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  #91  
Old Mon 14 February 2011, 11:50
camilleg
Just call me: Camille
 
Urbana, Illinois
United States of America
Brilliant clampology for the traveling drill press!

"Drew blood" -- did the dry-eraser still work, or was bleach needed?

Last edited by camilleg; Mon 14 February 2011 at 11:52..
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  #92  
Old Mon 14 February 2011, 14:22
melissa
Just call me: Melissa #83
 
Brighton (Ontario)
Canada
Hmph, I knew it was going too smoothly.

I just finished drilling the holes in the X rails to 1/2".

Next step is drilling the proxy target holes. As luck would have it, with my bolt spacing, they'll intersect the second-last bolt at each end . They need to be symmetrical to work properly at both ends... so what to do???

Move the second-last bolt an inch or two out of the way, and re-drill the rails and beams to match? Any suggestions?
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  #93  
Old Mon 14 February 2011, 14:29
camilleg
Just call me: Camille
 
Urbana, Illinois
United States of America
Move the second-last bolt an inch or two out of the way, and re-drill the rails and beams to match, as you say.
It might feel like backtracking, but anything more elaborate risks even greater backtracking if that goes awry.
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  #94  
Old Tue 15 March 2011, 15:59
camilleg
Just call me: Camille
 
Urbana, Illinois
United States of America
For anyone who's curious, so much progress has been made in the past month that Melissa hasn't had time to post anything about it. As of a few minutes ago, I believe the table is entirely degreased, washed, and now drying before paint goes on (tricky, in that unheated aircraft hangar in what still is winter in the Great White North).

Last edited by domino11; Wed 13 August 2014 at 10:09..
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  #95  
Old Thu 17 March 2011, 00:41
melissa
Just call me: Melissa #83
 
Brighton (Ontario)
Canada
Here's what I came up with for the hole interference on the X rails. I had some 1/2" steel rod on hand, so I cut off four pieces, pressed them in with the hydraulic press, tack welded the back side, and then ground the top face flush. After painting, you won't see them anymore .

Also a photo of the stop blocks welded in place on the X rails.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg xrail_hole_filled.jpg (27.1 KB, 920 views)
File Type: jpg xrail_hole_filled_2.jpg (43.4 KB, 917 views)
File Type: jpg stopblocks_welded.jpg (31.4 KB, 919 views)
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  #96  
Old Thu 17 March 2011, 00:49
melissa
Just call me: Melissa #83
 
Brighton (Ontario)
Canada
The cross bearers were cut from surplus steel, formerly used for pallet racking. I tried cutting the angle on my 14" dry-cut saw, but it didn't work very well. The alternative was my steelmax saw, but I didn't want to set up the angle 15 times. Instead, I clamped five channels together, and did one long cut.

With them cut to length, I opted to mark and punch the holes for the spoilboard bolts, rather than using a jig. I clamped them in sets of 8, and marked both sides before unclamping (I drilled holes top and bottom, so I can drill through the channel straight into the spoilboard).
Attached Images
File Type: jpg cutting_crossbearers.jpg (35.4 KB, 924 views)
File Type: jpg cutting_crossbearers_2.jpg (24.8 KB, 920 views)
File Type: jpg crossbearers_marking_holes.jpg (33.9 KB, 924 views)
File Type: jpg crossbearers_marking_holes_2.jpg (41.4 KB, 923 views)
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  #97  
Old Thu 17 March 2011, 00:56
melissa
Just call me: Melissa #83
 
Brighton (Ontario)
Canada
Something that had to be done before installing the cross bearers: installing hanger bolts in the ceiling for the dust collection hose! With an 11-foot ceiling, ladders are scary at best.

I moved my scaffold into the open space of the mechmate, to be able to drill the holes and install the bolts. The scaffold is 2.5' wide x 6' long, and was able to spin around inside half of the table .

The second photo is part of the fastener collection for the mechmate. The other side of my storage unit is various bulk screws and bolts, but this side is all carefully selected for the mechmate.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg scaffold_inside_mechmate.jpg (49.8 KB, 920 views)
File Type: jpg fasteners.jpg (45.4 KB, 924 views)
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  #98  
Old Thu 17 March 2011, 01:03
melissa
Just call me: Melissa #83
 
Brighton (Ontario)
Canada
How to paint in Canada during winter: build a tent inside the workshop . The inside volume of the tent is about 1700 cubic feet, as compared to the workshop's volume of 17000 cubic feet! Much easier to keep warm.

