Built a few more - Cape Town, South Africa

[Gerald D]

I used to be able to walk 20 yards and have a look at a MechMate, now that my "dayjob" factory is relocated, I havn't seen a MM for months - and I am having withdrawal symptoms. Time to build one for home . . . . .

My biggest hassle out here is the shopping for components from the USA. Are there any volunteers, who have export experience and can make a crate, willing to consolidate my online purchases into one box, make out a covering invoice, and ship out to me? Please send me a PM or e-mail if you are volunteering.

(I will do my own online purchases and have the items delivered to you at my expense. You build a box to take it, then invoice me for crating, and handling. After I pay your invoice, you release to my shipping company who will collect from you.)

[Gerald D]

A willing volunteer has been found - thanks for the response!

[Gerald D]

Copied from another thread . . .

A nice chunk of steel! This makes me itch to get started with No. 3

[domino11]

How many machines are you planning on building? Do you have a link to your machine for sale?

[Gerald D]

Heath, I am only going to build one MM. The machine for sale is the original ShopBot, but I think that Sean actually did sell it today.

[domino11]

Gerald,

Originally Posted by Gerald D

A nice chunk of steel! This makes me itch to get started with No. 3

I thought you were starting on MM #3. I was just wondering how many mechmates were enough for one shop? Sean must be busy!

[Gerald D]

Lots of starting points for one machine - start shopping, start electrics, start small steel parts, start big steel parts, in that order. No.3 will be for me at home.

[Bill McGuire]

Gerald...
Let us know which motors drives, etc. you will be using this time...
and, have fun!

If you want any of us to shop prices for you, just post the parts and see if we can get some good bargains for you. It's not much, but it might help a little...
Bill McGuire

[Gerald D]

Motors: OM PK296A2A-SG7.2 (have 2x PK299's-01AA in stock)
Drives: G203V with spare fuses (have 4x G202's in stock)
BOB: PMDX-122 (have 1 in stock)
V-Rollers: Supremebearing (have 16x "homemade" in stock, I think)

And that should be the limit of the import. However, I might just add few more "curiosity" items to see what you guys are talking about. Teco contactor, ncPod, Smoothstepper (if released soon), Milwaukee/PC router, Antek supply, Factorymation control box, McMaster gas-spring.

A very large motivator for No.3 is to have a machine that matches the current advice on the forum, and that is built to the latest drawings.

The table will be unusual though - I think the x-rails will be a max of 900mm [3ft] and it will probably sit on an old workbench in the corner of my home garage. The gantry will be big and long - Y-size of boards 1850mm [6ft1in]

[domino11]

Gerald,
Are you going to grind your rails with the new skate design?

I am sure I as well as many others would love to see the masters build photos as it happens!

[Gerald D]

Sure, there will be skate grinding.

But guys, don't wait for me to post photos of #3 before you do anything. This is going to be a slooww one, I have no illusions about that. It is intended as a "test-bed" for the corner of my garage at home and it might not even get beyond primer paint. Might be a bit shy to post photos. Looking for a machine that I can hack on a whim.

[Gerald D]

The original ShopBot did sell 2 weeks ago.

Just some advance news. On 16 December Jenny & I are going on a roadtrip vacation for about 3 weeks. (This is mid-summer for us). Won't be posting in this time, but the forum will stay open. We will be in the Drakensberg area over Xmas.

[Doug_Ford]

Wow. Beautiful vistas. I hope y'all have a great time.

[Gerald D]

You guys must seriously think of visiting out here. It is an amazing country that is very easy to drive around. The crime situation that makes most of the news is not really apparent to the typical tourist. This is 4 miles from my house.

[sailfl]

Very nice. How do you get any work done? Enjoy your time off. We will be here when you get back.

[Marc Shlaes]

Gerald,

I'm coming. For sure! Just trying to figure out when. If we have a Mechmate convention in January, 09 will we actually get to meet you?

Not a joke (for me anyway).

Have a very relaxing time.

