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  #31  
Old Fri 23 May 2014, 12:32
smreish
Just call me: Sean - #5, 28, 58 and others
 
Orlando, Florida
United States of America
Rapid,
I drafted that design already so I could take the machine to job/movie locations and do quick CNC work on the back lot.

Use a 5x10 Landscaping trailer with 4" C-channel and 12-18" sides as the bed rails, Have them place verticals every 12" on center. ADD RAILS to top and place gantry.
You have to add an end gate to each end of the trailer to reduce the vibration on the walls at the tail end...but that was a removable section.

I did a mock up with my 5x10 machine when I moved it - it worked perfectly. I used a Porter Cable router as the spindle and let me use a single 20A/110 VAC circuit to power the entire machine with computer.
Light enough power load to use on my 4.5KW generator on the tongue.

....okay, so now I told one of my secrets.

Last edited by smreish; Fri 23 May 2014 at 12:35..
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  #32  
Old Fri 23 May 2014, 13:37
IMMark
Just call me: Mark #119
 
Columbus Ohio
United States of America
Thanks IMMark ...btw aren't you taking your MM with you when you go ?

[/QUOTE]

I am a horder by nature...so whatever will fit is coming with me...whether I am heading north or south is yet to be decided !
Mark
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  #33  
Old Fri 23 May 2014, 13:41
IMMark
Just call me: Mark #119
 
Columbus Ohio
United States of America
Sean ....so you have a mobile MM? That sounds awesome...also if it comes up, please tell Sandra Bullock I said hello
Mark
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  #34  
Old Fri 23 May 2014, 13:45
smreish
Just call me: Sean - #5, 28, 58 and others
 
Orlando, Florida
United States of America
I sold #5 and currently have no machines. But Nils #12 and the owners of #28 let me come and play at their shops when I need a bit of work done! (nice to have friends)
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  #35  
Old Fri 23 May 2014, 15:01
IMMark
Just call me: Mark #119
 
Columbus Ohio
United States of America
So what are you saying...do I have a chance with Sandra or not????????????
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  #36  
Old Sat 24 May 2014, 05:35
smreish
Just call me: Sean - #5, 28, 58 and others
 
Orlando, Florida
United States of America
ummm no. But you can keep dreaming!
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  #37  
Old Sat 24 May 2014, 12:16
IMMark
Just call me: Mark #119
 
Columbus Ohio
United States of America
OK...I am going with maybe!
Hope you (and all the MMer's) have a great Memorial Day weekend!
Mark
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  #38  
Old Thu 29 May 2014, 18:57
Rapid
Just call me: Rapid
 
Pennsylvania
United States of America
smeirsh...
Wow what an idea ....MM mounted on a landscaping trailer to provide mobile routing services.... maybe ought to make the gantry out of stainless for routing in the rain or other corrosive environments. You could load up the trailer with board and rout the top board and remove and drop down to the second board etc.... would save a lot of material handling. I am thinking of making mobile MM rental units also. Maybe even sell mobile MM franchises to equipment rental companies. Perhaps offer lease-to-own options .... wow the possibilities for making $$$ with a MM are endless !!!!!!!

IMMark....
MM custom casket business.... route them from MDF and sell in kit form on ebay... Listing might look like this ....

"Custom engraved un-assembled MDF casket kits.... just glue, screw, and occupy"

...and I think I will hire Sandra Bullock to promote my ideas !!!!!

Last edited by Rapid; Thu 29 May 2014 at 19:16..
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  #39  
Old Thu 29 May 2014, 19:08
Rapid
Just call me: Rapid
 
Pennsylvania
United States of America
MM kit arrived today.... took 8 days to ship from California by UPS ground. Wow this box is big and heavy. I looked over the instructions ... last revision was 6/27/08. Do I have the latest revisions?

I am already starting to feel a little overwhelmed by this project.... hoping to have it moving under power by end of summer and finished by end of year.

I will build Y car first then gantry and finally the table. Will cut 5 ft. and will have belt reductions.

Will soon be starting a build thread.... but right now I need to mow the grass.
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  #40  
Old Fri 30 May 2014, 06:19
pblackburn
Just call me: Pete #98
 
South-Central Pennsylvania
United States of America
If the spider has 6 rollers then yes.

You can build it however you wish but I would advise the table first. You really need it trued to make any corrections you need with the gantry. Good luck with your build.
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  #41  
Old Sun 01 June 2014, 05:09
Rapid
Just call me: Rapid
 
Pennsylvania
United States of America
I was thinking I might build a small wooden table...make the main beams out of laminated plywood. Table would rout 5 x 3 or 4 feet. I could use the MM till I get the 5 x 12 table done.

My laser kit has been examined and all of the pieces for the Y car fit nicely together. I need to find a flat platform to mount it onto for welding. The spider has 6 hole locations which is what I wanted.

So do I begin my own build thread or does this introductory thread become it ?

