Cut its first sign! #86 - Valley Grande AL USA
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Hi everyone, I'm from Valley Grande Alabama. I've been following the post in this forum and have a set of plans from Mike. I had today off so went to town and purchase some of my material to get started. I need to get in touch with Mike to see if he has any laser kits available. I'm posting this first picture as a test. It's a new work bench I built this past week. Went ahead and painted it Mechmate blue:) If it posts alright I'll post some construction photos.
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Yes - I will have 15 sets soon.
Welcome and enjoy yout build !! |
Laser kits
Hi Mike, let me me know when you have them in. Can you tell me what size the adjustable feet are so I can go ahead and dill and tap the legs. THANKS
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Pics of July 1st start
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The first pics are of a stand I build out of scrap. I put adjustable legs on these stands so that I could build the Mechmate upside down in a good flat plane. Hope to get more work work done tomorrow :)
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Gary
Nice going. Keep those pics coming. Mick |
1/2-13 - Great PICS keepem comming !!
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Saturday work
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Got some more work in today, would be nice to have an air conditioned shop.
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Hi Gary - thats fast and Cool!
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Thumbs up! At this rate, you will have it build in record time :D
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Great progress. Keep up the good work.
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I see your super organised with the level building platform, lifting gear and a clean shop.
All signs that that your mechmate will be a quality build - well done. Regards Ross |
Man don't you know it on the AC Shop !! It's freakin hot and the humidity is what kills !! High 80's (oops meant humidity !!!) yesterday and today. I was tryin to work in my shop and gave up because of it. I am going out early today to see if I can be like a frog in water and just heat up with the day :D !!
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80's? That is comfortable... Never-ever had day temperature lower than 85F in my part of the world...
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Broken thermometer
Hey Mike, you need to shake that thermometer and see if its stuck. It was over 95 here. Maybe you're up in the mountains above B'ham where it's cooler:)
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Note I meant humidity !!! Guess I need more coffee !!! The temp was 95 !!! Sweat just puddles up and stays everywhere !!! I am sitting here now thinkning of ways NOT to get to work !!! Yes I do still love Alabama, but Montana is soundin good about now !!
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That sucks :(
Take shower, that will surely get rid of the body heat for a while... I usually take a shower every 1~2 hour in that sort of heat... |
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I have one more day before I have to go back to work. Need to make some money for the electronics. I will have to do a lot more reading in the forum on that. I have a small cnc router I built years ago with a cutting area of 1 ft X 2 ft and I used Hobby CNC for my electonics. This is going to be a new ball game. Here are some pics of the build.
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Here is the last day of the 4th of July build. I'm ready to set my table down and turn it over. I will start on my rails next. Haven't found the angle iron deminsions on the plans for the X & Y rails (maybe I'm just blind from all of the welding). Been searching the forum and I believe its going to be 2-1/2" X 2-1/2". Is this correct? Thanks to everyone in the MM fourm for all of the info and help.
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The rails need to be 2.5 x 1.5 angle iron if you are going to grind your own rails. Dimensions are on plate M1 10 110 of the plans.
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Thanks Jim, I just didn't look hard enough. I see on the plans where the maximum height of the angle iron sould be no more than 2". Is the cut off (waste) to be used as a retaining strip to go into the "Y" tubing for the rail bolts? I don't know what size angle iron my suppler stocks. Do you recommend looking for 2.5 X 1.5 to be close to the final grind size and not having to cut any off?
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See the rails section of the forum. IIRC, you're trying to get to 1.1" x 2.5", and you want to start from 2.5 x 1.5 or 2.5 x 2.0 (not 2.5 x 2.5, or you'll have troubles with the skate). And, yes, the cutoffs are useful as clamping plates (particularly if you use 2.5 x 2.0).
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To clarify Brads caution about the skate. The grinder disk does not have a big enough diameter to cut through the angle, because the profile of the skate will hit a tall angle leg. 2" or less on one leg will not cause problems.
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Thanks Jim, Brad and Steve for the info on the angle iron. My supplier closes before I get off work in the evening. Will try to leave early before Friday and hopefull get the angle iron if he carries the correct size.
