Modifications to my machine.
 

Friday, I started making modifications to my machine.

I have had the original spoilboard on the machine when I finished building it in 2008. My machine support board is 61" x 121" (1524 mm x 3073 mm). The spoilboard had a hole in it about 3/4 of the way back from the front. Plus I wanted to add vacuum hold down so this was the time to do both.

I removed the old spoilboard and discovered that I did not do a very good job of glueing down the 3/4" MDF. You can see from the first photo there are not many places that the spoilboard was attached.

For the new spoilboard, I purchased a 0.75" x 60" x 144" piece of Trupan Ultra Light MDF. I only found one place in the Orlando area that carried the larger sheet of MDF. I needed the Ultra Light MDF to use with the vacuum hold down.

I cut 5 holes through the support board for the tubing for the vacuum hold down and my 5 zones that I will have. Unlike many people, I cut the vacuum hold down grid in the bottom of the spoilboad.

I believe I did a better job of glueing the new spoilboard down and I will now order the Lighthouse Vacuum Motors that I am going to use for the hold down.

I will post more pictures as I progress with the vacuum hold down and other modifications that I will be making in the next months.

Nils,
I like what I see! Nice.

Very impressive Nils, please post pictures and information on your vacuum motor setup. I have been doing some research and purchased some vacuum motors for a portion of my table.

Nice job! I cut the vacuum grid on the bottom side of the spoil board too :):)
& I use conventional MDF with plenty success :D
BTW, zoning the table is unnecessary. just cover enough of the unused surface of the spoil-board is ample freedom for managing the vacuum pressure.:D

Thanks Sean and Bryan

Ken,

Thanks for your input.

I used zones because I wanted to manage the pressure with the zones. That is another reason I put the grid on the bottom side of the spoilboard. If my design is wrong or I want to change it from what I learn, it is easy to change.

The ultra light MDF is more porous which should provide better hold down. The Trupan is even more porous than regular ultra light. The dust from the Trupan was much finer and lighter.

At this point, I want to use 2 Lighthouse motors and I am going to build some kind of enclosure for the motors to help contain the noise.

I will post pictures and info as I build.

I contain the noise with a pair of ear plugs :D
Vacuum will leak through the spoil-board & since its a whole piece, there are no way to avoid it. The leak is significant even with normal MDF.
To manage your vacuum effectively with multi-zone, each zone should be of individual grid/spoil board with all the edges sealed with varnish/lacquer/shellac.
Trust me. a single zone is all you need :) but there are no harm having a go at multi zone.
To me Less-is-more with a single zone :) less work, less valve, less piping, more flexibility :D

Ken,

I am using epoxy between zones. I appreciate you suggestions but I gotta be me......

I have no problem with that. :)
Just another caution, it is very important to seal the edges, I lost about about 1inHg through poorly sealed edges which is a lot when you need it.
BTW, do you use sealing foam gasket between the spoil board & the base board? There are always leaks at this joint without the sealing gasket.
I would be most interested in your noise solution :)

Looking good Nils!

MechMate owner and Aspire user makes the Vectric Newsletter Issue 26 with the highlight of NBA All-Star logo.

I saw that yesterday. Congrats.

Anymore work done on your vacuum table?

I have the new spoilboard with the grid and I am now working on the box to hold the vacuum motors. I have the electric worked out.

Hey Nils thats awesome! :)

Hi Nils,
I've been lurking on your thread for quite a while.
Nice work!!

Will you be controlling your vacuum motors with the Mach control screen, or using some other method?

Darren,

I am going to use a remote switch like you can buy at WoodCraft. They way I can place the material on the table, turn the vacuum on and check to see if it is holding. I turn on/off my dust collector the same way.

Thanks

Will the switch be rated to carry the amps?
My dust collector is too big for one of those, but its a 220v 5 HP. model.

Darren I don't know Nils newest plan but you could always use a contactor.

Darren,

My new dust collector is 3 HP 220v and the remote will work.

As Russell has suggested, you could make your own. I think you could use a solid state relay to go from 220 to 110 and then use 110 version of the remote.

I am using SSR for my vacuum hold down and using the 110 remote.

Now I've got my feeble mind wrapped around it.
Thanks for clearing it up.

In my defense, grinding rails has made me a little dense......

Darren the PMDX-126 has two relays on board. You can use these relay to charge a coil on the same type contactor used in the latch curcuit. The difference is the latching is controlled by the PMDX-126 board via Mach. You can also add a PMDX-104 baord if you need extra relays.

My hold down vacuum motors are 240V single phase, I lay the plugs near the loading end. I do like what Nils did, so that I can check if the vacuum is holding the work piece proper. I don't consider controlling the vacuum hold down with Mach3 or EMC2 a practical thing to do. You just can not be sure of the work piece is properly held down by it self... they might be just too many leaks due to too many factors...

Posted pictures on Regnar's thread but I thought I would post here.

Prototype cut out of .75" China plywood.

Vaccum Hold-down
 

Hey Nils,
Do you have any pics of your 'zones' set-up? I just started my build and wanted to plan in an effective hold-down design before I got too far. Also is the board cut with with square divits or pronounced square pods with channels like you would see on larger commercial cnc's? Thanks, Tom

Tom,

I do not but I can take one next week. I am going to a sign workshop starting Thursday.

Nils,

Can you ellaborate on the sign workshop?

Mike

June 2012 Sign Workshop using Aspire.

Details here:

http://www.vectric.com/forum/viewtop...=11672&start=0

I think he still has openings. There is another MechMate person attending. I think it is going to be a fabulous learning experience.

I thought I would post a picture from the last work that I have been doing.

Started on the 20th and completed on the 24th, I cut 117 3/16" x 4' x 8' Acrylic sheets to make 350 units for my client the display company. The picture is some of the work.

There is a possibility that I will have to cut another 117 sheets by the 12/3.

When I look at that, I see stacks of money!!
Good job.

Thanks Darren. It is a lot of work but it is worth it.

Nils, seem like the same customer as about 2ys ago !?
Is this work done with your new vac table ?
Best of….for the other set of sheets !! ;)

That is right...same client.

Sad to say I have not finished the vac table. I think I am the slowest person when it comes to my projects. I am working on the spindle now but have had a set back with the spindle. The stator shorted out and is being replaced by the guy that I bought it from. I am also looking at another source in case it fails but to have a back up.

Nils….chin up, the speed of what you do is to suit your satisfaction, your needs.... not to impress others !!! ;)

I have not posted any thing for some time. I recently added a spindle to my machine and changed out the spider and the Z plate that held my router. I used linear bearings and rails. The pictures are before installation. I will take a few pictures with things installed.

Some of the photos would not post with out me placing them sideways.

Nil's, is that a 3KW spindle - hows it working now

Nils,
I often wondered about using linears. I will be interested in seeing your completed work.

I have been fighting a noise problem but I think that I have it almost resolved. I hope that I will know in the next day or two.

The spindle is rated in the 5 KW though I bought a 3. I will take some pictures over the next week.

I am happy with the way my design is working.

My next project to adding belt drives. I am ready to buy the parts in the next week.

How did you make out with the noise?

Pete,

I put a line filter on and a very small uf capcitor and it has cleaned thing up.

This week I cut 8 Sheets of 1/8" Acrylic for a total of 404 Space Shuttle parts for a company that makes Space Shuttle replicas to be displayed in museums. The pictures are some of the parts.

That's a pretty cool job.