How much to build an 8x4 in UK?
 

Hello,
I'm toying with either buying or building and the more I read this forum the more sense it makes to build one as I am a competent welder and can (hopefully) get my head around the electronics. Oh, and there are lots of 'mates' to ask for advice of course!! However I have searched the forums for estimated prices and only found this discussed in South Africa. Anyone got a ball-park figure for the parts cost in UK? Medium duty spec, capable of cutting 18mm plywood, with I guess 150mm Z axis, plus a vacuum bed
Many thanks.

uk build
 

hi

We are currently building a 10' x 5' here in Warwickshire.
Our budget is around £2500 to £3000 in bits:-

Steel about :-£500( albeit ours is heavy!)
Racks :-£250 (WHM transmissions ltd staffordshire)
Motors :-still undecided on which to use but if you go the build your own gearbox route then about £300 ( qouted from motion king for 34HS9801)
motordrivers Geckos 201x about £350 (charter controls UK distributer for Gecko)
laser cut parts £250 (progress fabrication Warwick)
Power supply about £100
Steel electrical cabinet £80 (ebay)
Break out board Approx £ 100 depending on which you use
wire, breakers, terminals shielded cable for motors etc etc £300
router and inverter £400

I am sure there are other costs we have not encountered as yet

regards Paul

Thanks for that Paul. Your figures tie in nicely with the 35000 rand I saw discussed elsewhere. The currency conversion was £2900. Looks like a goer then!!
Cheers,
Freddy

If you have any connections with a scrap steel place you can save allot. The electronics on the other hand I wouldnt get too thrifty.


Jason

The Mechmate can be built for as little as £2500, I built one for around £2000 here in Denmark, but have gone a different way with my own design, which have come in at around £6000... :D

Ouch Kim, that must be a pretty special machine to double the price!!

Thats actually triple! :)

Sorry, point taken. I had the £3000 figure in my head as a ball park estimate from Paul's post.

The main reason for the increased cost on my own design, is primarily weight and rigidity.

My machine weighs in at +1200kg and is so strong built that it will not have any chance of flexing what so ever.

Even my gantry weighs in at more than 180kg. The Gantry beam it self weighs a massive 90kg.

Lets see some photos of the beast.

Jas

Kim did post a lovely photo of his machine but it seems to have been modded out (is modded the word for it??).

Kim's post is over here with the discussion of his machine.