It runs! #89 - Monterrey, Mexico
 

Hi...
My name is Hector and I've waited some months to begin, but starting has become a necesity...so with good luck and the help of this great community other mechmate will be running an cutting in the near future.

Last may I bought the laser cut parts from Joe, and this weekend I bough a Lincoln Weld Pak 180HD from home depot with other stuff needed, so I'm ready to order steel and start building the Table.

Before ordering I have a big issue concerning me...:confused: to go for a 5'x10' table or a 4'x8' (actually 49"x97"), could someone give me a good reason to go bigger, mostly the bigger boards youll get here are 49"x97" why should I go bigger? Something that I might be missing in my thoughts?

I have selected the steel profiles that I can find here, and made some drawings of a 47"x97 table, could some one review them and tell me if they are ok...some things missing still in the drawings but mostly is done.

Kindest Regards,
Hector

Superceded drawing deleted

If your boards are 49"x97", then build it for 49"x97"

A rough check of your drawing looked good.

Hector :
I will go as big as the desing let me, In the building busines I find a lot of uses for a big MM,
In main axis the chanel profile is 6 mts, so I have 3 mts long (2 pieces) and for the second axis I have 2.50 mts

Hector,

Go for the larger table! You will be happy when you need that extra room for a holding fixture or something.

I live in El Paso, Texas. What part of Mexico do you live?

Robert.

Not so fast on the bigger table!

If you do not have a vacuum holddown table, it is a pain to hold boards that are smaller than the table. Then you cannot just put a few clamps around the edges.

Hi Robert,
I live in Monterrey, 2:30 hours drive from Laredo Texas...

Gerald,
Could you pin point me to a thread or someone that has build a vacuum holddown table for the mechmate, Already spending on the table it might be good idea to incorporate it in the build.
Thanks...
Hector

JRs Table has a vacuum hold down system :)

http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?t=329

Thanks for the link....

Final Mechmate 49"x97" Table Plans...
 

This is the finished plan of my 49"x97" table...Havent find a real justification to go bigger. The profiles used for the table are:

QTY. DESCRIPTION COST SUBTOTAL
1 CHANNEL 8" 17.11 KG/M 6.10 MT. $2,046.77 $2,046.77 mx
6 CHANNEL 3" 6.10 KG/M 6.10 MT. $688.45 $4,130.70 mx
2 ANGLE 2 1/2" X 2 1/2" X 1/4" 6.10 MT $670.00 $1,340.00 mx
$7,517.47 mx
Mexican Pesos per US Dll. $13.80
Total $544.74 dlls.
I Though I will spend less for the steel, but I can see is expensive right now :eek:

If some one has comments or corrections on my plan please correct me ;) any help is really appreciated!!!
Kindest Regards,
Hector

6 CHANNEL 3" - shouldn't that be 7 to get 6 spaces of 400mm?

2 ANGLE 2 1/2" X 2 1/2" X 1/4" - this is a problem to cut with the grinder because it is too high. Try to get 2 1/2" X 1 1/2" X 1/4"

Actually, I think he has (6) 6.1 meter (20ft) pieces of 3" channel.

So presumably that's for legs and cross braces, as well as for the table bed support.

Hector, you've decided to not use round tube for your cross braces?

The bottom bracing can happily be 3" channel iron from a strength viewpoint. The table will then loose some torsional stiffness, but that doesn't matter if all 4 legs stand on a firm floor. The diagonal braces can be reduced as low as 1.5 x 1.5 x .1875 angle iron without problems - unless you bump them from the side with a heavy board.

Hi Gerald,
I have some problems with the quota, I couldnt attach the updated drawing, could you help me with that, I just have something like 1mg.
With the 6 3" channels, thats correct Im getting 7 cross bearers 400.97mm [15 3/16"] apart to centers.
I´ll try to get that 2 1/2"x 1 1/2" x 1/4" angle, I havent seen that one on the catalogs around here...
Thanks again...

Hi Brad,
You are so correct...:D, yes Im going to use same 3" channel for almost every part of the table, unless I find something cheaper and that can give the same stiffness in the table structure.
Regards,
Hector

Hector, I have increased your quota, but please reduce your file sizes. (Or save the files on another service)

Must I delete that first drawing (big pdf file) for you?

I was also unable to find 2-1/2" x 1-1/2" Angle, and purchased 2-1/2" x 2" angle, and cut it down. The resulting excess strip is perfect for the inside of the gantry tubes (that's on a drawing somewhere, but I don't have the drawings to hand at the moment). You'll see quite a bit of discussion and pictures on the cutting process elsewhere on the forum.

Post moved to:
http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1168

Day 1
 

Hi,
I just dedicated my first 5 hours of building time, this hours were spend rough cutting all pieces of the table. I also bough the 2"x4" profile for the y axis, so im almost ready to order v wheels. Next round will be spend doing precison cuts to the profiles, grinding and preparing all pieces to start welding. :D

Horale!! Muy bueno, me da envidia.

