MechMate CNC Router Forum

Go Back   MechMate CNC Router Forum > Personal Build Histories > MechMates already cutting
Register Options Profile Last 1 | 3 | 7 Days Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old Sat 03 October 2009, 22:31
woody
Just call me: Rob #35
 
so. cal
United States of America
Found a New Home! #35 - Southern California

Hi everyone. I want to start by thanking Gerald for his brilliance, generosity and commitement to this wonderful machine and website. And also to everyone here who has helped all of us out with every detail needed to build this amazing machine.

I must confess that I am late in posting this build. It took me 3 weeks to build it and get it running (actually 2 weeks to build and a week of staring at the control box, lol) and a year to start a thread on it (sorry Gerald!). I feel its time I give something back for I have gained so much from everyones knowledge here.

I have worked a a cnc programmer and machinist in the past making molds for plastic injection and have a general background in mechanics, metal fabrication and welding. The build part was easy and fun. I can now tell you how many different ways you can wire a contactor switch. I definately want to build more of them someday. Its addicting!

I have cut three kitchens with the mechmate, made dovetail drawers(3/4" maple, I was very impressed with the quality, made a bunch of signs and quite a few other things now. Gerald, you have a well thought out machine here! It works better than I ever could of imagined! Thanks again!

Details-
Original "first" design mechmate (I downloaded the plans a looong time ago!)
Cutting area- 52"x100"
Oriental stepper motors- pk296a2a-sg7.2 wired unicoil (i think its unicoil, its been a year,)
Gecko g203v drivers
Pmdx-122 breakout board
30 tooth gears with 20dp, 20 degree, .5" rack
Antec 38v, 400w power supply
Milwaukee 3.5 hp router
Control box is made from 3/4" black melamine and is bolted under the side of table
Table has been modified- bolt together with 5"x2" swivel casters w/ brakes
Laser sights for x,y zero(still need to make the z height touch plate)
Parts were cut out with a water jet machine (friend has one at home)
Computer is an old dell I had, 2.8ghz with one gig ram, works just fine for the mechmate
Shuttle pro controller(cant live without it!)
Software- mach3 running on xp pro, cad/cam- mastercam 9, artcam pro 2008 and solidworks 2008.

Future plans-
dust collector- no, I still havent taken care of that sure does make a mess!
vacuum table
get rid of router and install spindle
4th axis
tool changer would make me super happy(I got spoiled having a 25 tool carousel)

I have to resize the photos and I will post them.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old Sat 03 October 2009, 23:10
woody
Just call me: Rob #35
 
so. cal
United States of America
Heres a few pics..
Attached Images
File Type: jpg DSC01181.jpg (49.4 KB, 2107 views)
File Type: jpg DSC01146.jpg (60.6 KB, 2093 views)
File Type: jpg DSC01175.jpg (63.7 KB, 2093 views)
File Type: jpg DSC01142.jpg (51.2 KB, 2088 views)
File Type: jpg DSC01344.jpg (45.8 KB, 2095 views)
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old Sat 03 October 2009, 23:15
woody
Just call me: Rob #35
 
so. cal
United States of America
A few things that have been cut so far..
Attached Images
File Type: jpg DSC01224.jpg (31.8 KB, 2103 views)
File Type: jpg DSC01227.jpg (37.8 KB, 2094 views)
File Type: jpg DSC01276.jpg (40.7 KB, 2098 views)
File Type: jpg DSC01279.jpg (54.0 KB, 2101 views)
File Type: jpg DSC01308.jpg (35.2 KB, 2101 views)
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old Sat 03 October 2009, 23:39
Gerald D
Just call me: Gerald (retired)
 
Cape Town
South Africa
Rob, you are one of my favourite type of "MechMaters" - just get away from the forum and do the job!

Thanks for coming around and showing what you have done. I had to change the title of this thread a little to add a serial number

to the other forum members: do not post public requests for his Harley-Davidson files
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old Sun 04 October 2009, 00:03
woody
Just call me: Rob #35
 
so. cal
United States of America
Thanks for the serial number Gerald!! And it just happens to be my favorite goaltenders number. Its great to finally watch it rip thru sheets at 400-450 ipm! And a clean cut too!

