Once I had the mechmate cutting and fully wired/built I began the teardown so that I could begin painting. First I am detailing the metal parts by filing the sharp edges and removing burs and the like. I did not realize how much work is involved!

My son and I have been attending CAD training in the evenings at the local vocational college. Have not been to devote much time to the MM but I have found the time to be well spent as I now have a much better understanding of AutoCAD. We are done with the 2D courses and are considering taking the 3D courses.

My current build includes direct drive setups but I had always planned to go to belt drive but wanted to wait until I had the funds. In the process of getting the MM cutting properly I cut a "Wahoo" board. Wahoo is a board game that uses dice and marbles. My wife had asked me to cut two of these boards for her family reunion to be sold as gifts. She came back from the reunion with orders for 10 more! I suddenly had the money for the belt drive parts so I got started. I started with plates from Mike but had to turn adapters for the bearings because I could not find flanged bearings in the correct size. I got all the adapters made and installed on the plates and am now working on welding the plates together. Tonight I worked on detailing metal parts and I also made a spacer that I will to use keep the motor plates spaced correctly and parallel to each other while being welded together. I will post pics when I get a chance.

It's late so I must sign off for now.

Happy Holidays!!

If you can take the 3D class, also you can get a discount of software from Rhino if your a student. I mentioning it because you can download any 3D drawing ,object,etc and do whatever you want with it. I found a life size full 3D model of a Terminator3. If I wanted I could build the whole thing life size with ALL parts.lol

Jason

Done at last!!!
 

Good news! My build is complete. Here are some of the steps taken since my last post:

Painted the machine. Thanks to Jimmy and Brad as they did the actual painting after I did the prep work.

Once we got it home I reassembled it and spent a lot of time getting it setup accurately.

I attached the Mechmate to my workshop's dust collection system. With some inspiration from a dust shoe I saw on the Internet, I drafted and then cut a dust foot with a removeable brush plate. The plate is held on by magnets and detaches to facilitate tool changes.

I purchased plates from Metalhead and built 3:1 belt drives and installed them.

I initially placed the laser on the dust foot but decided to move it to the car due to the focus changing as the Z-axis moves up and down. Fabricated a bracket to mount the laser on the bottom ear of the car. I used lexan on the part that the laser mounts in so the laser body would be isolated from the Mechmate frame. Using a macro that came with the 2010 screenset I bought, I entered the correct offsets and fixed a bug that leaves the movement mode in inc rather than abs when the macro finishes. Works a treat now.

I will post some photos of my belt drives and laser mount later.

Check this out!

Well done, Sir.
I don't think I ever cut a Roadrunner with mine.

Awesome - That MM is quiet :) !!! You get #104 !!

Folks
Thanks for the nice comments. I can't claim its quiet at all. I found the volume control in the video editor and reduced the volume of the router segment. :)

Looks good Jim!

It does feel good to make the first milestone, completion. Great Job

Now I can start to make things!!

Hi Jim,
Very nice job.
Did you get some pics of your laser mount yet?

Darren, no pics yet. I'll get some this weekend.

Builder's Log Update
 

Jim,

Congratulations. Here's the Updated Builder's Log

Please let me know the dimensions of your MechMate for the record.

John my dimensions are 49" x 97" thanks.

Thanks, Jim.

Here is the Updated Builder's Log.