It's painted, moving, and making dust! #7 - Saskatchewan, CA - Page 4

Roadkill_321 · #91 Wed 13 February 2008, 23:04

Well, here is a small update. I have the gantry welded and drilled, have the rails mounted for grinding and the racks came on the UPS truck day before yesterday. I am back to work at my regular job so progress has slowed down a bit on the Mechmate. My next order of business is to finish grinding the rails and I will try and track down some of that double sided tape.

John

Greg J · #92 Thu 14 February 2008, 06:09

John,

Doug found this source for the VHB tape. I ordered mine from there also.

Uline.com,
S-10148,
3M4955 1/2"X36 YD VHB TA,
$56.80

Haven't use it yet, but getting close.

Roadkill_321 · #93 Thu 14 February 2008, 07:04

Greg,

Thanks for the info. I had already decided to order from them last night, so the tape should be on it's way. It's probably the most expensive tape I've ever bought though.

John

Greg J · #94 Thu 14 February 2008, 07:19

Yea, it's industrial strength!!

Don't get any on the fingers. Although, there are a couple of individuals around where I live that could use some across the mouth.

Doug_Ford · #95 Thu 14 February 2008, 20:50

When I posted my source, someone replied that I probably could have beat that price if I had contacted a local signmaker. I think they are probably right because I have a huge roll left over. It would have been better to buy just the right amount and pay more per foot. Oh well, live and learn. Maybe I can use it on my next two MMs.

revved_up · #96 Fri 15 February 2008, 08:19

Is that tape too strong for use to hold down smaller cutting projects? If not having extra may be a good thing.

domino11 · #97 Fri 15 February 2008, 08:21

Might be a little expensive for hold down jobs. Two sided carpet tape can work for that I would think. Hand held router guys use it for holding templates.

Gerald D · #98 Fri 15 February 2008, 08:39

Quite frankly, that tape is even too strong to hold the racks! A weaker tape also does the job fine (provided the surfaces are clean), but I gave up on explaining that the racks can be simply taped on with plain old double-sided type. So, had to up the spec for "plausibility"

domino11 · #99 Fri 15 February 2008, 08:45

Gerald,
No worries with that VHB tape. I had a sample from the company once that had two mylar tape pieces held together with the vhb tape. The innstructions said "try and pull the tabs apart." Nobody I work with could do it. We had two guys each grab the tabs with visegrip pliers and they broke the tabs but not the tape.

amazing stuff. I know why they say it can be used in some situations instead of welding.

Greg J · #**100** Fri 15 February 2008, 09:15

That does raise the issue of removing the racks at a later date. How does one remove the racks from the rails.

smreish · #**101** Fri 15 February 2008, 09:20

Greg,
Pretty easy.

Take a razor knife and cut the foam layer.
Release the rail
use solvent to remove residue with paint scraper/putty knife.
Repaint the area if needed.
reattach new rail.

Trust me....I did this a few weeks ago on my machine. It's a great learning experience!

domino11 · #**102** Fri 15 February 2008, 09:25

Sean,
Sorry to hear you had to remove your racks. That tape hold pretty good doesn't it?

Roadkill_321 · #**103** Sun 17 February 2008, 07:25

Here is another small update. The gantry is nearly completed and the Y car still needs to be welded.

Gantry-001.jpg

Gantry-002.jpg

smreish · #**104** Sun 17 February 2008, 11:56

Heath,
Now worries about the rack. I was absent minded when I was laying it up to the angle and "stuck to early". It's like laminate and contact adhesive....you only get one chance!

Nice looking machine - I like the mamba parts. I can't wait to build machine # 2 next month

Roadkill_321 · #**105** Wed 05 March 2008, 16:53

Here is a long overdue update. Things have been busy at work so I haven't been able to work much on the machine, but the gantry is welded, the Y-car is welded and the whole shooting match is painted. The X racks are mounted and I also have moved it out of my brother's shop into my own garage. My garage isn't heated, but it is out of the weather and I have warm clothes.

Anyway, I am as of right now trying to get the rails levelled and parallel so the gantry rolls the way it should. Anyway, I am still plugging along and every day is one day closer to me cutting something with it. I'll have some new pictures in the near future.

John

Roadkill_321 · #**106** Tue 11 March 2008, 22:46

Here are some updated pics of the machine in it's new home.
Mechmates-new-home-004.jpg
Mechmates-new-home-005.jpg
Mechmates-new-home-006.jpg

sailfl · #**107** Wed 12 March 2008, 04:35

John,

It looks nice and clean. When are you going to get it dirty?

You raised the level of work area.... panel walls.

Greg J · #**108** Wed 12 March 2008, 06:16

Nice work John.

We're at the same stage of progress. I know how is goes with the day job and everything. Same here.

javeria · #**109** Wed 12 March 2008, 09:56

Hi John,

very good work.......can we call you JR Jr.

or is it the camera is just too good

RGDS
Irfan

Gerald D · #**110** Wed 12 March 2008, 12:44

It's a beauty! Nice to see the Mamba cable chain supports in real life - hope they do the job.

Doug_Ford · #**111** Wed 12 March 2008, 13:10

Looking great. It won't be long and you'll be cutting away. She's beautiful.

bbreaker · #**112** Wed 12 March 2008, 13:43

oh, looking nice, i whait for my manba parts, it's good pictures for me to place the cable chain support.

Roadkill_321 · #**113** Wed 12 March 2008, 18:38

Hey, thanks everyone for the comments, I actually thought that the pictures were kind of poor because I don't have a very good camera. I have a long way to go yet though, I have to build the Z-slide yet and I am waiting for the cable chains to come and I have yet to order the flexible cable so I will keep plugging away and you will all see my first cut when it comes.

John

Gerald D · #**114** Wed 12 March 2008, 23:11

John, my ex-welder bloke who emigrated to Saskatoon (at Siemens Laser) sent us a postcard yesterday. Mentioning the weather, he said "Everyday I have to dress myself like a dummy for attack dog training"

Roadkill_321 · #**115** Thu 13 March 2008, 07:43

Yes, we have had some fairly cold weather here this winter (-50 sometimes with windchill). Your friend at Siemens will be glad to know it is almost over for another year.

domino11 · #**116** Thu 13 March 2008, 09:03

John,
Don't feel bad, we are still digging out from 50 cm of snow on the weekend.

Heath.

bradyaero · #**117** Thu 13 March 2008, 09:48

very nice! And yes domino, the snow is crazy, I'm not going to start my table until we get some melting!

Roadkill_321 · #**118** Sun 16 March 2008, 21:09

Here is what I was working on this afternoon.
Z-slide.jpg
It took me 3 tries to get all the holes in the right spot on the slide tube, but I finally got it. I decided to go with mild steel on the slide plate as tool steel is not easily available here and it is harder for me to machine. Slowly but surely.

John

Greg J · #**119** Sun 16 March 2008, 21:26

John,

I used mild steel also. Easy for us DIY guys.

As for matching up holes, were you using a pin punch? (I call it a center punch, but that's not correct).

The pin punch makes it easy.

Also, why 6 V rollers?

smreish · #**120** Sun 16 March 2008, 21:44

Nicely done John.
Greg, the 6 rollers are the Mamba configuration that allows for the z-slide to retract slightly higher up. You can actually retract the slide out of the lower set of rollers to get more clearance above the table. Gerald has the thread on the z-slide part of the forum (I think) I know I read a whole lot of information on why the extra set of bearings...but can't remember where!