Mineral spirits are slightly greasy themselves..better using alcohol or thinner.

Thanks for the input Fox. Wood I know just what to do, metal not so much.

Our paint arrived today.

Better get your camera checked, that blue looks gold??!! :D

Ya, I know.
But it is a blue gold.:)
Company colors.

Would be interesting to use a wood graining kit over that color

I pondered that Mark.
Wasn't sure how to accomplish it though.

Z slide grind
 

I set up a radial arm saw with a grinding disk to cut the z slide. Worked pretty slick. It took about 35 minutes to grind it out.

Short video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbrBcUd9pvc

Painting day
 

Got the beast into the spray booth and primed and painted. It went pretty well having it suspended.

Only 2 issues. I didn't order enough for everything. Probably won't have it for 3 days.
The paint has a metallic flec to it and it plugs the tip on my Kremlin gun. Frustrating.

At least I can get the big piece out of the booth. It goes in on it's side so I don't want to do it twice.

Rock-n-Roll!:cool:

Cool on the Z grind!! I think that method is a first. What grit was that wheel and what kind of saw is that?

That is an old radial arm saw with a tilting arbor. Sears Craftsman brand.
I set a fence to slide against, at a slight angle to the grinding disc, so the leading edge cut. The cutter is just a 4 1/2 grinding wheel.
Need still pics?

Back on it's feet.
 

Well we needed to get the beast back on it's 4 legs. It came out of the spray booth on it's side. Tony refused to climb the ladder and install a sky hook in our 20 ft high ceiling. ( Sheez, kids now days)

So after a little head scratching we put a plank across a doorway and used come alongs and a floor jack to gently lower it down.

Our steel company is offering 29% off all orders today. http://campaign.r20.constantcontact....2-d4ae527536ce

I should order for a second machine. I did order for a different application. We are installing a loader and unloader above the Mechmate so I ordered up for the gantry for it, and new forks for my skid steer. Oh, and steel for my new sander.

I'll be following your loader/unloader progress with interest.

It will have it's own vacuum motor to pick the plywood up. Hopefully enough suction to pick the processed parts up as well.

Intriguing :) ... Keep the updates coming!

With the vacuum motor, winch, trolleys and steel I will have about a grand into it.
But it will make it so anyone can load and unload the machine. Even an old Fart like me.

I've got a Joes Woodworker vacuum pump, and a sliding door track off a commercial bldg.
Need a winch and vacuum pucks to be in bidness. The Lyme Disease makes me think this would be a good project.

I believe Gary Campbell, who is a member here, has a video of a DIY panel lift in operation...

Darren...
Sure do, but it doesn't have any good closups: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsFt-CMsbvs

Yep, thats the one that got me noodlin Gary.
I'm wondering how a sub $200 Harbor Freight hoist would work here...

A DIY solution is here: How-to-make-a-vacuum-powered-plywood-lifter

Thanks Jack. Hopefully Pete benefits from my hijacking of his thread...

Hey, where did my thread go? Hehe.
No problem Darren.
That is very similar to what I am thinking. Main difference is I plan on a full 60 x60 vacuum surface so hopefully I will be able to unload and stack as well. It may be overkill.
Both ends of my machine will be tied up with dovetailing fixtures so the panel cutting will be in the middle. Everything up and over the sides.

Hmm, from my research, that may be difficult. It seems pucks are used to create a high vacuum per square inch of pod area. It may be difficult to achieve a strong vacuum over a whole sheet, especially with cutouts. That will reqquire huge CFMs.

we got it all painted and started assembly this afternoon

Without pics, yada, yada....:)

Yada yada.
To busy building it to take pictures.

A few more bites of the elephant today.
Got all the rails on and level. Rollers on. Rides sweet and true.
Got the z slide together. Gas shock is in place. Tomorrow mount it and install motor.
Tony is getting the electronics installed in the box.
The thing that has amazed me to this point is that by taking small parts and building on it how it makes sense. When I first looked at the project I almost got overwhelmed.

Agreed. I felt the same way.