The main support of the tent is the gantry crane, with various bits of 2x4 lumber clamped and bolted together.

The last photo shows before and after degreasing the main beams. If the water is beading like that, then the paint will certainly bead too .
Attached Images
File Type: jpg tent_frame.jpg (38.2 KB, 926 views)
File Type: jpg tent_frame_2.jpg (28.7 KB, 928 views)
File Type: jpg inside_tent.jpg (35.3 KB, 923 views)
File Type: jpg cleaning_table.jpg (33.2 KB, 924 views)
File Type: jpg droplets_on_main_beam.jpg (17.6 KB, 926 views)
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  #99  
Old Thu 17 March 2011, 01:07
melissa
Just call me: Melissa #83
 
Brighton (Ontario)
Canada
Table and Y-car primed!

Finally, on to paint! It took 8 hours today to prime the Y-car and main table (sans cross-bearers). It's a surprising amount of area to cover.

Next is painting the cross bearers and X-rails, and then the cross bearers get welded in place. Progress!
Attached Images
File Type: jpg table_primed.jpg (38.9 KB, 934 views)
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  #100  
Old Thu 17 March 2011, 09:45
camilleg
Just call me: Camille
 
Urbana, Illinois
United States of America
1, Woohoo! That's a milesto-, um, kilometerstone.
2, That tent is rather more elaborate than anything we ever made from sofa cushions and bedsheets.
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  #101  
Old Tue 22 March 2011, 12:42
melissa
Just call me: Melissa #83
 
Brighton (Ontario)
Canada
More painting progress: cross bearers and rails primed and painted.

The ends of the cross bearers are unpainted, as they still need to be welded to the base table.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg crossbearers_ready.jpg (45.3 KB, 846 views)
File Type: jpeg crossbearers_primed.jpeg (47.8 KB, 843 views)
File Type: jpeg rails_primed.jpeg (39.4 KB, 845 views)
File Type: jpg rails_etc_painted.jpg (44.5 KB, 842 views)
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  #102  
Old Tue 22 March 2011, 12:48
domino11
Just call me: Heath
 
Cornwall, Ontario
Canada
Melissa, your progress is looking great!

Last edited by domino11; Wed 13 August 2014 at 10:10..
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  #103  
Old Tue 22 March 2011, 13:32
Johannescnc
Just call me: John
 
Hannover, DE
Germany
Admirable work and progress.
Question, over your plastic bolt bin... " keine gefingerpoken!" Looks some what familiar
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  #104  
Old Tue 22 March 2011, 14:14
melissa
Just call me: Melissa #83
 
Brighton (Ontario)
Canada
I was waiting for someone to comment on the labels . It's a reference to to the "blinkenlights" poster:

http://original.jamesthornton.com/fu...kenlights.html

ACHTUNG! Alles touristen und non-technischen peepers!

Das machine control is nicht fur gerfinger-poken und
mittengrabben. Oderwise is easy schnappen der springenwerk,
blowen fuse, und poppencorken mit spitzensparken.
Der machine is diggen by experten only. Is nicht fur
geverken by das dummkopfen. Das rubbernecken sightseenen
keepen das cotten picken hands in das pockets,
so relaxen und watchen das blinkenlights.

Come to think of it... I may engrave that and mount it above the mechmate!
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  #105  
Old Tue 22 March 2011, 15:17
Johannescnc
Just call me: John
 
Hannover, DE
Germany
Hey! cool... My wife and I looked at the link and both of us feel it is a mix of Plattdeutsch, English, Dutch and Deutsch!
She is looking at the site now and seems to be very entertained
Thanks for sharing that...
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  #106  
Old Thu 24 March 2011, 13:54
melissa
Just call me: Melissa #83
 
Brighton (Ontario)
Canada
More blue paint... gantry and table.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg gantry_blue.jpg (33.7 KB, 783 views)
File Type: jpg table_blue.jpg (30.6 KB, 780 views)
File Type: jpeg table_leg.jpeg (21.0 KB, 776 views)
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  #107  
Old Thu 24 March 2011, 17:12
camilleg
Just call me: Camille
 
Urbana, Illinois
United States of America
No doubt the question's been asked before... so how long can a MM hold its breath?

