Johan the time that you took to draw those "nice" drawings you could have completed building the table:D

Well at least I kept a few people busy with some discussion for a few minutes!:D
You are correct, time is a problem for me Gerald, like for most of us trying to do more than one thing at a time. To answer Hennie's comment. I am getting frustrated that I do not have enougth time building the machine. If I could build it at work it would have been finished long time ago!:mad:
Marc - I did not realise that the channel could be so far out of square. I will have a look at my channel over the weekiend to see how close it is, as a matter of interest.

Johan check the angle iron for the rails also,one of the lengths that i used had a good twist in it.

Can you give me the names of the suppliers where you purchase your equipment. And the place in pretoria that you used for the laser cutting parts.

Thanks

www. cncdirect.co.za & Laser fox, 012 666 9629. Good luck.

Thanks Johan

What software do you use for you cnc?

ciy,
I have downloaded trial versions of mach 3 and Vectric. My dxfs will be created on Autocad. I can also use Coreldraw. This is were I will start. Most guys on the forum uses this software with good results. Have a look what Kobus are busy cutting with this programs.

Just a quick hi from John (X-Richards Bay) in New Zealand. Johan, well done buddy, She looks good. I'm burning to start with my MechMate next year. Busy sorting out houses, furniture, cars, etc,etc. My e-mail is "john.vanderhoven@hamjet.co.nz". Hope to hear from u soon!!

See Yea Mate

Howzit John,
It is going to be interesting when you start your build. Mine on this side and yours on that down under side of the globe. A bit to the right!:D
All the best

Wiring - slow progress
 

My kitchen table project is over halfway. Here is the wiring I have done so far. I worked very slow on this but I learned a lot in the process.
Attachment 2705
I lost the fight with "Aunty Caroline." Her car will stay in the garage and the MM will receive a new home.
Attachment 2706
The size of the room will be 3500 X 4500.

Jy vorder goed.Wait till it`s working then the car can stand outside.

Johan, I like the look of neat layouts - sort of bcom a norm after Alan C showed us how it is done :)

BTW very nice home u have Johan - looks antique.

I am off to wiring mine.

RGDS
IRfan

Vorder te stadig na my sin, ou Hennie. As ons verlof kry Desember behoort ek op te vang.
When the timber start coming in with her behind the controls it might just be true what you say. Half of the machine belongs to her.

Hi Irfan,
Alan set the example for all of us and I am proud to say that I am studing his tread in detail. Copy cat a little.
I design the house 25 years ago and owner build it myself. The style is Mediteranian/Spanish/Sardenian. Nice to look at but a night mare to keep the parpet walls sealed off.

It started raining here - could not go out to the shop for the wiring - I am missing it :(

good design of the house though :)

RGDS
Irfan

Hi Johan
Good man, these things take time, pitty we have other work that takes most of our time.

Johan, I am a bit nervous of your wiring, where you run unscreened signal wires parallel (and close to) power wires.

Gerald,
Would you suggest that I use shielded wire for those few runs?

Yes. Only for the step/dir/com wires between the bob and the geckos. 4 short 3-core cables - very easy to do.

In The Workshop At Last
 

I did a few things in the workshop before the family arrived for Christmas. For those builders working in the colder parts of the world: Temp here was 43 degrees with 95 persent humidity

Attachment 3110

Moving the heavy beams on my own.


I collect some offcut 2" pipe and had to join the pieces to get the correct length.


Attachment 3102

Clamped in the v of the angle and lining it up with a 1 meter steel ruler


Attachment 3107

Tack two places and turn to tack again


Attachment 3106 Attachment 3105

I sand polish the weld flush. Not necessary. Looks better.



Attachment 3109

Gantry taking shape


The harvester was working close to the house while I was busy working.


Attachment 3111

Houses next to the plantation. Part of my house can be seen on the right.


Attachment 3112

Here is the Tiger Cat, cutting and then handling six trees at a time

Nice going Johan. Where you stay even plastic will rust.....at least if you clean that up, your paint will stick nicely. Those are toothpicks not trees, that is why he can handle six at a time..:D

Thanks Kobus. I think that tubing was stacked outside in the suppliers yard for a couple of months before they send it to me. Still, steel rust extremely quickly here.

"Bouers bokkies " works for a lot of things can even be used for hanging main beams with a block & tackle when you assemble.Nice going Johan.

That's just brutal hot Johan.

Not sure I'd trade the -11 degrees C and all the snow for that kind of heat.

Hi Greg,
Luckly this heat and humidity will last only until about mid March. Approx 3 to 4 months. Have to drink lots of water (or beer) to prevent kidney stones forming. :)The rest of the year is nice and it never gets colder than 10 degrees C.
The -11 sounds far to extreme on the other end of the scale for me.
The last couple of days have been cooller with low humidity. Nice, but not normal for this time of year.

Kitchen table project - update
 

I connected power to my 'Kitchen table' project yesterday.
I had two problems:
1. The main contactor doesn't want to retain the power to the rest of the board.
2. I keep blowing the fuse on the main supply transformer. The supplier calls for a 3 amp. fuse. At the moment I only have 2 amp. I will try and get a 3 amp before I try that side again.
I am busy checking the rest of my circuit around the contactor to see if I can pick-up my wiring mistake.

I receive this via e-mail this morning. Very true for our area this time of year.:)

You know you're in Empangeni or Richards Bay when:

-The best parking space is determined by shade instead of distance.
-Hot water comes out of both taps.
-You learn that a seat belt buckle makes a pretty good branding iron.
-The temperature drops below 35c and you feel a little chilly.
-You discover that in January/February it only takes two fingers to steer your car.
-You discover that you can get sunburnt through your car window.
-You develop a fear of metal car door handles.
-You break a sweat the instant you step outside at 6:30am.
-Your biggest bicycle wreck fear is, "What if I get knocked out and end up lying on the pavement and cook to death?"
-You realize that asphalt has a liquid state.
-Farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to prevent them from laying hard-boiled eggs.
-The trees are whistling for the dogs.
-While walking back barefoot to your car from the beach, you do a tightrope act on the white lines in the carpark.
-You catch a cold from having the aircon full blast while you sleep during the night.
-You learn that the Boardwalk isn't a shopping centre it’s a place to worship air-conditioning.

Lex, the diagram in this thread may help you:

Basics of connecting Door Isolator, E-stop Contactor

Nice hot list! :)

And today London has come to standstill because of the worst snow in 18 years . . .

That does not look like a lot of snow? We just got finished with almost three times that last week alone. :eek: But that would definately be alot for somewhere not used to it! :)