Machsupport Forum

General CNC Chat => Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) => Topic started by: Gerald_D on April 16, 2007, 02:16:50 AM

Title: An African built 9'x 6' router - with free plans
Post by: Gerald_D on April 16, 2007, 02:16:50 AM

Did you think this was a joke?  :)

The blue beast  started about 2 years ago when we replaced the wobbly gantry on a ShopBot (see above Rafi's head in first pic). That worked rather well, so we built a second, longer gantry, and added a table and controller. Then got nagged for plans and a brandname was born for the download website. Don't quite know where this is going yet, but enjoying the ride so far!

(If truth be told, the major goal was to give our son a foot up in establishing his own business after school - that has worked really well.)

Title: Re: An African built 9'x 6' router - with free plans
Post by: ynneb on April 16, 2007, 02:46:38 AM

Looks great Gerald.
Where are the free plans you mentioned ?

Regards Benny

Title: Re: An African built 9'x 6' router - with free plans
Post by: ynneb on April 16, 2007, 02:48:52 AM

OK I did a google search. I found them http://www.mechmate.com/index.html

Title: Re: An African built 9'x 6' router - with free plans
Post by: Gerald_D on April 16, 2007, 02:58:55 AM

Thanks Benny

Everything is at www.mechmate.com

Your plain angle iron rails are what prompted me to post here today. By coincidence, I experimented with home grinding of rails this weekend. The story is here: http://www.mechmate.com/Forum/messages/11/3790.html

All the best
Gerald

Title: Re: An African built 9'x 6' router - with free plans
Post by: ynneb on April 16, 2007, 03:56:10 AM

Excellent rail grinding idea Gerald.
I like your style a lot. :)

I love to see complex jobs done with smart thinking and limited tools and budget.

I too used the shopbot as an inspiration in my design. Your machine is a  beautiful job.

Title: Re: An African built 9'x 6' router - with free plans
Post by: ynneb on April 16, 2007, 04:36:10 AM

Gerald, I have just had a good look through your site.
You get the 5 star award from me.  (5/5)

Title: Re: An African built 9'x 6' router - with free plans
Post by: Gerald_D on April 16, 2007, 04:42:03 AM

Thanks!

Title: Re: An African built 9'x 6' router - with free plans
Post by: Chaoticone on April 16, 2007, 09:35:33 AM

Very good Gerald. I have a friend that sent me a link to your site a couple of weeks ago that is planning on building one. I liked it then and I like it now. Do you know if anyone is using this for a Plasma?


Brett

Title: Re: An African built 9'x 6' router - with free plans
Post by: Gerald_D on April 16, 2007, 03:28:52 PM

Thanks Brett. I don't know of any MechMate being used for plasma, but then I know very little of what's happened to the 1200 sets of plans downloaded so far  ::)

Title: Re: An African built 9'x 6' router - with free plans
Post by: Brian Barker on April 16, 2007, 09:55:21 PM

Nice looking table! You have done a PRO level job!

If the plans are half as good as the table every one is going to be building them :)

Keep up the great work and thank you for making it public  ;D
Brian

Title: Re: An African built 9'x 6' router - with free plans
Post by: teufel on April 23, 2007, 10:15:37 AM

Quote from: Chaoticone on April 16, 2007, 09:35:33 AM

Very good Gerald. I have a friend that sent me a link to your site a couple of weeks ago that is planning on building one. I liked it then and I like it now. Do you know if anyone is using this for a Plasma?


Brett

In the works.

Title: Re: An African built 9'x 6' router - with free plans
Post by: Gerald_D on November 14, 2007, 08:48:22 AM

There are now some videos at YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGVQQf_iQpI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGQ2J4GgXkg

And more (fresher) drawings at www.mechmate.com :
http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=376

Title: Re: An African built 9'x 6' router - with free plans
Post by: DavidCousins on November 14, 2007, 10:12:00 AM

Gerald,
Outstanding design.  Thanks for posting the drawings. 
Question about the rails.  Is there any restraint in the pluz Z axis for the gantry on the X rails.   Does the design rely on gravity to hold the gantry from riding up in the vertical?   I'm guessing yes, from looking at the plans and estimating the weight of the gantry.   Same goes for the Y-Z gantry? 
Thanks,
Dave

Title: Re: An African built 9'x 6' router - with free plans
Post by: Gerald_D on November 14, 2007, 11:02:09 AM

Thanks for the encouragement Dave.

Gravity does help but doesn't do it all. The motor pinions ride racks under the rails and the motors are spring-tensioned against the racks to pull the cars down and to eliminate backlash at the rack/pinion interface. The one side of the y-car that has no motor still has a spring and idler roller running under the rail.

Title: Re: An African built 9'x 6' router - with free plans
Post by: ynneb on November 14, 2007, 05:02:08 PM

Hi Gerald I have added your videos to the Artsoft video collection.
http://www.youtube.com/groups_videos?name=artsoft