Marc

[Gerald D]

Of course I will be around - probably even take you on a few tours . . . . .

[Doug_Ford]

Gerald,

Stunningly beautiful scenary. I've wanted to visit South Africa since I was a little kid. Unfortunately, I'm just a poor Soldier trying to make ends meet and not a globe trotting "citizen of the world" mechanical engineer.

[domino11]

Gerald,
Hope you have a wonderfull holiday. It sure would be nice to visit your country some day. I have had a dream to visit South Africa since I was a little one as well.

[gmessler]

Found this on Yahoo.

r3576117450.jpg

RNPS PICTURES OF THE YEAR - South African surfers take to the water in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the highest number of riders on a single wave at Muizenberg in Cape Town September 2, 2007. The surfers posted an unofficial tally of 71 riders standing on a single wave for more than five seconds, easily surpassing the official record of 44. This total, however, still has to be ratified by the body, as does the 73 recorded at the same venue last year.

Started to wonder what Gerald was doing on vacation until I saw that it was in September.

[Gerald D]

Got back this afternoon with 5000 miles covered - lots of catching up of mails and messages to do . . . . .

Anyone want to summarise what what happened in the last 3 weeks?

PS Greg, those surfers are all wearing black wetsuits because of the water temp.. . . . . .the sharks mistake them for seals. . . . .

[Doug_Ford]

Gerald,

Have you had a chance to work on your latest MM or are you too busy helping everyone else?

[Gerald D]

Doug, it is pushed way into the background - too many other things on

[Gerald D]

Had a meeting with son Sean today. Time has come to sell MechMates 1 and 2 (because a lot of work involves Valchromat sheets which are over 6' wide) and build 4 new MechMates to handle all the new work and new sheet sizes. Beauty is that a couple of potential buyers are lined up for MechMates 1 and 2 and that income should cover the cost of materials for the 4 new machines. But the time and labour will not be that easy to "finance"...

[isladelobos]

Gerrald hey, the first mechmate is for the museum.

Do not lose sight of this piece.

[Kobus_Joubert]

Hi Gerald,

Where do you get the Valchromat boards. I have phoned around, but so far no luck in JHB...and that I cannot believe.

[Gerald D]

http://www.valchromatsa.com/contact.php

[Gerald D]

I suppose I have tell everyone how the builds are doing

Lots of stuff ordered from the USA. Will have it sea-freighted because it is a fairly big crate and the cost should be much lower. But I will only see that stuff around 2nd half of August. However, have enough parts lying around here to get one machine in full running condition.

All the lasered parts are here. Not entirely happy with spider plate bending and took them back today. I have to add a note to the bending drawing that the front face must be flat after bending.

All countersinking of lasered parts completed. Half the lasered parts have been de-burred - rest being done tonight.

Have received all the angle iron for the rails. 11 lengths of 6.5m [20'] Ordered 65 x 50 x 6mm and what was delivered was 2.5 x 2 x 1/4" - strange metric system at work here. All individual rails cut to length.

Have purchased a 180mm [7"] Evolution saw to cut the rail heights down. Have rigged fences under the saw that run against both sides of the angle. First test on short length of off-cut was not too encouraging - rail height varied by 0.6mm. Surface finish is "smooth" in the sense that it won't draw blood, but it has a rough texture (like leather?). Will be testing on a longer off-cut tomorrow. Thinking of a skate to "dress" that saw-cut surface before tackling the bevelling.

10 Gantry tubes sawn to length. All rail clamp strips drilled and ready to be used as templates. Want to have gantries drilled and welded by the weekend.

20 Pinion gears already machined and hardened. 5 Gauge plates ordered - collecting tomorrow.

Steel ordered (pipe & channels) for about 3 tables - last 2 tables will be a bit unusual, they are not urgent.

[Kobus_Joubert]

Good luck Gerald, that sounds like a factory production line down there. A photo of all that steel and parts will be impressive

[hennie]

Will send a truck to come and get some parts needed.Go for it Gerald!
What does your Boss say?