May JR's legacy continue #4 - North Carolina, USA
 

I started on my 4' X 8' MechMate Router May 15 2007. I know I'm going to have lots of fun and probably even some serious challenges but it will be worth it, because I'll end up with the CNC router i've been dreaming about for 8 years. Thanks in advance for all the help. I see it passed out everyday on this forum, thanks. I promise to update often with pictures. J.R.

J.R.,

Is that 4x8 approximate? I assume that your cutting size will handle US MDF at 49x97 inches with a little to spare. If so, can you tell me exactly what will be the finished length of your X and Y rails?

Thanks,

Marc Shlaes

Marc, you are right the 4' X 8' will probably be more like 50" X 100". And yes as soon as i figure out those length i will share that info and more with you. thanks J.R.

Repeated from somewhere else:

In the plans, I give dimensions of rails, racks, gantry beams, etc. as X_plus_1234 or Y_plus_567 where X and Y refer to board size. The MechMate will be capable of moving 50mm (2") more in all directions. ie. a 100mm (4") diam cutter will travel just clear of the spoilboard, while a smaller cutter can have up to 50mm (2") breathing space off the edge of the support/spoilboard. (Only valid for a single router).

Hi JR

I had a glitch with the forum and lost your last post by mistake. Sorry about that. (As far as I know, it didn't affect anyone else?).

You mentioned having made some surplus support bases..... Some folk are buying their eccentrics in, and they turn the eccentric upside down to replace the support base. I don't quite know who is using what there.

Maybe you can put together kits of all the "machinist" parts (drawings ending in T or M)?:)

That's ok, I didn't like that post anyway! :o I'll repost something that looks like it. :D

Yesterday I ordered the set of guide wheels. I also ordered 4 pcs of 72" rack (X = 2 - 107.3", Y = 1 - 58.1", and Z = 1 - 8.7") thats 6.6" of waste, not bad. Last week I ordered the laser parts from Donald. Also FedEx delivered 4 pk299 stepper motors this week. I decided to make some of the small parts, got carried away and made 16 of the M1 20 220 T. Didn't need but 4 so if anyone needs some let me know I got extras. These are easy to make so I don't think they're worth shipping outside the US. I'll keep posting my progress.

J.R.

Have you, by any chance, put together a spreadsheet of the suppliers you have used and plan to use for the rest of the purchased components. If so, will you post it? I think that would help the US based builders a great deal. I think there is a bunch of reinventing the wheel going on.

Just a thought. Thanks.

Marc

Marc, I will keep a list and post it when it's larger. In the meantime I will post the items as I purchase them, like I did the rack. Keep in mind since I haven't used the parts yet there could be a mistake, of course I would correct as I find them but you need to double check also.
The rack came from WWW.STDSTEEL.COM it is # BF200011, if you buy from here talk to Tim, he's the rack man and is very helpful. Shipping was only $11.00 for the 4 pcs.

Something like this?
 

I created a format if you like it.

I like it. I have downloaded it and will start using it. thanks

No problem.
 

You are about 3-4 months ahead of me. Got to tie up other loose ends before I can start. Therefore I have to do something. I and others will greatly benefit.

Many thanks to you!!! :):):)

Marc

Just a few pics to keep those interested up to date.
If you don't have a metal bandsaw, make one!

Hi JR, it took me a while to figure out what is being shown in the last pic. But eventually I clicked that you had made 8 stop-blocks. Looks like you are quietly producing a kit for sale? :) (You only need 3 stop-blocks per machine)
And the cross-support ends are for a bolted table.

All good stuff!

Gerald a bolted table it is. A kit, I don't think so, just extra parts. On small inexpensive but time consuming parts I'm making enough for 2 machines. I was wondering why 4 stop blocks also, X gets 2, Y must only get 1. Just started working on the X rails yesterday, have not got to the Y rails yet. My excitement builds as the machine does. Thanks for your help ......... J.R.

ps rack and guide wheels were delivered this week :).

pss I would like to place an order to McMaster Carr, I'm going with the Delta router I think. I need to figure the gas spring charge. Any idea how much to add for the bracket that holds the router, can I just estimate or does it need to be exact?

J.R., you will be needing that "fisherman's" scale to set the spring tensions. You can use the same scale to weigh your total z-assembly. Throw the router and slide rail in a plastic bucket, add a few bits of scrap to simulate the bracket, and then weigh the whole lot together.

As the work continues! The foot switch proved to be a life saver when it came time to tap all those threads. It took about 9 hours to cut, grind, and bevel the rails (2 pcs 12' and 2 pcs 8' rough lengths) and they came out even better than I expected (Gerald, the skateboard works great). The masking tape makes layout a lot easier, and if you mess up it's easy to remove and start over.

