Added belt transmissions #16 - Demotte, IN
 

After looking at my laser-cut parts and other parts all summer, I finally picked up my steel for my table. I'm planning on a 50" x 120" machine. Steel was a little more than I figured, but I was told that it had gone down in price.

I have already purchased:
rack and pinions
v-bearings
steppers
drives
controller
power supply
cable chains
router
router bracket


Mike Yozman

Okay Mike, you have our attention now! :)

Oh yeah that steel looks good! :eek:

Had a few hours to mess around
 

It's funny how you just can't leave a pile of steel alone. I took a little longer for lunch than usual.

Note: Not a good idea to put together upside down and turn it over by yourself. Not as young as I used to be, just think I am. Nothing like a clean and jerk of the table. She's upright now.

MIKE

Okay, that was the easy part. :D

Must say that a big frame standing in the garage like that is a big motivator to keep going and get finished.

Hi Mike,
Nice Table,what size are you going for?
Did you bolt or weld the cross bearers?
And finally what's the size of the profile used for the main beams?
Regards,
Hector

Hector,

The table is going to be 50" x 120". The cross bearers are bolted, but once everything is squared, I'll lay a weld on them. The main beams are 8" channel.

Gerald,

Other than wrestling the stuff to the drill press, It was pretty easy. Will see if I'm still saying that after I cut down and grind the angles. I'm going to give it a go this week with the angles.

It takes up to much space to be ignored now.

MIKE

I cut the rails with a tct blade. I would have never though they would have cut so easy and smooth. I clamped the angles to my main beams, leaving about a quater inch gap between the beam and the angle. I let the guide of the saw ride on top of the angle and the saw hang down the side. Keeping the weight of the saw pulling down to keep the cut as straight as possible. This worked pretty good. Did not have to do to much work to it before grinding.

THe grinding took a little messing with to get it to cut well. Used a new disk on every rail. The whole trick is getting the skate tipped right. The first 12 footer took about 45 minutes, adjusting and figuring it out. The others went alot faster. When changing disks, I had to take the skate apart. I scribed the skate as to put it back where I'd found the sweet spot for me.

I have mounted one side of the X rail with rack, keeping it straight. I need to put the other side on yet.

The part I was dreading the most,:eek: The Grinding, actually wasn't as bad as I had thought.:)

I need to cut and weld the gantry and keep things moving. Will post some pictures when I get a chance.

MIKE

Gantry and Y-car rolling
 

I was really hoping to complete more this weekend, But between the freezing rain and loss of electric and now high winds and temps around zero.

Anyway, I hookrd up the generator at the house and one down at the shop. Shop is heated with wood and kerosine(torpedo heater). I managed to get some things done, just slow when it's cold.

I attached rails, welded gantry, and set the y-car. What a great feeling getting the gantry and y-car to roll smoothly. I lucked out and my gantry sat right down on the rails, no adjustment. I took the advise of others and welded it on a tablesaw.

Can't wait to finish the build. It rolls so smooth for being such a big heavy piece of steel. I think I'm a little short on my X cable chain, so I'll have to order more. I also have to get the shielded cables and control enclosure.

Here are a few pictures of the progress.

MIKE

Mike,
Your table is looking really good. I know what you mean about the cold, its been -25C here for the last while. Makes working in an unheated garage pointless. :(

Nice work Mike. I like your temporary end-stops to prevent the cars from going off the rails. :)

...funny you noticed the end stops. I welded washers on the rails so I would stop driving the skate off and crashing to the floor. I broke 2 cutting disk's just flying off the rail! :D I like to learn the hard way.

David in Taiwan had a big fan going in the workshop . . . . . turned his back on the machine and the gantry blew right off the rails onto the floor. :eek:

Ready to Paint
 

I'm just about to a point where I'm ready to take the thing apart and prep for paint.

I still have to come up with something for an idler pulley on my Y-car. I'm thinking of using two of the bearings that I used for the skate, in a trolley-like configuration. I also did my stops different, using cutoffs from the rails.

Does there have to be stops on both sides of the gantry? I have only put it on the motor-side, but if I need to, I'll make another.

Looks great!

I wish I would have bought a satin finish paint instead of gloss to hide the flaws.:D

Maybe that krinkle finish or under coating.

Mike,

Looks good. You are making good progress.

Looks good!

The bearing needed as a roller for the idler/holdown is dicussed here:
Idler holddown roller bearing

Stops are only placed on the motor-side rail of the gantry.

Nice job Mike. Don't worry about the paint, the sawdust will hide th flaws!:)

Tim

Blue and Motors turning
 

Painted everything BLUE, received MechMate decals from Joe, Received control wire, Got motors turning. Just need to put everything back together and start cutting.

Can't hardly wait. Was this the fun part for everyone else? I'm really getting excited about finishing. I think I can see the finish line.:D

MIKE

Good news Mike! You have me on the edge of my chair dusting off the next serial number! :)

Blue Pictures
 

It was a little cold today to mess around in the shop. To cold to feel the ends of my fingers for motor hook up.

Mike

Congratulations....that mechmate really looks nice ;) I see your integrated other motors, could you comment on your experience with those....

Hector,

I'm using Keling motors, KL34H295-43-8B. I went with these because of cost. They are direct drive, but I also have the motor plates for geared steppers for future upgrade. They seemed to work fine on the bench, Just need to run them on the machine.


Mike

Amazing to see how these MM's looks mostly the same....if you just follow the plans as supplied...Nice going Mike and I am still happy to used my ungeared motors....for me the thing cuts what I want.

Mike that looks awesome.

Mike,

Congratulations. You have built a beautiful machine. Please show us more pictures as you get it up and cutting :).


Jeff

Mike,

Great table. I hope those motors work for you.

I have a mundane question. I see the tops of some rattle paint cans. I like the color. I'm not happy with the "Ford Blue" from Tractor Supply. Looks too dark.

What paint did you use? Did you just use rattle cans or did you also use sprayable/brushable paint. What about hardener?

Regards,
John

John,

Buy the rattle cans from Home Depot. They are Safety Blue from Rustoleum. That is the color I used and it is a nice color. I recognized those tops......

I think Lowes has the same color. It is the professional cans.