5x10 ft Mechmate together!!! #123 - Los Angeles,CA
I have a backlog of about 1 year's worth of progress photos.
It's been built with sporadic work on the weekends, odd hours on weekdays after the kids have gone to bed, and whenever I could sneak in time in the garage, but it's nearly done. I guess now is as good a time as any to start posting photos of my progress. :D Cleared half the garage to make room for the beast: https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3740/...270ceeba_h.jpg Welded the base table: https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3756/...66494bcb_h.jpg Applying primer coat with a HVLP spray gun: https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5555/...67db472c_h.jpg |
I went with Chevy Red-Orange for the gantry, Y-car, and rails, with the supports of the base table in white enamel.
Black oxide hardware rounds out the look. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3929/...9ef87930_h.jpg |
Welcome, looking forward to your progress!
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Welcome!! Looks like a great start.
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Looking good!
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Gantry welded:
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7474/...79752c69_h.jpg Y Car welded: https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7574/...b413d96c_h.jpg |
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Now I like the Chevy Orange better than the Ford Blue (which I have). Rock on, looks great Phillip!
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Thanks Tom. I'm really happy with how it looks. I thought the blue was a bit stodgy and wanted something I wouldn't mind looking at for long hours.
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More progress photos:
Welding the X-racks. I tested their fit by manually rolling the pinion gears over the welds. I felt a slight resistance on one of them so I cut it apart and re-welded: https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3950/...1384535f_h.jpg |
Checking placement of the Y-axis rails and checking that the Y-car fits. Next build, I will drill the gantry tubes BEFORE welding:
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3954/...e5ccc64a_h.jpg |
more progress photos
Milling brackets for the spindle from 0.750in aluminum:
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5614/...002e93d6_h.jpg The finished brackets after easing the edges with a bit of filing: https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3945/...ca8420a5_h.jpg The completed Z-slide with spindle mounted: https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7533/...f01ce0cf_h.jpg |
Awesome Philip!
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Cool , welcome and your not going to slide that Mill work on that spindle brace by us without details !! :) Is that CNC? Or mad hand milling skill?
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1 Attachment(s)
Oh that? Yeah, it's CNC milled for sure. 0.750" 6061 aluminum done with a spiral up cut end mill.
I used my desktop machine which is barely rigid enough to get the job done. Lots of pauses to clear chips and a spray of WD40 here and there to keep things moving. I've attached an SVG version of a bracket pair in case anyone wants to make a set for themselves. |
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Y car completed!
Since I had to run power to the 12v brick for the cooling system I went ahead and added a 110v outlet that could be used for a router (backup option) or other accessories. https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7541/...861ca6ce_h.jpg |
Make sure you purchase a back-up pump, mine failed in three months. I bought two.
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If a pump will fail in 3 months, you shouldn't consider using it at all.
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Some equipment fails because 'it failed', some due to design or material choices. If the second pump fails, or while it is still working, you might want to get another (if they are cheap) or look into a different pump that has a history of being reliable.
I had old plastic pumps in a swamp cooler for years. Every spring I swapped them out and over the year 'rebuilt' the 'old one' I just removed. It was always a matter of inspection and cleaning, lubrication, clean or replace cheap brass filter screens, and set it on the shelf for next year. If something really broke, it gave me time to replace a part or if the whole pump was lost, get another pump for 'the shelf' and next replacement time. Those pumps worked 6 to 12 hours per day during the summer in El Paso. There was lots of sand (blown in by dust storms), and other debris. So they led rough lives. But I never had one fail mid season. -- Preventative maintenance goes a long way. But there are always the 'lemons' in the bunch. That is another reason for having 'a spare' of any critical path parts. I would hope that you could find some pumps that are as reliable (and easily and cheaply maintained) for this application. |
Ken, did your first pump not fail on you if memory serves me right ? ;)
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Pump recommendations?
This was one of the only pumps I could find that had an integrated coolant reservoir. I considered using a separate tank which would have allowed for a more robust pump, but this was the easiest way in terms of setup/fabrication/cost.
Do any of you have suggestions for a better pump with an integrated reservoir? |
My 1st pump system (aquarium pump + reservoir on the Y car) failed & I replace the whole system with a standard lathe/milling coolant system with the tank + pump on the floor, ended up with ~USD80 more expensive but it is reliable & minimal maintenance... The "new" pump stop working twice, the 1st was some rats got to the power cable... the 2nd was I accidentally pulled the cable off.
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Ken you are right, mine had to be defective, junk from china.
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Or the pump selected is totally not suitable for the application.
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I am using a sicce impeller pump. Silent and it did not fail (yet). Make sure you choose the right one though with plenty power and feed height, for a kitchen table test anything will do but once on the table with long lines you need some power and feed height.
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MM logo applied! Moves and cuts under computer control!
Can I get a #? Looks like #123 is next in the list. :) https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8611/...385482f4_b.jpg |
Great looking machine. Any shots of it making dust?
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If you ever do any cutting, you will find your radiator fin clog up with dust in no time.
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I figured that dust in the radiator might be an issue, but if I do my dust collection properly that (hopefully) will not happen often....and if it does, a quick poof of compressed air should clear it.
Also, I'm not totally sold on that cooling system. It's meant for CPUs that sit still, not dusty robots moving all over the place, so if it fails I won't be too surprised. Here's a little video clip of my first cut - milling recesses in the base table MDF for the bolts. I can't get over how QUIET it is! |
So fine!
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Good to know you are aware of the draw back of such system.
The spindle is a lot more expensive then the computer CPU cooler. #PS, no matter how/what you do it, there will always be wood dust... |
Now witness the power of this fully armed and operational battle station!
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7549/...1db837e6_b.jpg |
Congrats! I remember vividly how that felt. :D
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Cool, what is that material it looks like chocolate?
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Looks like cherry in bad lighting. Congrats!
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BTW love the coders reference.
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it's maple, with terrible lighting. :D
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Looks like you are ready for a number! Still a nice glamor shot would be cool, but not enough to keep you from a number...
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