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  #1  
Old Fri 29 April 2011, 21:04
bluek20
Just call me: Austin
 
Hogansville, Ga
United States of America
5 axis mechmate router?

I am looking to buy or build a router sometime soon. I found some 3 axis machines but what I really need is a 5 axis and longer z stroke then most 3 axis I have found. We manufacture fiberglass parts that are pretty good in size and we are building our plugs by hand and want to build them with a cnc to speed up the time and make all of our products the same. We would need a machine that is at least 5' X 10' x 48" in size. Now my questions can I build a 5 axis machine like this and if so what do you all think the price would be to build it? Also we would need it to cut wood, foam, and aluminium. Any help would be great thank you.

I didnt know where to put this I also put this under the market place??. Sorry for the double post.
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  #2  
Old Fri 29 April 2011, 21:33
Gerald D
Just call me: Gerald (retired)
 
Cape Town
South Africa
Double post deleted - MechMate is 3-axis only today
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  #3  
Old Fri 29 April 2011, 21:41
bluek20
Just call me: Austin
 
Hogansville, Ga
United States of America
ok thank you
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  #4  
Old Sat 30 April 2011, 00:46
Alan_c
Just call me: Alan (#11)
 
Cape Town (Western Cape)
South Africa
Send a message via Skype™ to Alan_c
See here, the kick starter project did not achieve its full funding but there are some good links and ideas - explore further from there.
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  #5  
Old Sat 30 April 2011, 07:09
shaper
Just call me: Jed
 
Perth, WA
Australia
MM has been modified by a few to include longer z's but not with the 2 extra axis. The surfboard industry currently work predominantly in 3 axis using large diameter cutting bits and then just a small clean up either with hand tools or a disk sander with fine grit sandpaper, perhaps this could work for you.

a well designed and built 5 axis machine is quite a substantial undertaking from an engineering perspective for non professionals.

If you are really committed to 5 axis then there are atleast a couple of 5 axis builds going on on cnczone.
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  #6  
Old Sun 01 May 2011, 20:33
bluek20
Just call me: Austin
 
Hogansville, Ga
United States of America
thanks everyone for all this information I think I am going to build or buy a 3 axis first to get a good understanding of the machines. I am looking for a machine at least 7' X 10' X 15" . I found a company that builds stuff like we do and they use foam first and cuts the foam into 10" slices and glues them together to make there plugs for there molds. I just thought it would be easier to cut everything out of one piece instead of there way thats why I wanted a 5axis machine. thank you everyone
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  #7  
Old Sun 01 May 2011, 23:10
KenC
Just call me: Ken
 
Klang
Malaysia
"it would be easier to cut everything out of one piece" comes with a huge price tag.
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  #8  
Old Sun 01 May 2011, 23:27
shaper
Just call me: Jed
 
Perth, WA
Australia
How big are the molds you are making?

Your 7'x10'x15" footprint may be within the reach of a modified MM design, and if you are really commited you may even be able to design for slightly larger z, especially if you are mostly planning for foam cutting
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  #9  
Old Mon 02 May 2011, 10:27
smreish
Just call me: Sean - #5, 28, 58 and others
 
Orlando, Florida
United States of America
...I have a 48" z-slide (36" usable) on MM #5 that is still in use today at it's new home. As long as you balance the load router/spindle head and don't impact a significant side (cutting speed) load while cutting, it performed beautifully - for pennies to fabricate.
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  #10  
Old Fri 06 May 2011, 15:09
bluek20
Just call me: Austin
 
Hogansville, Ga
United States of America
"...I have a 48" z-slide (36" usable) on MM #5 that is still in use today at it's new home. As long as you balance the load router/spindle head and don't impact a significant side (cutting speed) load while cutting, it performed beautifully - for pennies to fabricate."

do you have any pictures of this machine it might work for what we need. We do not need a production machine so time is not an issue for cutting but we will need to cut some aluminium some times will this be a problem with these machines?
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  #11  
Old Fri 06 May 2011, 15:13
bluek20
Just call me: Austin
 
Hogansville, Ga
United States of America
"How big are the molds you are making?"

I think the largest mold right now is around 62" X 82" X 48"
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  #12  
Old Fri 06 May 2011, 16:43
smreish
Just call me: Sean - #5, 28, 58 and others
 
Orlando, Florida
United States of America
http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showt...statue&page=90

Does both when you put the flat table back in and limit the above table/below gantry to 8-12" like the machine was designed.

All worked well for me.

Sean

I am happy to distribute the Huge spider plate to those that need it.
You'll have to wait until I get back to work next week. PM me if interested.
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