For those who are still building and have not yet cut and ground the rails you can make it easier if you use cutting and grinding disk made for stainless steel. I had them done in no time once i figured that out. That was the only part I was dreading doing because people made it out to be worse than it is. I worried about nothing, its easy!
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old Sun 04 October 2009, 07:21
jhiggins7
Just call me: John #26
 
Hebron, Ohio
United States of America
Update Builder's Log

Rob,

Congratulations on a great build and Serial #35!

Nice to see a MechMate hard at work. Love to see more detail on how you used the MechMate to make dovetail drawers...if it's not proprietary.

The Updated Builder's Log is here.

I took a shot at the build dates. The spreadsheet needs a day of the month to calculate the build time...so if you'd like to change those dates or anything else about the entry, just let me know.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old Sun 04 October 2009, 21:04
domino11
Just call me: Heath
 
Cornwall, Ontario
Canada
Rob,
Congratulations on your build. Could you give us a little more info, and perphaps some pics on how you did the dovetails? They are very impressive.
Also I notice you have a really strong workbench there.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old Wed 07 October 2009, 00:37
woody
Just call me: Rob #35
 
so. cal
United States of America
I did not take any pics of the dovetails or the fixture I made. The dovetail fixture was a last minute thing and temporary so I threw it out when i was done as it was not made to last more than one or two jobs(it was made out of 1/2" melamine). When I get some time I will make another and take alot of pics to show step by step how to do it. Basically I laid out the cut path in mastercam for a 4" and 6.5" tall drawer and ran a dry run to test everything and had to manually edit the g-code a bit and then started to test the cuts on scrap to get the cut depth and slot length just right so it was a tight fit. It took several days to get it all figured out but was worth every second of it. It was quick and easy to cut the parts for a complete drawer. I'll try to get something together this weekend to show everyone if I have time.

Heath, what other info would you like?
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old Wed 07 October 2009, 02:04
hennie
Just call me: Hennie #23
 
Roodepoort JHB
South Africa
Rob, I would like to see what the hight of that pick up is.Johan would like to use it in his side of the country no taxi is going to jump in front of him with one of those.I am also interrested in how those drawers were done.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old Wed 07 October 2009, 09:18
domino11
Just call me: Heath
 
Cornwall, Ontario
Canada
Rob,
Was just interested in your jig setup as you mentioned.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old Sun 18 October 2009, 12:55
Kobus_Joubert
Just call me: Kobus #6
 
Riversdale Western Cape
South Africa
Send a message via Yahoo to Kobus_Joubert Send a message via Skype™ to Kobus_Joubert
I am not sure, but tonight I came across this site...
http://cnccut.wordpress.com/category/example-cuts/

This guy is in Johannesburg...look at the 4th picture. I am sure this is a MechMate...or a very close copy... If it is, it just shows that there could be a lot more 'MM' machines out there.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old Mon 19 October 2009, 08:20
smreish
Just call me: Sean - #5, 28, 58 and others
 
Orlando, Florida
United States of America
Kobus,
Sure looks like a MM. If you look in the upper left corner you can see the diagonal main beam ends. A telltale signature of the MM.
...just wish more hidden MM contributed to the forum. It is part of the "user agreement"!
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old Fri 11 December 2009, 22:15
woody
Just call me: Rob #35
 
so. cal
United States of America
Here is a sign I did for my friends hotrod shop. It is 4 feet in diameter and 1.5 inches thick. Its a carving of his logo, a buzzard.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg image001-1.jpg (117.7 KB, 1533 views)
File Type: jpg image002-1.jpg (194.3 KB, 1526 views)
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old Sat 12 December 2009, 04:16
sailfl
Just call me: Nils #12
 
