't mind my asking, what are all those parts going to be when they grow up?

This is a hint:

These parts go to make up an individual unit, about the size of a standard kitchen cabinet. The full display consists of 22 units forming a 6 metre diameter circle. They are for a chain of shops in the UK and channel islands.

Mark.

Mark,

When you get one built, please post a photo!

I've discovered something more satisfying than watching the machines first moves. That is, turning up each day, pressing a couple of buttons, loading a file, hitting cycle start and having the machine work all day faultlessly, making lots of dust, lots of noise and a little money, (hopefully)

I’m currently cutting 30mm melamine faced MDF, with a 10mm cutter in three passes, as this video, I’ve had one cutter break, but an identical replacement has already done three times the work, same file and settings, without issue so the broken one will be returned for replacement.

All in all I couldn’t be happier with the machine (kiss of death!!:eek:) If anyone’s on the fence about building one, my advice is, do it and do it soon!

That is awesome I cant wait to build mine. And thats a diesel looking gantry you got there too...

Mark,
How bout some pictures of your machine with decals on it for a nice new serial number? :)