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I have a friend in the towing business and he came over yesterday evening with a wrecker. He backed up to one end of the MM and I used my hoist on the other end and we turned it over with ease. Didn't have to throw a beer party so I can drink it all myself:)
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WOWO~~~ You made it look so easy!!!
Brilliant work! |
Gary are you going to use that prop against the wall for cooling in your shop.:)
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No man he does not own a broom and will use it as a dust extractor :D
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Hi Ken I really enjoyed this past weekend. Everything really fell into place. I was really suprised I was able to get so much done. I'm hoping the skate will arrive from Mike tomorrow so I can work on the rails this weekend.
Good idea on the prop, just need to find a large stepper and use a 4th axis. Air conditioning and dust extraction. Anyone want to write the G-code:eek: |
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I took off work a little early Friday to get the angle for my X & Y rails. The supplier only had 2-1/2" X 2-1/2" so I went ahead and brought it. This morning I made a jig to cut it down to 1.125". Worked really well, took 10 discs and made a heck of a mess. Tommorow I Hope to align and mount the X rails then grind the V onto them.
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Santa came early in July (Mike I know that was you) and brought me some goodies.
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Ho Ho Ho !! :) I figured I better at least get that skate down to you as fast as your build is going. I don't want to break your stride !! Keep those pictures coming !!!
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Thanks Mike, that was quick service. I'm working on the skate today. Have all the X rails drilled and taped. I should be able to finish the skate after work tomorrow and get the ginding done.
If any one close by is interested, I'm finished with the metal stands which I built my frame on. I'm asking $100. They are built from 5" square tubing with 1 inch leveling bolts. These are real heavy duty and will support a lot of weight. Will post pics if interested. |
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Got started grinding my X rails this afternoon. It was going pretty good till the grinder decided to let the smoke out. I got them down to 2mm but will have to get a new grinder to finish them. This is about as much fun as watching grass grow:)
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So you got the magic smoke released!
I reckon they are making steel better than they used to... :p |
Go buy a cheap angle grinder...retain the slip...grind your rail...if you see smoke take it back and carry on with the replacement until it smokes...return it and carry on..and on and on.....:D
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Yep, angle grinders are consumables. Figure about one grinder per ten disks ;)
Actually, if you want to baby your grinder, the issue is that they simply aren't designed for continuous operation. I used gel packs from the freezer with my second grinder; grind until the motor casing is hot, slap a gel pack on it and do something else for 15 minutes, repeat. But then I like my Milwaukee; I didn't care much about the Harbor Freight that I burned up. |
Are you using 36 grit sand paper disks or grinder disks to knock down the 45" degree chamfer?
The sand paper disk with a rigid back goes much quicker......Then the final passes with a real grinder disk. Good luck.... (I have burned up 2 little grinders in my 3 builds!) LOTS of experience doing "the task" |
Went to Wally World this afternoon and picked up a new grinder. Lifetime warranty just bring it back:p. They carry Skill, but when I got home I found it would not fit in the hole of the skate. I'll try Marvins or one of the auto parts stores tommorow.
Sean, I used the hard grinding discs. At first I was having problems with it removing metal with each pass. When I looked at the disc I noticed that metal particles were imbeded. Replaced with a new disc and was working great. I could tell a 100% improvement and could tell it was removing metal with each pass. The grinder was loaded with the first pass then it would unload with the next pass before adjusting again. My poor little Black & Decker just wasn't up to all of the passes:eek: |
I wrote a little "essay" on the art of grinding the rails down.
IF you TIP the grinder, so the leading edge of the disk is lower than the back (thus had the adjustment screw on the skate lower in the front and higher in the back) the cutting goes quicker without loading the disk material up. Also, the grinder disk doesn't glaze. |
Thanks Sean I'll give it a try. I picked up a Dewalt grinder after work and discovered it had no mounting screws on the disc side so I took it back and got a Black & Decker. I made one pass on one rail, started to make a second pass and the smoke came out:mad: I had another grinder in the shop but the diameter was about 1/2" larger than the hole. I figured I'd butcher the skate and if it didn't work I'd buy another from Mike. Got to keep Mike happy:) So far so good. I was able to finish the X rails tonight. Will do the Y rails this Saturday and mount casters on the bottom of the table. I should be able to leave them on and be able to adjust my leveling feet down and level the table without having to remove the casters.
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