Gerald don`t forget the experiance!

Hennie, when you get to my and Johan's age (greybeards), we don't mention experience. Youngsters like you think that we are past our "sell by dates" - and we can't use the word "experience" if we want to apply for a job. :( But we can produce the goods! :D

Gerald you make it sound like I still have bumfluff on my face,OK I must admit you are my elder by 40 years.:DI do agree that experience does get the job done.Why do you want to apply for a job at your age you should be standing next to beach with a fishing rod! ;)

Bob - I have drawn the diagram in Autocad 2008 (no stick):), which I use every day. Very flexiable program.
Hennie! The juniors in the office with me think it is very funny when I struggle to use a cell phone or when my qualification doesn't compare. Call themselves designers! Never design anything in their lives.:eek: But when I drag them to the plant/workshop they do not have a clue how to measure or how to fabricate anything.
My birthday year is the one before Gerald's. I am not so quick anymore, but tuff as a piece of biltong!:D

Quite interresting,experience with age I do believe if you battle once and come up with a solution you will never battle ever again specially if you use the stuff between the ears and like the BIG BOOK says ask and you will get if you don`t ask you won`t get and if you don`t listen to advice from an old "toppie" its your own loss.OK oom Johan I will take advice from you and oom Gerald:D

Gee Hennie, I didn't realise you were only about 15 :D, you're making good progress for one so young and inexperienced...

Oom Johannes vir jou!:D:D
Yes, Alan, Hennie is doing well. Wow, to be a millionare at his age!:cool:

I wanted to say something......sorry at my age I have forgotten what it was.....did I say something ?:p

Good morning oom Kobus, Hey Uncle Johan remember I am not allowed to PLay that lotto game I am still 15 remember but I am allowed to to use my skills in marketing and my Dip. in building draughtmanship I can also draw a straight line with a pencil .

LexThanks for that

I was booked of sick for a couple of days after a tick bite. Waited for the fever that never arrived!:confused: So I worked on the control panel. :D I will replace the short ducting with a new piece of the correct length.
Break out board in the center with it's Psu at the top. I still need to place the order for the main isolator and the router contactor

Now its going to start raining, some progress!:)
Took a drive to PE yesterday and picked up my motors from our contact.What a sight of enjoyment now I can finish my box.

Hennie I am glad it worked out at the end.....now we want to see movement...and pictures...

Watch my space.My workshop is nearly empty with the current projects then I can start putting my "Baby" together.

Laser parts
 

Received my laser parts last week. :)A few problems! :(
They cut the cable chain shelf 10 60 315 twice. One 4mm & one 6mm.
They quoted on the old version parts. I send them the new version drawings to cut & they still cut the old ones: :confused:
Car main plate 10 30 422 & carrier plates 10 20 452 doesn't have the slotted holes at the bottom.
The didn't bend the tabs on the spider plate 10 40 432.:mad:
I am not sure if the tabs will fit on the bending brake after the main bends are done. I am a little scared to cold bend them in the vice. If put some heat in the bend area it might be easier.
Any advise on that?

They cut the cable chain shelf 10 60 315 twice. One 4mm & one 6mm.
I can see 1060215PA's shape lying there next to 1060315?
They quoted on the old version parts. I send them the new version drawings to cut & they still cut the old ones: :confused:
Happens all the time here too - but I don't pay for it. However, your set of plates looks fairly up to date?
Car main plate 10 30 422 & carrier plates 10 20 452 doesn't have the slotted holes at the bottom.
1020452 has had its slots deleted in later versions - you don't need them. Don't understand which slots you are referring to for 1030422
The didn't bend the tabs on the spider plate 10 40 432.:mad:
I am not sure if the tabs will fit on the bending brake after the main bends are done. I am a little scared to cold bend them in the vice. If put some heat in the bend area it might be easier.
Any advise on that?
It would be rare for a bending company to do those tabs. On the options schedule there is a note about doing them separately. Cold bending them with a hammer in a vice works fine. Some guys grind them half way through, bend on the cut, weld up the cut again.

Thanks Gerald!
I checked on that cable shelves again. You are right. Both are there.
The car main plate should be in it's own sentence, saying that the tab to mount the e-stop box is not there. Old revision.:)

I am sticking my neck out here!:p
This is my proposal for my table. It took me the whole of last month to draw it in Autocad Inventor. :(10 Mins here and there in my lunch times, when I was allowed.
The view shows the table to my board selection size and bracing using 2" pipe instead of 1.5".
The welding run between the cross bearer and the leg will be weld prep and grind flat. (see detail)
Second detail shows a trimmed piece of channel welded to the pipe upright to form a nice bolting surface.
This might not make a lot of difference to stiffen the table but I might be able to add less position welding after assembly.
It is going to be more work!:(
What do you guys think of it?