Lookin' better and better!
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  #108  
Old Fri 25 March 2011, 21:06
melissa
Just call me: Melissa #83
 
Brighton (Ontario)
Canada
Now we're really looking like a MechMate . Cross bearers clamped in place in preparation for welding.

I used a tensioned fishing line to align the pre-drilled holes in the cross bearers.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg table_assembled.jpg (33.5 KB, 733 views)
File Type: jpg aligning_cross_bearers.jpg (31.5 KB, 735 views)
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  #109  
Old Fri 25 March 2011, 21:41
HomeMadeCnc
Just call me: Tim
 
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
Looks great! I wish I had the size shop that you have. What kind of heat are you running in the shop besides the construction heater?

Tim
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  #110  
Old Fri 25 March 2011, 21:47
domino11
Just call me: Heath
 
Cornwall, Ontario
Canada
That table keeps looking longer and longer. Great work Melissa!

Last edited by domino11; Wed 13 August 2014 at 10:10..
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  #111  
Old Fri 25 March 2011, 22:01
Gerald D
Just call me: Gerald (retired)
 
Cape Town
South Africa
Hey, that's ShopBot's colour!
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  #112  
Old Sat 26 March 2011, 04:13
melissa
Just call me: Melissa #83
 
Brighton (Ontario)
Canada
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gerald D View Post
Hey, that's ShopBot's colour!
Oops!

Tremclad paint didn't have a lot of choices in blue .
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  #113  
Old Sat 26 March 2011, 04:15
Gerald D
Just call me: Gerald (retired)
 
Cape Town
South Africa
Hey, just pulling your leg - don't change it now!
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  #114  
Old Sun 27 March 2011, 10:55
camilleg
Just call me: Camille
 
Urbana, Illinois
United States of America
@Tim: Friction from the drill press when we're low on cutting oil.
@Gerald: Maybe we've discovered shopbot's corporate secret?
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  #115  
Old Mon 28 March 2011, 22:25
melissa
Just call me: Melissa #83
 
Brighton (Ontario)
Canada
The cross bearers are now welded in, and the ends primed:

crossbearers_welded.jpg

Also started on painting the control box, even though I haven't drilled the cable and pushbutton holes yet.

contro_box_primed.jpgcontrol_box_door_primed.jpg
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  #116  
Old Mon 28 March 2011, 22:28
melissa
Just call me: Melissa #83
 
Brighton (Ontario)
Canada
About shop heating: I'm investigating propane radiant heaters, as well as solar air heating. My shop is about 18,000 cubic feet, so solar is looking really attractive!
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  #117  
Old Tue 29 March 2011, 03:16
danilom
Just call me: Danilo #64
 
Novi Sad
Serbia
This can be pretty easy to build, I myself just collected 240 cans for this and getting ready to assemble the unit.
http://www.cansolair.com/

Is this what are you using Michael?
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  #118  
Old Tue 29 March 2011, 09:28
melissa
Just call me: Melissa #83
 
Brighton (Ontario)
Canada
Danilo,

I haven't actually installed a solar unit yet, but that's one of the models I was looking at. Right now, I'm trying to get the MechMate operational as quickly as possible .

Melissa

Last edited by domino11; Wed 13 August 2014 at 10:10..
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  #119  
Old Tue 29 March 2011, 21:33
melissa
Just call me: Melissa #83
 
Brighton (Ontario)
Canada
Table painting complete!

I finished painting the table tonight: the ends of the cross bearers, and the outside of the main beams.

I'll post photos once I open up the tent again, so I can take a photo from more than 2 feet away .

Next up is the spoilboard. I'm glad I own a full-size cargo van, as I need nine sheets of 3/4" MDF, total weight over 800 lbs. Installed, the spoilboard will weigh somewhere around 650 lbs.
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  #120  
Old Wed 30 March 2011, 12:47
domino11
Just call me: Heath
 
Cornwall, Ontario
Canada
Melissa,
Are you using 4x8 or larger sheets

Last edited by domino11; Wed 13 August 2014 at 10:10..
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