Isolate Vibration?

[krabenaldt]

I have been lurking around the MM Site for awhile now and I am seriously looking to build a Mechmate. Time is precious, but it seems to me that the entry machines are just not robust enough and I will just have to make time. The drawings, the discussion, the bill of materials from David, etc., make it plausible. (The wife is a different story.)

I read in various places that the machine still vibrates despite the weight of everything. It would seem that a rigid frame on top of a solid floor like concrete would add to the problem. Has anyone given thought to or tried to isolate the legs with something between the legs and floor? I was thinking something commerical is out there to do this but would not a cut out section of tire with good rubber do it? When the vibration hits the floor the floor is going to send that vibration right back to the machine.

What do the large commerical machines do?

Kevin

[Greg J]

Kevin,

I don't think the MM has a vibration issue. You can feel a high frequency from the router (Milwaukee 5625 in my case) and some movment from the gantry and Y car, but, the cut quality is excellent.

If built per the plans provided, vibration will not be an issue.

Have fun with your build.

[Gerald D]

Originally Posted by krabenaldt

What do the large commerical machines do?

They vibrate.

All machines vibrate to a lesser or greater extent. We have one MechMate standing on 50mm [2"] thick rubber and it makes no difference to the vibrations felt on the machine. It does make a huge difference to the noise transmitted to the office below it (it was my office!). The other machine stands hard onto the concrete floor, so I moved out. . . .

Big CNC machines are generally very tightly bolted to a heavy floor. Some are bolted to a concrete block which is set into the floor, but is isolated from the floor.