Has dust foot, belt reduction and plastic wheels #22 - Midrand, S. Africa

[MariusL]

Hi All,
I was not going to start my own thread but Gerald is persuasive in a still manner.
I have decided to build the MechMate using an existing table that was meant to become a plasma cutter. This will happen later.
The size of the table is:- X = 4510, Y = 2170. I would have liked to have it 2700 wide but as the table is already built and I need the machine running soon, it will have to do. I will build a bigger one ( 6000 x 2700) at a later stage.

[Gerald D]

What is on the top edges of your table? ie. is there something you can bolt the X-rails directly onto?

[MariusL]

Gerald,
Sorry, not enough info supplied. Yes there are "I" beams (158 x 82). The table is built with 75mm sqr tube and has a lot of bracing. The table is very sturdy, probably over designed. My wife says I should have been a Texan. Always bigger, better stronger. The cross beams are dropped by about 80mm so I will go for a longer Z axis option. I prefer this as I am going to do some 3D cutting. I might have to increase the number of cross beams for the purpose of supporting the table base. The table has four legs each side and each have a leveling adjuster plate.

[Gerald D]

Is the 2170mm Y-dimension:
- in between the I-beams, or
- between the centers of the I beams, or
- over the outside of the I-beams?

[Gerald D]

The length of the gantry cross-tubes must be sawn to 68mm more than the dimension over the outside of your I-beams.

[MariusL]

Gerald,
All outside dimensions.

[MariusL]

Ok, so now all the holidays are over and we started work again. The frame for the base is just about done and the laser cutting has commenced. I still have to install some cross bracing for the table. I might be fitting a six segment vacuum base. Two sections per division of the table. The router will cut 1800 x 3600 in the end. I will make a larger unit at a later stage.

[Kobus_Joubert]

Nice going Marius, looks like a nice strong table that you re-cycled..

[MariusL]

Kobus,
Yes re-cycled is correctly termed. It started off as a Plasma cutter table by someone else. I then used it as legs for a large vacuum press table and finally it is now becomming a router table. It was not welded completely and I had to check the linearity of the structure. We leveled the table, with four adjustable feet on every side, and then checked it with a laser beam. It is 100% all round. I am pleased about that. Now I must just put some supports in for the MDF flat top.

[MariusL]

Gerald,
Sorry to labor the point, but just to clarify. If I cut the "Y axis" cross beams 68mm longer than the outside dimension of the I beams, is the over hang of the guide rails have been accounted for? With reference to the drawings, they always mention the "Y + xxx" type of dimensions. How do I determine my "Y" size in order to use the references correctly? Is rail to rail or how?

[Gerald D]

From drawing 10 10 300 W, top right side . . . . .

Your Y dimension = width across I-beams minus 430 mm

[isladelobos]

A picture.

I believe it is right. check it.

[MariusL]

Thanks Ros, now the picture is very clear.
Just to update. I receive the laser cut components tomorrow as well as the steel for the rails and the gantry. I started with the electrical box tonight and will finish that tomorrow. We have a serious debate over here about the colour of the machine. I fancy orange, my foreman chap likes red and my wife says just not blue. We will have to see who wins.

[Gerald D]

Thanks Ros, that helps a lot!

[Kobus_Joubert]

A true MM is BLUE Luckily your wife will not work on the machine...she will just DEMAND 'things' to be made for her...

[MariusL]

The trouble starts!!! After I looked at the drawing Ros made I realized, with a shock, that the machine will be too small for the intended job. I have to increase the "Y" size by at least 150mm. I also discovered that the I beam is not as linear as I had hoped for. I have made an emergency plan that should be implemented by the weekend. I will post some pics when it is done.

[Gerald D]

Marius, the actual movement of the y-carriage is 100mm more than Y. In other words, the center of the router should go 50mm past the edges of the table. For plasma cutting, you don't need this extra, but for routing you might have a big cutter working on the outside of the edge.

[MariusL]

Gerald, I was mistaken from the word go with the width required. I have to cut panels that are 2m wide although the job is about 1930mm. I have already aquired the Bosch GMF 1400 CE router. It is a bit heafty but the router is going to have to work for long hours. I have removed the I beams already as I am not happy with the quality. I designed a boxed offset tube to widen the table and to lift the gantry somewhat. I am going to fit an extrusion in place of the I beams. I am also fitting 75 x 50 tubes all along the bed to carry the 32mm MDF. I intend to fit vacuum to the bed so I am making provision at this time. All these changes means that it will not be true blue MM but I think all the important parts are still intact. The bottom line is the machine has to earn me some bucks and sooner rather than later.

[hennie]

BOER MAAK `n PLAN.

[MariusL]

Ja boet, the plan just cost me lotys of buck extra. But a man must do what a man must do.

[MariusL]

Gerald,
I just received the laser cut and bend componets from my supplier. They did bend the 10 30 455 plate as they could not find any bend instructions on the drawing. I only have the down loaded files. Is there an update for drawing please?

[MariusL]

Gerald, never mind I reacted before looking for myself. Blonde moments do happen to the best of us

[hennie]

Boer gooi nooit iets weg nie,bou twee

[MariusL]

The modifications to the table legs are done. I think I am going to add a support all along the length between the legs just to make sure. The car is done and so would the gantry be if one of my clever guys did not cut up the material for the gantry.

Gerald, I tried to make sense of all the discussion on cable chains but still I am in the dark. Do you know what the correct or rather best e-chain from Igus will be? My radius will be at least 50mm larger due to the increase in height.

[Robert M]

Maruis,
If you allow me, cable carrier is mostly selected by ID width & height to meet wiring space needed. Your increase radius only make it easier for the links ( chain) to “loop”. Igus tries hard to demystify & simplify selecting e-chains from their selections. Have a look at this link, and this one, it should help you figure & zero in on what you may want.
Most MechMate w/Igus should go with their 200 series, no more, spending for nothing !
Nice work on your table bas !!
Hop I’ve help ? Amicalement, Robert

[Alan_c]

Marius

Interesting solution to your problem, I like it.

Before buying the cable chain from IGUS, try the RS website - sell the same stuff, but just at much better prices - even though you have to buy in whole meters. As Robert has said, a bigger radius will have no negative effect other than the "top" and "bottom" of the loop will not be parallel.

[Kobus_Joubert]

Hi Marius, you can also try
MAGQUIP
1202 Beitel Street, Robertville
P.O. Box 682, Maraisburg 1700
Roodepoort, South Africa


Telephone: +27 11 474 6567
Fax: +27 11 474 8354
Email: info@magquip.co.za

The last price was about R1400.00 for 4 meters of cable chain.

[MariusL]

Alan, yes I was not willing to scrap the table. This way I could also get a bit of extra height in the Z axis. I intend to do a lot of 3D cutting for mould plugs so the extra height is very handy.

Thanks for the replies on the chain, I will be sorting that out today.

[MariusL]

Kobus,
Can you remember the model number that you used?

[Kobus_Joubert]

4 METER 0450.40 KR 094 KABELSCHLEPP CHAIN
2 SETS END CONNECTORS 0450.40

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