Beautiful
 

J.R.,

When you cut the rails, did you slide the rail or the cutter? Based on your setup, I'm guessing you slid the cutter.

Also, the angle grinder you made is absolutely beautiful. Seriously, are you interested in renting it out????

All the best,

Marc

Marc, you are right, it's the cutter that moves, the rail is C clamped to the main beam (makes a great work surface). I cut my main beam (7" channel) 1st, should have left it 20' long, would have worked a lot better as a work surface. The little grinder is hard to control when you first start on a rail, it's because the depth rollers do not touch until it's almost completely finished. I need to address this problem before anyone else uses it. Maybe it will be more user friendly by the time you start your MechMate.

Great stuff J.R.!

How much did you lose at the tip of each rail because of the skateboard's length? It's very important for folk to know that they must not cut the rails to exact length before shaping the V.

Like how you marked out the holes on masking tape. :)

In the US stock steel comes 20 feet long(+ around 2" extra). My MechMate cut dimensions are 52" X 100" (our mdf comes 49" X 97", I've been building custom cabinets since mid 1970, still don't know why 49", 97"). I cut the rough length of the rails X = 12 feet and Y = 8 feet + or - a little (that's about 12" extra on each end. My skateboard is 16" long, by the time it hit the stop I only had about 2" in the clear, passed the "finished end".

While I was looking for the metal, I found out that angle comes 1/4" X 2" X 2 1/2", so I ordered this instead of 2 1/2" X 2 1/2". When I cut the 2" leg down to 1" the drop off became part # 10 20 235.

I ordered my guide wheels and bushings from http://www.superiorbearing.com/docs/..._bushings.html when you insert the bushing into the bearing it's flush with the back side of the bearing. In the plans Gerald made his own bushings a little longer (I think) therefore the bushing goes into the bearing support part # M1 20 220 just a little. I think the problem can be solved by either turning the bushing around or boring the hole in M1 20 220 8 mm instead of 12 mm.

Hi JR
That's correct.
If you put the hexhead against the spider plate it will provide a good clearance for the Z-plate.
In the original drawings, the laser marks for these holes were not the proper width. This may have been changed, I haven't checked.

You are doing some fine work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DocTanner

On the downloads page, the 25feb07updates.pdf gave replacement drawings for the eccentric bush & support base, because a lot of people were buying the eccentric from Superior. The new support base has a 8mm hole, and the new eccentric does not protrude through. (I did make a mistake - forgot to change the rev number from A to B on the support base - sorry). Notice also that the home-made wheel shape was also changed at that time to bring it in line with the standard wheel from Superior etc.

Putting the hex head under the wheel makes it a little hard to get at.

The later laser marks are now multiple crosses to indicate a range of possible positions - that is to accommodate 4" or 100mm wide plates, and inaccuracies during bending of the spider.

Don't discard the Bearing support bases M1 20 220 if you have already bored them 12mm, just fill them with epoxy then rebore them 8mm, once in place they don't move, so the epoxy will keep them centered just fine.

Interesting finishes on those bushes above - left looks turned while right looks milled?

Remember I made 16 of these things, all are turned. I noticed a chatter during the 1st few turnings, hence the 1 on the right. If I tried to go real slow that was the result. If I went faster the 1 on the left resulted. My metal lathe is an Atlas around 1960 with a 12" swing and 36" between centers, showing some wear. I would like to blame it on that but the real problem is probably just operator error. I am a cabinet maker not a machinist. You should have seen the first time I tried to pressure fit a bearing. Keep in mind all my life 1/32" tolerance was excellent. Now I'm tring to remove 1/1000" off the diameter (a cut that's half that), that's when I discovered the real use for the basturd file. The 1st shaft that took several hours to turn, I use as a reminder ... oh ... and also as a door stop. Just think that was only 5 years ago, before I even knew what a machinist was ......... now I are one!!! :):D:confused::rolleyes: That was a joke for those that did not recognize it. Almost forgot ............... thanks Doctanner for the encouraging words.

"our mdf comes 49" X 97", I've been building custom cabinets since mid 1970, still don't know why 49", 97"

They do that so you can make a bunch of cuts and still come out with 12" pieces. The saw blade eats up 1/8" every cut....

I wish plywood came the same way!

WTI, what do you do with so much 12" material? When almost all cabinets were face frame the sides of the wall cabinets were cut either 11" for the blind side or 11 1/4" for the finished side, tops and bottoms were 11", the shelves were cut 10 7/8" or less and edged, mdf was still 49 X 97. Even now with most cabinets being Euro the cuts are either 12" (25%) or 11 3/4" (75%). How about 1/4" mdf it also comes 49 X97. There has got to be another reason, if not cabinet plywoods would come that way, jmho;). regards J.R.