That's a nice speedy build!

Okes in Gauteng are always quicker that the laid back Capies :D

Zzzzzzzzzzzz

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures ..... so us your pictures :D

Yes Cois even Afrikaans pictures is ok. :eek:

Doing this for Cois.....so here goes....just helping where I can.
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Rail grinding

I build the skate from plate that was cut by a guillotine and weld together to get all the angles right. Couldn’t wait for the CNC boys.

I struggle to grind the rails, could not get the sparks fly. After investigation I see that the grinding disk (Pfert) glazed more than it was grinding. The white ring is the area that is supposes to grind.

Attachment 10065

When I switched to a cutting disk (but 2 on top of each other to get support), the sparks fly!

Attachment 10066

After some “grinding” with a cutting disk.

Control box

Attachment 10067

Stepper motors: Motion king 34 HS 9801

Attachment 10068

I build a “chimney” to cool the heat sink.

1) Air inlet though Filter on bottom of control box


Attachment 10069

Air go through control box and down the “chimney” on the back of the heat sink of the Gecko’s.

Attachment 10070

The exhaust fan sucks out the air on the out side of control box

Attachment 10071

Attachment 10072

The Machine

Attachment 10073

Attachment 10074

My work clamping mechanism

Attachment 10075

Router mount for Makita router & Dust Mounting

Attachment 10076

Attachment 10077

And all of this for under R 24000.00.....:)

Kobus you have seen the dust , its blue and labled. Looks like it's SN time !! #63

I like the snorkle arm for the Monitor/Keyboard

Geluk Cois!
What did you get for free to build it for only R24 grand?

He has the proof......the spreadsheet he showed his wife :D

Hmmm... creative spreadsheets, he must be an accountant :rolleyes:

Waar is die blou bull Horings.? What is the cutting size of your table?

Builder's Log Update
 

Cois,

Congratulations on completing your MechMate and earning Serial #63.:)

Here is the Updated Builder's Log.

Please let us know the cutting dimensions of your MechMate for the Builder's Log.

Also, please review the Builder's Log and let us know any changes you wish to make.

Congrats Cois

I decided to build an overhead crane to manage the “heavy” and large load in the workshop. The max load is 400kg.

After some trouble to move along the long axis I decided to use a second hand gate motor (R450) to do the hard work. Travel speed is 150mm/sek.
For the lifting I went to Adendorf for a 400kg electric hoist.
http://www.tooltime.co.za/ProductDetails.aspx?id=287

The original control of the hoist has an emergency mushroom switch that was taken out and replace with a stop/start switch that do the switching of the gate motor with some relays.

I like it. The place where I purchase steel uses these. Although they are a lot bigger, I love to watch them move things around. As my shop is getting smaller and smaller and, I want to buy more and more I plan on moving my welding and other metal working tools out of the current shop and build one to house the metal gear and build a paint booth in the new shop. It maybe a few years down the road but I do plan on installing an over head crane also.

Impressive...well done

very nice. clever and cheap..

Build a Tongue jig for my MM.
 

Had a problem today, the MM is losing steps in the Z dimension. If I set the Z to zero to the top of the work piece, after a while it is no longer correct.

After played (:Dwith the MM you just play, it is not work:D) with everything and make sure all the nuts and bolts are tighten. I come to discovery that acceleration and deceleration value of the Z motion is too large.

After some software adjusting in Mach, everything is now working fine.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...3594325&type=1

This is one of the small downfalls of an open loop control system. Steppers are told to go a distance via steps, but without feedback to the amplifier. With no Absolute reference outside of the drive train, it's easy to loose steps if the inertia of the machine or the objects attached to automated device cause it to exceed what it was told to do.

Good troubleshooting to get the ramps on the accel/decel down to fix it.

I generally will set the accel/decel to a very moderate setting to troubleshoot missed steps on a cnc machine to make certain it wasn't induced by operation.

Thanks for sharing

Did anybody play with making dove tails on our MM.
Any software suggestions that we can hook on to MM.
I have found the following for Mach: http://cnc.wagnercraft.com/help

Is this your 'yearly' post to the forum Francois :D

On many occasions I have to cut many parts from wood that are the ame. The wood and bits is relatively inexpensive, but my time is valuable. You can only work with your MM from 17:00 to 20:00 in the evenings or the noise from the neighbors is louder than the MM.

I want to let the MM shut down automatically when the machine is finished with a job (program). After I have setup everything, press "Cycle Start" in the morning and of we go to my daytime work. The reliable MM go on and on until the end of the program is reach and switch everything off with the e-stop circuit. The computer is made ​​for be on the whole day. (yeh -yeh I know it is not green)

If a tool breaks or there is an error on the work piece, it is worth the time of.

At the end of the program M9 (flood off -output pin 14) is switch off and use this to break the e-stop mode circuit.

Your valuable input is appreciate!



Receive today my license for the dove tail software (Mach Wizard) from Alan Wagner.
http://cnc.wagnercraft.com/dovetail

What about a fire? There have been instances where a cnc has caught fire, I dont think I would not want to off site if an accident happened.
Spoilboard Fire

I too has a char spoilboard. Earlier incidences were bad enough that I had to replace it.
After I had my vacuum holddown, I can smell the burn earlier & hence had char spots small enough to just leave them there.
All these happened with me by the machine; Imagine if its left unattended!!!

From experience, few possible cause of fire,
1) Feed rate too slow + spindle too fast
2) Blunt tool bit
3) Fine saw dust sprinkle on open flame...

I personally would not leave it alone. I like to be in the area....even if you cannot see it as long as I can hear it. Things like to go wrong when you least expect it. Get the GARDEN ENGINEER to check on it during the day....or put a remote video camera in that you can monitor from work ...with a E-Stop and fire system that can be triggered remotely.

Be sure to put a fire alarm and sprinkler