The blue theme started with a tool trolley from these guys 15 years ago http://www.gedore.co.za/. The nearest aerosol can of blue I could find to that was "Electric Blue" by http://www.sprayon.co.za/index.asp?pgid=15 (you can see the colour in both those links). When I wanted a standard colour for the MechMates, I asked Sprayon if they had a Pantone or RAL code for their Electric Blue, to which they replied that it is Ford Blue, but they weren't allowed to use the Ford name.

This week we bought 15 cans of Sprayon Electric Blue and have also had 10 liters [2.5 gal] of quick dry enamel mixed to match it.

What a nice sight...The Mech Mate Maternity Ward..MM's are BORN here.

Today's spider work has a thread of its own.

The home paint shop:

Paint baking area - gets hot when parked in the weak mid-winter sun:

One of today's products:

Trash bins are your life! :cool: Oh wait... you say rubbish bins!

What I want to know is how did you manage to find some sunshine? we haven't seen the sun this side of the mountain for three days. :)

My suburb is not called Sun Valley for nothing. :)

Hey, while you on-line, have you still got your Gabriel gaslift near you? How long is it, fully extended, shoulder to shoulder (excluding tip threads)?

548mm extended, 293mm closed.

Thanks!

The Mcmaster spring is 567mm, which is 19mm longer than the Gabriel, which will put the top bracket back to where the drawings used to show it, which makes me wonder what the other bloke got his knickers in a knot about, and why did I change the drawing to leave lot's of extra meat now? . . . . Anyway, we are out for the evening - maybe "see" you tomorrow.

Gerald,
Can’t confirm what I’m about to put here since I do not have neither springs.
But the McMaster maybe 19mm longer & by specs ( since I don’t have the real ones) it is shows at a 250mm stroke.
On the other hand, the Gabriel has maybe shorter total extended length ( 548mm) but longer stroke at 255mm ( 548-293=255 ??) !!.
Would it be worth looking in to this just for sake of shorter tube /plate assy and longer stroke availability ??
Just a thought & maybe a good hand !
Robert ;)

Robert, the Gabriels are produced here in Cape Town, I don't think that they are available to the average MM builder. The difference between 255 and 250 is too small to be significant. The difference between 548 and 567 is simply a re-position of the upper bracket. All very basic and nothing further to look into.

Gerald will you be using one of cnc directs bob`s?

No, they will all be PMDX-122's

The bulk of the steelwork has been done. . . . .

Wow!!

You need a good Garage for install all this machines. nice production.

There is value in a bolted table. I have been thinking of bolting the leg and brace assembly to the main beam as well. The main beam seems to make the sub assembly top heavy(in theory). If the machine gets unbolted and moved it might be easier to protect the rails and gear track from damage. What is your thougths about something like that Gerald?

I must add that I was thinking to make it easier for myself if I had to assemble the table on my own. The four legs with the bracing can be set up first before lifting the main beams in position. Me Crazy?:)

I want to stop the main beams from rocking/flexing/tilting in the y-direction - that is the main reason for keeping the legs and uprights welded under the beam. (I didn't actually see the purpose of the vertical uprights as helping to stop the beam from sagging - the beam is strong enough by itself.)

When the y-car makes sudden movements on top of the gantry, it kicks the beams sideways, and this is the direction in which I have noticed most "hum" from a table. Ideally I would want every single single cross-support welded under the beam - and I probably am still going to do that in addition to the bolts. That would be a very easy weld to cut if the table must be taken apart.

Carrying a side-frame the correct way up is actually easier than the other way around. Just make sure you have 2 trestles to park it on - one at each point and legs simply hang down.

I have decided to stick to your bolting arrangement. I still can't grasp the forces the spindle/ router is appling to the table structure to its full extend. This is something one must experience more than calculated before hand I think.

The first thing one must recognise is that the major forces are in the horizontal plane. The dynamic "vibration inducers" are horizontal.

In the vertical plane the thing is more static. We want long term flatness and repeatability of the z dimension. But there isn't anything that really causes up and down bounce.

The annual big wave surf contest is about to start. Here are some pics of local surfing conditions off the "Cape of Storms":

http://www.oneillsa.com/Events/Raw-C...Wave-Award.asp

What does this have to do with MechMate? Nothing! :)

Well… They actually do have something in common !
Both are just amazing! :eek: :D
Thanks Gerald ! ;)

Awsome Waves!

Pull in, big wave surfing is one most amazing, coolest, "things" we humans do. !!! :cool::cool::cool:

Have seen dolphins, seals and sharks doing it too, but not in those very big waves - they have more intelligence, and respect for their environment! :)

From blue waves to blue steel:

http://www.redbullbwa.com/

Twiggy won the red bull big wave yesterday

Why am I not surprised at: "Thoughts also go to the South African surfers who were injured in the contest: Jason Ribbink (concussion), Mike Schlebach (dislocated shoulder), and Charles Reitz in yesterday's practice session (broken ribs). Get well soon boys and hopefully we'll see you fighting fit next year."?

Picture & video gallery from yesterday:
http://www.redbullbwa.com/photos.php

Great pictures and video. A special breed they are.

More videos here:

http://www.redbullbwa.com/2008_videos.html

You know, I could watch those all day long when I should be in the shop making dust. ;)

I can't believe they survive some of those wrecks.

OK, to the shop. :)

Gerald,

Just curious, are you putting spindles on all these machines?

Yes

The reason I asked that in the other thread was I was looking at the control box and trying to identify the components that support the spindles. My control box is supporting only a router - at least at first. I have about 60% of my control box parts and I am getting ready to buy the rest so I was mentally tracing your wires. The wires in that particular picture were easy to follow. Pictures seem to work better for me than wiring diagrams at first. The way I seem to work is to:

1. Conceptually understand the real thing
2. Draw my own diagram
3. Compare my diagram with the ones posted and see if my understanding was correct

JR and I have friendly "discussions" about my approach. He takes a very practical "hands on" / figure-it-out-as-we-go approach. "Just go do it" has never worked very well for me.

The good news is that I can tell from the posts that both kinds of people can get their machines built - when the day job isn't completely in the way.

Replied here

i have received all the VFD's, and 95% of the components that make up all 4control boxes and push button sets for 5machines. when i get the chance to triple check LAPP cable lengths then i will order. Is there blue paint left over at your shop to spray control/VFD boxes and more square tubing box spacers?

There is still a lot of paint here (and some more big frames to paint). Bring the boxes out on the bakkie today and you can take back a gantry and some more parts to start assembling.

thanks. will buzz you later first

This Mamba made me smile this morning:
http://www.newwaytrucks.com/refuse_t...ites/mamba.asp

Hi Sean,

did you get a discount on the spindles and VFD's (because you bought many)?

RGDS
Irfan

No, as far as what they are concerned, less than 20 or 50 or 100 is not "many". I would not even dare ask for a discount for only 5.