I will soon start posting pictures (I need a refresher course in resizing first)

Last edited by Rapid; Sun 01 June 2014 at 05:12..
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  #42  
Old Sun 01 June 2014, 05:13
MetalHead
Just call me: Mike
 
Columbiana AL
United States of America
This becomes your thread. I will move it once you start.
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  #43  
Old Tue 03 June 2014, 09:06
Rapid
Just call me: Rapid
 
Pennsylvania
United States of America
Now it is time to start looking for deals on steel. I will consider clean salvage if not twisted or bowed.... otherwise I think I will bundle a material list and let the local suppliers quote against each other.

But I prefer a mixture of salvage and new steel on more critical components.

My X beams are for a 5 foot cutting width so do I need to worry about flex with the longer beams. I have read the other threads on this topic. Some have used 1/4 inch (which might be a bit too much overkill) and others have used 3/16 inch instead of the 1/8 which is the minimal requirement. I am using 600 in oz motors with 1:3 belt reduction. I think I will use 3/16 steel so I can eliminate a clamp strip.
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  #44  
Old Tue 03 June 2014, 20:24
lonestaral
Just call me: Al #114
 
Isarn
Thailand
Send a message via Skype™ to lonestaral
Sounding serious.
Another build on the horizon.

When I reduced the height of the rails to 30mm prior to grinding the v section,
I used the strip for my clamping strip.

3/16 wall box will give you more mass and inertia for your motors to deal with.
Just something to think about (along with everything else)
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  #45  
Old Tue 03 June 2014, 21:12
darren salyer
Just call me: Darren #101
 
Wentzville mo
United States of America
I have 3/16" wall gantry tubes with a 5' cutting width.
I think I built a pretty robust machine, but to lean on it and feel it shake during rapid direction changes, I wonder how it would be with an 1//8" wall instead.
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  #46  
Old Wed 04 June 2014, 04:36
Rapid
Just call me: Rapid
 
Pennsylvania
United States of America
I am considering using hardened V caps but the additional cost for a 5 x 12 machine is significant and I might rather use the money to purchase a nice quiet running spindle. I realize I could experience some uneven track wear but you to some extent compensate for that when you resurface your spoil board
..... also I am assuming that there is tolerance to allow you to regrind your MM rails should you experience uneven wear.

I am selling 13 acres of ground and when I have cash in hand I am going to lay aside all other projects and get this MM done ... until then I will build the Y car and gantry. A 5 x 12 table is going to take more time and cash. I also need to reserve some $$$ because I have other cnc projects and some remodeling in the building where I will eventually operate the MM.
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  #47  
Old Thu 05 June 2014, 14:59
pblackburn
Just call me: Pete #98
 
South-Central Pennsylvania
United States of America
Rapid,
Adding the hardened rails later is not unbearable as long as the Mechmate is not a machine you have based production needs on and a little planning is done for the upgrade in the future. It adds a bit of complexity to add them later because your gantry spacing is set. Your overhang will be a constant that needs to be maintained for the rack. Not that it cannot be done but it is a bit more challenging. Usually the V-rail is bolted on to the side of the angle. This would move your wheel space by the thickness of the lip cut away dimension. I understand the money situation and I am only trying to give you information for you to work with.
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  #48  
Old Thu 05 June 2014, 15:17
pblackburn
Just call me: Pete #98
 
South-Central Pennsylvania
United States of America
Quote:
Originally Posted by darren salyer View Post
I have 3/16" wall gantry tubes with a 5' cutting width.
I think I built a pretty robust machine, but to lean on it and feel it shake during rapid direction changes, I wonder how it would be with an 1//8" wall instead.
It is the profile of the tubing that makes gantry tubes rigid not the thickness. It will add to it, yes, but not as much as you would think. It is like over-engineering for no good reason. If it was round and not rectangular, it would be different. The complexity of the layers and assembly add strength also; so the 2mm suggested thickness is sufficient and is 0.040" less than 0.125" tubing so the strength is already gained. Adding too much weight will add wear to other components as well and increases the load that the steppers have to move. This may result in lost steps at a higher feed rate. My 2 cents.
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  #49  
Old Thu 05 June 2014, 15:46
darren salyer
Just call me: Darren #101
 
Wentzville mo
United States of America
I understand that.
My post probably could have been clearer.
My reasoning to use 3/16"s was to eliminate the clamp strip, as was mentioned in post #43 by Rapid.
I posted my thoughts about the added weight merely as food for thought, IE a lighter gantry would change directions easier.
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  #50  
Old Thu 05 June 2014, 16:58
pblackburn
Just call me: Pete #98
 
South-Central Pennsylvania
United States of America
Sorry, I missed that Darren
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  #51  
Old Fri 06 June 2014, 06:51
smreish
Just call me: Sean - #5, 28, 58 and others
 
Orlando, Florida
United States of America
...I used 3/16" wall tube too so I could tap everything and eliminate the clamp strip.
I was using 7.2 geared motors too....the extra mass wasn't that significant for my set up.
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  #52  
Old Fri 06 June 2014, 07:53
darren salyer
Just call me: Darren #101
 
Wentzville mo
United States of America
FYI... I have 4:1 belt drives.
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