Day 2 of my build
 

Hi...
This was day 2 of my build, 7 hours between preparing everything and build time. I started detailing the ends of the x beams, making sure they where identical, did some grinding preparing them for the end plates. I tag welded the end plates with 3 welds from the interior of the beam, then I welded from the outside top an bottom, leaving the side without weld (paint should cover that small gap) after that, I grinded the ends until round. After that I presented both beams and marked and drilled pilot holes for the cross bearers with a wood jig I builded from scrap wood.
Hope I have some free hours to work soon...:confused:
Happy Holidays!!! Merry Christmas to every member of this woderfull community
Hector

Hola Hector:
Muy buen trabajo, de hecho es mucho mejor que el mio, aunque no he posteado fotos, ya termine soldaduras y pintura.
Solo espero comprar los electronicos.
Saludos y felicidades

por cierto Adan es el nombre de mi padre, (Soy Conrado)
y abri esta cuenta para consultas desde Casa

Good solid work and some clever marking out, Hector

May you and your family also have a very blessed Xmas and happy holidays.

Day 3 of my build
 

Yesturday I had some hours left, 3 to 4 hours. I went with a friend and asked him to cut a spare channel that was left, the purpose was to have some material to cut some bevel washers for the cross bearers. The longs turned to be 1-1/4" aprox. so I cutted 42 pieaces,they turned to be 1-1/4" squares. After that I grind them to take out sharp edges.

Nice work!

Day 4 of my build
 

Yesturday I invested around 5 hours preparing the cross bearers. The first thing was cutting and grinding to exact size and presenting the channels as they will be placed on the table, then with a wood jig i made from scrap I mark the 60 degree cuts, and procede to cut them. After the channles were ready I present them another time and made marks where the bevel washers should go. I thought it was better to weld the bevel washers and tap them in place to use them as nuts instead of the bolt and nut configuration in the plans, this way when fixing the sacrificial board ill just need to access the top to tight the board in place ;)

Nice going....did you weld the bevel washers? Mine are loose like a normal washer. This is a idea...dril and tap into this home made bevel...no problem fixing the table top. It becomes a one man job.:)

Hi Kobus,
Yes I welded the washers, as I mention in my last post thats the idea, instead of needing two hands one in the top and a friend going beneath the table to secure the nut, taping the bevel washers will solve this issue ;)

If you drill and tap into the channels for the table top, you do not need taper washers - the channel is thick enough.

Also, if you weld too much, those cross-support channels will bend down and twist.

We find that these screws come loose with time. It is not the nut that turns loose, but the wood which is settling. That is why we epoxy the big head of the bolt and tighten with nuts from the bottom.

Gerald,
you are correct, the channel bended a bit (about 1/8") with the welds, but I did correct this by placing a series of long welds in the appropiate places,that mostly in the center of the beam, Conclusion: Dont weld the bevel washers or be prepare to correct the bending. I went the welding way because it was already done, but im regaining the expoxy thing with the nuts and bolts (no tap) becuase the carriage bolt has a lower head profile than a regular bolt with a washer and a pressure washer..
Thanks....

I just received at my adrress in USA my set of bearings and bushings from Rick at Superior Bearing, Have to make a small trip this weekend to pick the stuff. Price was:
GW3X = $14.49ea @ 14pcs = $202.86
B3X = $2.91ea @ 6pcs = $17.46
Total: 220.32 + Shipping
Got to mention, that Ricks´s service is same as its business name, just "Superior", Thanks Rick!
Kindest Regard
Hector Quintanilla

Look what I pick up yesturday :)...The past days I havent got time to work on my mechmate :( ...with the bearings I almost got all the mechanics so this means I can go non stop with the table...guess I have to give me time!

Day 5 of my build
 

Finally I manage to give me time to make some advance. This day I spend about 6 hours.
I welded the side frames, some more welding is required for the diagonal braces. I also went out to get some 4 1/4" plates cutted to 3" diameter circles and buy some parts to build the a set of leveling legs for the table. I also went to home depot and got a can of Rostoleum in Sail Blue color to make a test...If I go this way Ill spend the same or less money and without to much mess. The color turn to be a very nice brilliant color ;).Dont worry this was a test, I have to sand or maybe sand blast all metal, put a primer and then go with the Rustoleum

Hector, that looks like the right colour!
Looking good!

Day 6 of my build
 

Table almost done! :D , today I dedicated about 6 hours of slow pace work :rolleyes:. and some bolts, washers and pressure washer shopping. With the purchased bolts I started to assemble the table, checking squareness at all time, the results turned quite good. Did some changes in the leg levelers and finish them. Next step I will build the cross braces. Im going the bolt it way...so Ill have 2 side frames, 2 cross frames, and the cross bearers, maybe other cross members to add rigidity.

Day 7 of my build
 

This day I just had 2 spare hours...cuted to size two cross braces, welded en plates, drilled holes, and bolted the cross braces to the table, and checked for squarness... everything Ok. Then I proceded to disassemble, left all pieces resting for next day.

Day 8 of my build
 

Had 3 1/2 hours...I assebled the table upside (the roller in the picture is a very handy tool when working alone, it made me very easy to assemble the cross bearers), checed for squarness, tighted all bolts just a bit to hold the table in place, but permiting to adjust squarness if needed. Then I presented the MDF board to a side, checked and adjusted squarness between one main beam and the first cross bearer, then I proceded to tight al bolts in the table, leaving the table stiff. Then assisted with to wood jigs I cutted all together to assure perfect mesurment between them...I fixed the board, and used C clamps to hold it in place, After having all together I checked another time for squarness and level...everything turned right!, so I proceded to mark the holes in the board for drilling next available day :D

And you only bought the welder 2 months ago? - Great stuff! :)

Hedtor,

That is the right color. Your build looks great. You are going to change the statistics on build time. Way to go. Keep the photos coming.