Order of Operations

[RLH3]

I have just finished reading through the majority of the forums, and cannot find this anywhere. If I have missed it somewhere, please let me know where and ignore the rest of this thread!
How would you prioritize the various steps in the construction process? In other words, what would you build first?
I realize that parts availability plays a very large part in this, but lets leave that out of the equation for now.

Roman

PS any other MechMate builders in Northern Nevada (or even No. California) out there?

[melissa]

Here's the concise summary from Gerald:

http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showt...0&postcount=24

Michel

[Gerald D]

Hi Roman, thanks Michel.

As I said there, then:

"Everything of any complexity sits on the gantry (the moving part). ALL the motors, ALL the switches, ALL the cables/wires (except one ground wire), etc. The static table only carries a pair of rails and racks.

The logic is that you build the gantry in a small corner of the garage, get the x-motors to turn, get the y-car to run, get the z-slide to move. etc. Thats 95% of the sweat. THEN you build the big table and explain to your wife that her car now has to sleep outside."

I would like to modify/add to that a bit:

In parallel to building the gantry section in the garage, you can also start the kitchen table project inside your . . . . . kitchen.

If you are a mechanically inclined person, your risk area is the electrics - then start in the kitchen.

If you are mechanically challenged, start in the garage.

But all of the above also depends on your local seasons and the temperament of the kitchen manager.

We have to recognise that most people who started this project will not finish it. So you have to be realistic and figure how to order it so that it becomes easier as you progress and not more of a schlep. That why I say to start with the difficult small stuff first. No point in building a easy monster steel table first, then wanting to stop because the car won't fit in the garage.

[RLH3]

Thanks Gerald.
Building this will be a project for the future, as my current shop is maxed out for space. Moving is possibly in the works several years out.
I also suspect that finishing some of my current projects would be a good thing!

Roman