Making this work (well) depends on finding parallel flange channel. I personally have had difficulty with that. On the channel that I have been shown by suppliers, the outside surfaces are out of parallel by 6 to 10 degrees. (3-5 each side)

I know it is available. I just haven't found a supplier that has it for a decent price.

Johan, I don't think it is worth the extra work. The diagonal stays/gusset tubes at the ends do far more work than tightening up the joint between the leg/main-X-Beam/table channel cross support. By the same token, you could add more diagonal stays/gussets at the other points instead of mking a precision bolted joint.

However, if you have the time, and enjoy this sort of thing, go for it! :)

Johan the time that you took to draw those "nice" drawings you could have completed building the table:D

Well at least I kept a few people busy with some discussion for a few minutes!:D
You are correct, time is a problem for me Gerald, like for most of us trying to do more than one thing at a time. To answer Hennie's comment. I am getting frustrated that I do not have enougth time building the machine. If I could build it at work it would have been finished long time ago!:mad:
Marc - I did not realise that the channel could be so far out of square. I will have a look at my channel over the weekiend to see how close it is, as a matter of interest.

Johan check the angle iron for the rails also,one of the lengths that i used had a good twist in it.

Can you give me the names of the suppliers where you purchase your equipment. And the place in pretoria that you used for the laser cutting parts.

Thanks

www. cncdirect.co.za & Laser fox, 012 666 9629. Good luck.

Thanks Johan

What software do you use for you cnc?

ciy,
I have downloaded trial versions of mach 3 and Vectric. My dxfs will be created on Autocad. I can also use Coreldraw. This is were I will start. Most guys on the forum uses this software with good results. Have a look what Kobus are busy cutting with this programs.

Just a quick hi from John (X-Richards Bay) in New Zealand. Johan, well done buddy, She looks good. I'm burning to start with my MechMate next year. Busy sorting out houses, furniture, cars, etc,etc. My e-mail is "[email protected]". Hope to hear from u soon!!

See Yea Mate

Howzit John,
It is going to be interesting when you start your build. Mine on this side and yours on that down under side of the globe. A bit to the right!:D
All the best

Wiring - slow progress
 

My kitchen table project is over halfway. Here is the wiring I have done so far. I worked very slow on this but I learned a lot in the process.
Attachment 2705
I lost the fight with "Aunty Caroline." Her car will stay in the garage and the MM will receive a new home.
Attachment 2706
The size of the room will be 3500 X 4500.

Jy vorder goed.Wait till it`s working then the car can stand outside.

Johan, I like the look of neat layouts - sort of bcom a norm after Alan C showed us how it is done :)

BTW very nice home u have Johan - looks antique.

I am off to wiring mine.

RGDS
IRfan

Vorder te stadig na my sin, ou Hennie. As ons verlof kry Desember behoort ek op te vang.
When the timber start coming in with her behind the controls it might just be true what you say. Half of the machine belongs to her.

Hi Irfan,
Alan set the example for all of us and I am proud to say that I am studing his tread in detail. Copy cat a little.
I design the house 25 years ago and owner build it myself. The style is Mediteranian/Spanish/Sardenian. Nice to look at but a night mare to keep the parpet walls sealed off.

It started raining here - could not go out to the shop for the wiring - I am missing it :(

good design of the house though :)

RGDS
Irfan

Hi Johan
Good man, these things take time, pitty we have other work that takes most of our time.

Johan, I am a bit nervous of your wiring, where you run unscreened signal wires parallel (and close to) power wires.

Gerald,
Would you suggest that I use shielded wire for those few runs?

Yes. Only for the step/dir/com wires between the bob and the geckos. 4 short 3-core cables - very easy to do.

In The Workshop At Last
 

I did a few things in the workshop before the family arrived for Christmas. For those builders working in the colder parts of the world: Temp here was 43 degrees with 95 persent humidity

Attachment 3110

Moving the heavy beams on my own.


I collect some offcut 2" pipe and had to join the pieces to get the correct length.


Attachment 3102

Clamped in the v of the angle and lining it up with a 1 meter steel ruler


Attachment 3107

Tack two places and turn to tack again


Attachment 3106 Attachment 3105

I sand polish the weld flush. Not necessary. Looks better.



Attachment 3109

Gantry taking shape


The harvester was working close to the house while I was busy working.


Attachment 3111

Houses next to the plantation. Part of my house can be seen on the right.


Attachment 3112

Here is the Tiger Cat, cutting and then handling six trees at a time