Winter Park, FL
United States of America
Rob,

Nice job...
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old Sat 12 December 2009, 23:52
woody
Just call me: Rob #35
 
so. cal
United States of America
I needed to cut some mortise and tenon joints so I made a fixture that mounts to the front of the table. The top peice is leftover angle iron I had for the rails that bolts to the front cross support of the table and a few peices of scrap 2x3" tubing I had laying around. I welded a couple of peices of angle iron to the sides and drilled a 1/2" hole and welded a 1/2' nut to the backside so I could bolt the aluminum clamp to it. The clamp is a peice of 1x3" aluminum tubing that I glued some 150 grit sandpaper to the face of to help clamp the peices down, otherwise the would move slightly. On the front I bolted a peice of 3/4" melamine for a work surface. On the backside of the fixture I welded a tube to the bottom that has another peice of tubing that slides in and out(the outer tube has a hole drilled in it and a nut welded to it so I can tighten a bolt agaisnt the inner tube) so I could get the fixture square to the table. The adjustable tube clamps to a crossmember of the frame. This is only part of the fixture so I can cut tenon joints. I am working on a top peice that can be bolted to the table for doing dovetail joints. The vertical fixture is permanant as it takes too long to set up and get everything squared up. I will change the 1/2" bolts for the clamp eventually to maybe an air clamp. They take longer to tighten up than I would like. They were what I had laying around at the time. The entire thing didnt cost me anything, it was all stuff I had laying around. I will have the top fixture for the dovetails done in a couple of days and post some pictures of that part as well.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg image004-1.jpg (136.1 KB, 1470 views)
File Type: jpg image006-1.jpg (130.2 KB, 1469 views)
File Type: jpg image005-1.jpg (147.9 KB, 1474 views)
File Type: jpg image003-1.jpg (121.6 KB, 1474 views)
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old Sun 13 December 2009, 01:16
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
Rob, Beautiful work!
I recon with MM's ability, a permanent vertical position is that is required.
Thanks for sharing. Can't wait to see the top piece.

Last edited by KenC; Sun 13 December 2009 at 01:19..
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old Sun 13 December 2009, 08:02
jessyjames
Just call me: James
 
Reno, Nevada
United States of America
Rob you gotta love those "Cell phone" pics.. lol

Great job and idea for that. Should be interesting to see just how well it works for you. I might have to design something similar to that for my second build, documenting this one, this time.

BTW, you've got mail. Let me know how it works for you.

If you need a camera Rob, for better pictures, I will buy you one.. j/k

James
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old Mon 13 September 2010, 23:13
woody
Just call me: Rob #35
 
so. cal
United States of America
Its been a while since Ive been here but thought I would show you my latest project, a poker table.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 2.jpg (28.3 KB, 1101 views)
File Type: jpg 4.jpg (23.9 KB, 1107 views)
File Type: jpg 5.jpg (25.9 KB, 1098 views)
File Type: jpg 9.jpg (22.2 KB, 1109 views)
File Type: jpg 8.jpg (21.1 KB, 1104 views)
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old Tue 14 September 2010, 14:59
domino11
Just call me: Heath
 
Cornwall, Ontario
Canada
Wow, very nice!
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old Tue 21 September 2010, 14:24
the_affliction
Just call me: Kelsey
 
Kelowna
Canada
Jealousy. Beautiful work you are doing and sounds like your having a pretty good time doing it. Keep it up Rob and post more pictures when you get a chance.
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old Wed 18 January 2012, 19:19
PrismSigns
Just call me: Curt
 
Omaha
United States of America
Well number #35 has a new home in Omaha Ne at Prism Signs shop now, it will stay busy with sign work the like.
Dust control is the first thing to get under control so have to biuld the shoe for the machine and add a spoil board. Watch out than, dust is going to be flying


Curt
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old Thu 19 January 2012, 06:09
jhiggins7
Just call me: John #26
 
Hebron, Ohio
United States of America
Welcome to the Forum Curt. Sounds like you'll be busy with #35.

I checked out your website at PrismSigns.com to see some of your work. Looks like to the link to your PORTFOLIO is currently down.

Please keep us up-to-date with your progress. Pictures are always very welcome.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Register Options Profile Last 1 | 3 | 7 Days Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Southern Africa social group gathering sailfl Miscellaneous / General / Whatever / Catchall 409 Tue 23 October 2012 23:20
Mechmate #35 for sale. Southern California woody The Market Place 2 Tue 06 September 2011 10:40
Candcnc TORCH HEIGHT CONTROL LCTHC for sale/shared order for southern africa ecki The Market Place 5 Wed 30 March 2011 06:20
Electric kit i have found opinions please Mojo General - MM Build 2 Wed 20 October 2010 13:06
Found this Spindle...please comment Claudiu 50. Toolheads 18 Mon 10 August 2009 07:05


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:51.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.