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-   -   Welding up the Table - Pretoria S. Africa (http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2675)

CoRn3 Tue 30 March 2010 05:31

Welding up the Table - Pretoria S. Africa
 
Hi all, another MM newbie here...

After lurking around on the site for so long, I figured its time to stand up and be counted. The idea is to have the MM chew on MDF sheets and some hardwoods for specialist furniture and kitchen parts. Perhaps even some plastics if I ever get bored.

We regularly ship from China, I'm trying to see what I can source from there. Furthermore I have some large piles of steel at my disposal, but not necessarily the exact sizes called for.... she's probably going to be a "big" girl...

What I have is:

tapered flange channels: 178 x 52 (6mm web, 7mm flange)
Angle iron: 100 x 75 x 5mm
Square tubing: 120 x 120 x 4mm
Rectangular section tube: 120 x 60 x 4mm

I do have 150 x 125 x 10mm box section as well.... :rolleyes:

I guess the logical thing to do would be to use the channels for the main beams, cut the angle iron down, a lot, for the rails? Maybe 5mm is too narrow? Maybe cut some of the extra channels for the rails?

Anyway, back to work....

Corne

CoRn3 Tue 30 March 2010 05:41

Oh, and pictures of course... (hope they're acceptable?)

http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/...325-1100-1.jpg http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/...325-1100-1.jpg
The channels, angle iron and heavy box section

http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/...325-1059-1.jpg
Square tubing, rectangular section tube

MetalHead Tue 30 March 2010 05:52

Welcome !! Nice steel pile to choose from!

hennie Tue 30 March 2010 07:27

Welcome I will visit next week do you deliver to the Garden Route:)

Kobus_Joubert Tue 30 March 2010 12:14

The galvanised pieces looks like a radio mast/tower that was taken down.

Jan de Ruyter Tue 30 March 2010 12:58

Note the barbed wire!

With the new price of steel we'll have to hire security as well.

Kobus_Joubert Tue 30 March 2010 13:11

Hi Corne, where are you, London or PTA ?

Jan de Ruyter Tue 30 March 2010 13:21

Magaliesberg in London?

That was my playground when we were kids. We used to cross the Mighty Magalies at night to bum a movie at the drive-in. On weekends we used to walk all the way to the Boerefort and the Wonderboom. There were lots of duiker, porcupines, hares and even reedbuck.

Sadly no more, now there are houses everywhere and a big quarry.

CoRn3 Wed 31 March 2010 07:35

LOL, seems I have a pendant for confusion... sorry!

I recently moved back to South Africa - lived in London for a couple of years, just need to update my information. I am now based in Pretoria.

Still trying to get used to double-cabs and 4x4's trying to kill me on the roads..... eish!

Hennie: (just in case you're not pulling my leg) while I get to use the steel I need, its sadly not mine to dispose of. I'll be building the machine in a joint venture with a friend who has the steel (with facilities to handle and machine it). I believe he got the galvanised pieces at auction, a dismantled industrial building or something.


Jan, you've got the area nailed - we're close to the Coca Cola depot.

hennie Wed 31 March 2010 10:54

Corne , Tell your friend he can still send it over I won`t mind:)

cvriv.charles Wed 31 March 2010 21:03

Where the pics?

CoRn3 Mon 10 May 2010 01:44

Right, the build has begun!

We started on the base table. It is 7.35m long, 2.3m wide. Heavy profiles are used mainly because they are available. The centre section is welded, and it bolts to the side sections by means of truck chassis bolts.

http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/...52010372-1.jpg http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/...52010371-1.jpg

http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/...010373-1-1.jpg

hennie Mon 10 May 2010 02:32

Pardon my French " bliksim ":D

Lex Mon 10 May 2010 04:01

Ditto. Model T production line?

Kobus_Joubert Mon 10 May 2010 06:53

Seker die Blou Bul Bloed wat inskop....groter is beter.:D

hennie Mon 10 May 2010 07:31

Moet nou nie `n ding begin nie!:)

Kobus_Joubert Mon 10 May 2010 07:43

Gelukkig het ek 'n MM, ek kyk nie na daai game nie en sal hulle nooit ondersteun nie.

hennie Mon 10 May 2010 08:43

Ek stem die see is blou genoeg.

Kobus_Joubert Mon 10 May 2010 12:16

I could not see the pictures from my work computer. Now that I am home I see it and I must admit...that is impressive. What are you planning to cut with that beast Corne ?

You are going to need lots of Cable Chain on that beast. Good luck

CoRn3 Mon 10 May 2010 15:30

I have to admit I am more into machines than rugby, but the Mechmate sure IS a nice colour... :p

Kobus: molds molds molds, and some intricate woodwork in between. As for the cable chain, I have some nice files - if only I had a cnc machine...

MetalHead Mon 10 May 2010 15:38

Coly Hrap !!! That thing is Huuuugeeee !!!! I think you could launch a cruise ship off of that thing !!!! So what kind of molds will you be cutting on that beast?

CoRn3 Tue 11 May 2010 03:42

Mike, the mix is quite eclectic but our bread and butter will be molds for heavy vehicle panels, thermal forming. As a sideline, I do a high-end kitchen every now and again. Her first major job will be some carving in Walnut and Partridge wood for a show kitchen.

BTW; laser cut parts arrived this morning.....works of art, especially the rail grinding skate. People's facial expression when they hear the rails gets machined by means of an angle grinder......priceless!! :D

MetalHead Tue 11 May 2010 06:19

Are you going to get 40 foot sticks of angle or will it be in sections on each side?

That thing will sound like train tracks !! :D Clickity Clack, Clickity Clack.

CoRn3 Tue 11 May 2010 07:19

Nope, no clickity clacking - the channel iron in the foreground is the rail, a dual rail; gantry wheels on the outside, ancillaries on the inside (thermal forming frame, later maybe incremental forming frame).

The other image is just eye-candy for those who have an appreciation for that kind of thing....

http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/...1052010381.jpg http://i1028.photobucket.com/albums/...0052010375.jpg

Kobus_Joubert Tue 11 May 2010 13:03

You okes are HEAVY DUTY there in Pretoria... How thick is that piece on the RH picture. Did something cut RIGHT through in one pass ?

Travish Tue 11 May 2010 14:12

Wow! This thing is going to be impressive! Way to go, good start!

CoRn3 Wed 12 May 2010 00:07

Kobus: yep, in one cut! I took that picture at the laser cutter's workshop - they have AMAZING machines, they cut up to 150mm mild steel with their HD machine.

Gerald D Wed 12 May 2010 00:14

Hi Corné, that looks like flame cutting (oxy-fuel), not laser. Thicker than 16-20mm, the laser guys run into quality problems. The flame guys go over 300mm [1 foot thick].

I am curious why they did that square dance from one cut to the next . . . . .looks like they intentionally tested (exercised?) the x,y motors forwards and backwards??

Sergio-k Wed 12 May 2010 01:48

Gerald

The "square dance" between one cut to another maybe it has something to do with the distortion of the material due to overheating.
I think this pattern prevents the hole piece from getting distorted.

CoRn3 Wed 12 May 2010 03:21

Gerald: Great to see you're still around this great undertaking of yours. You are correct, it is a flame of some kind (they refer to it as their "HD Machine"). I have no idea what the "little dance" is for. I was too impressed to ask :o


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