Mechkits.com? mdf + metal router kits

[rob_SOR]

I saw Rodm posted a link to an MDF router kit off ebay, I found the guys behind the MDF router ( http://mechkits.com/ ) do a metal chassis machine as well.

They seem to be an Aussie company which is something I've been looking for. I've emailed them a couple of times but have not had a reply. Has anyone had any other experience with them?

Cheers.

http://mechkits.com/user/cimage/cnc-nc-mill-router-kit-steel-168-.JPG

[John H]

My contact was through Ebay and I found backup service to be excellent. The guy's name I was dealing with is Dang Le.

[rob_SOR]

Thanks for reply John, Dang emailed me today with answers to my questions. Others may be interested so I've included some of his reply below:

<quote>
1) Maximum working envelope is X=400mm, Y=240mm and Z=110mm. If you are
machining with the spindle as high as possible you can have an extra 100mm, so in total 210mm.
2) The machine used M12 allthread with 1.75 pitch. Acme threads also available.
3) The guide rails are 12mm dia on the Z and 20mm dia on the x and y axis.
4) The drive nut costs $10.00 delivered any in Australia or you can make it yourself.
5) Some complete pictures are available on the web. Will be putting videos on the web soon.
6) This kit is out of stock at this stage. We'll be cutting them end of September 2008.
Extra information is on the website mechkits.com. We are in Endeavour Hills and Clayton, Victoria.
<quote end>


I also received an email from one of the regulars here who is putting some machines together a machine that are bit bigger than the mechkits.com units. Although more expensive (its bigger & has ball screws etc) it may be a better proposition for what I want to do.

cheers.

[rodm]

There is a big difference between allthread and ballscrews so if the budget can stretch I would go the ballscrews. 1.75 pitch means a slow machine unless you gear it up.
While speed is not essential it does make a difference if you start to get four and five hour jobs - easy done with 3D files.
The die grinder on the mechkit is a throw away and not up to standard for CNC work. It has a three jaw chuck and is single speed. I am fairly sure these sold on ebay for sub $50.
I am not knocking the machine as I think the design is well thought out and easy to build. At $1,500 plus electronics I would be comparing it to what else is avaialble on the market. Their MDF kit is better value I think.

[rob_SOR]

I agree ballscrews are much better than allthread. I imagine the allthread (& the drive nuts) may need more frequent maintenance. I've been looking at Aussie made/sourced machines and this is one of the few local ones I've found.

The spindle / router is going to be an issue for me as if I want to work out of my shed it will need to be quiet - the down side of infill housing, then againg I could even the score with my doof-doof music playing neighbour! :doh:

What sort of noise hoods have people used - heavy chipboard & a polycarbonate window?

[appiwood]

Hello Rob

I have used a 25mm MDF board enclosure with both 6mm lam' glass and 6mm persplex windows, with a 1/2" large Triton router ( not sure of the watts but think it is 1800 ) that is against a common wall in my garage which is also lined with 10mm gyprock on both sides, with the door shut you can be in an adjacent room without earmuffs and outside of the garage ( conc' block ) you can't hear the router, I have bought spindles to go onto the machine but toher things have stopped me from fitting them, I have run both and the fan in the VFD makes more noise than the unloaded spindle.
I haven't had any complaints from the neighbours but don't want to either - did years ago when I had a cnc laser making R/C aircraft kits, a bloke from the local electricity supplier wanted to look in the garage to see if I had anything that could be generating interference - said no and he left, not to happy, he might have thought he could go onto private property and look around but I didn't agree.

Ed

[rob_SOR]

Sounds like it's do-able then. I've just put in a window with 6mm laminated glass, the amount of sound it kills is impressive - I figured lam glass would be good for sound deadening but would be a expensive. At least I now know they can be quietened down enough to run in the "shed".

[Ch4iS]

Why not that special rubber/foam ect. stuff that dampens noises, im sure that stuff would be on the cheap side.

[rob_SOR]

Last month while verge shopping I saw one of those old sound proof hoods for a large dot matrix printer. It was lined with sound absorbing foam. Too late for that one - it will be in landfill by now.

[stevejw]

Hi I am a newbie to this forum and CNC Routers but I have purchased a set of plans from Ebay from John at [email protected]
These are very detailed and well laid out including part numbers and URL's for suppliers (all US based unfortunately). The unit is 36" x 20" x 24" high and a moving gantry design. It uses 3/4" oil hardened guides for the X & Y and 1/2" for the Z with twin start lead screws and Delrin nuts. Very professional set of plans as they should be drawn by an engineer.
I have ordered steppers and control gear from Probotix so those should be here in a couple of weeks. Now I have to order the mechanical parts from the US that I can not source here.

[twistedfuse]

On the topic of sound proofing i went through all the hassle when i decided i was going to enclose my first build and sound proof it...i didn't get round to it since i decided to build the bigger machine. I thought i'd pass on some stuff i found. The product i was going to use was sound foam. Its an acoustic dampener and sold by foamplus in vic (www.foamplus.com.au) and adfoam in sydney (http://www.adfoam.com.au/). From memory it was like 30 bucks a sheet (~2m x 1.4m x 10/25mm thick). I had a smaple and used it over a vent which was noisy and it worked great. If your looking for a cheaper option, i remember being told that felt is also a great material to use since old car stereo buffs used to use it around subwoofers. I remember telling a guy and he made a small cavity enclosure with 3mm mdf skins lined in felt and it worked great.


Anyway, hope some of this helps,
Daniel