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  #1  
Old Sun 18 July 2010, 16:37
Mountaincraft
Just call me: Mark
 
Shingletown, Ca.
United States of America
Greetings from the mountains of Northern California!

Excited to find this site.. This machine looks to be exactly what I've been looking for and dreaming about building for several years...

I have a few questions..

Looking over the drawings, I don't see any schematics, wiring diagrams, or descriptions of motors, drivers, power supply, etc... Is this an arbitrary 'up to the builder' thing, or are there 'suggested' parts for all this?

What sort of time investment do most people find it takes to build one of these things.. With or without buying the laser cut kit? That kit is nice by the way.. Makes the whole thing much less intimidating.. Who knows what it would cost to have a local company laser cut all that..

I want to build initially for use as a router table, but add plasma later on.. This would change the whole cross member system, and base plate assy of the x table, would it not? Anyone solved the best way to go about all the modifications for a dual use table? I have an idea in my mind about how to build a vacuum table for the router, but the sections would be at least 2-3 inches thick (and I'd need a working CNC router to make them.. LOL)... These would sit on top of the plasma slats.. So the plasma slats would have to be mounted lower than normal.. Would this cause problems?

Is it a big problem to increase the travel of the Z axis by 3 inches or so?

Also, there appear to be some specific specialty parts involved.. such as the rack and pinions, the v rollers, the springs, flexible cable duct, etc.. Where are they purchased from?

What can I expect to pay for the motors, drivers and power supply? Trying to get a grip on what this beast will cost me, and seeing as money is hard to come by, cost affects the time required to piece it all together, and thus the time frame of the overall build...

I notice that some of the drawings are for 'drilled' assy, and some for welded assy... What are the pros and cons of each approach?

Are their certain parts in which 'extras' should be ordered, as they are high wear, or requiring replacement down the road?

Anyways, that's some of the initial questions I have... This is all pretty exciting... I'm hoping that this project, when used for some ideas I have, can be used to provide supplemental income (or even possibly 'replacement' income) sometime down the road, while simultaneously giving me an outlet for many of my creative desires....

I live in a very rural area, and the more ways I can find to produce income from home, the better.. It's expensive to work when I have to leave the house... Rising gas prices make this more and more an issue...

Mid fifties looking for a way out of the construction industry....

Last edited by Mountaincraft; Sun 18 July 2010 at 16:40..
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  #2  
Old Sun 18 July 2010, 17:03
MetalHead
Just call me: Mike
 
Columbiana AL
United States of America
Welcome to the club!!! Lots of reading needed and we'll start answering your questions. Typical DIY builds are 5k to 7k take 4 months and up depending on your determination.

You will need to read on the power and motors. A few standards are evolving depending on how you will build your table. Geared drive or Belt Drive.

So welcome and have fun reading.

A bulk of the metal parts can be purchased from my store.

http://www.cvsupply.com/servlet/the-MechMate/Categories
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  #3  
Old Sun 18 July 2010, 17:37
Mountaincraft
Just call me: Mark
 
Shingletown, Ca.
United States of America
Belts make me nervous.... scarred psyche as a youth...

I really like the geared rack and pinion setup.. especially how they are underneath the beams, which in my mind keeps them cleaner and problem free...

And yes, I saw your laser kits.. NICE!

But is there something like that for the electrics?

And where are people getting the rack and pinions?
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  #4  
Old Mon 19 July 2010, 03:29
sailfl
Just call me: Nils #12
 
Winter Park, FL
United States of America
Mark,

Belt drives are a little less expensive solution for driving the machine. If a motor needs replacing in the future, it is less expensive to buy a non geared motor over a geared motor. If I was going to start new, I would use belt drives.

Standard Steel Specialty Co. is the place most of us bought our rack and pinions. You can also go with McMaster Carr.

The electronics you pick up from FactoryMation or AutomaticDirect.

Good luck with your build.
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  #5  
Old Mon 19 July 2010, 05:22
MetalHead
Just call me: Mike
 
Columbiana AL
United States of America
I am working on the electric kits now.

But do some more reading around the drives. Belt drive referes to the transmissions not the rack and pinions.
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  #6  
Old Tue 27 July 2010, 17:36
Zouave
Just call me: Eric #115
 
Sacramento, CA
United States of America
Hi Mark, good to see someone else from northern CA on here! I am putting in an order for motors fairly soon from China. If you are approaching the buying stage and want to piggyback an order with mine, could save us both some money on shipping costs. Shoot me a pm if you are close to that point.

Good luck!

Eric Hess
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  #7  
Old Tue 03 August 2010, 07:54
Mountaincraft
Just call me: Mark
 
Shingletown, Ca.
United States of America
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zouave View Post
Hi Mark, good to see someone else from northern CA on here! I am putting in an order for motors fairly soon from China. If you are approaching the buying stage and want to piggyback an order with mine, could save us both some money on shipping costs. Shoot me a pm if you are close to that point.

Good luck!

Eric Hess
Hi Eric,

I'm a 'long' way from ordering motors, but thanks for the offer... I haven't even begun to consider the options abd what I want/need... Still planning out the base table...

Mark
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  #8  
Old Thu 05 August 2010, 08:22
Mountaincraft
Just call me: Mark
 
Shingletown, Ca.
United States of America
Conceptual Question

This machine uses two motors on the gantry, to move it along the base table..

What is the general concept behind this? Is a four axis system employed? Or perhaps a three axis with an extra driver? Or are the two motors wired together somehow with one slaved off the other, and a heavier duty driver employed?

trying to wrap my head around this...

Thanks,
Mark
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  #9  
Old Thu 05 August 2010, 09:03
smreish
Just call me: Sean - #5, 28, 58 and others
 
Orlando, Florida
United States of America
Mark,
the MM is a 3 axis machine with 4 drivers. Which means you have an x1, x2, y and z axis.

Mach3 will handle up to 6 axis if needed.

x1 and x2 can be slaved mechanically by sharing the step/direction data with certain BOB/Driver combinations (not all mix and match work!)
x1 and x2 are typically slaved on the software side within Mach3

MM #5 had:
x1 and x2 mechanically slaved
y
z
a - rotary axis

MM Torch

x1 and x2 mechanically slaved
y
z1 - DTHC torch
z2 - spindle/airdrill

MM #28
x1 and x2 mechanically slaved
y
z
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