Thread: Chris's 2nd Build "Big K4huna"

Hi Chris,
You need to clear out your PM list as it is full. I'll send the details through once it is clear.

Originally Posted by rodm

Hi Chris,
You need to clear out your PM list as it is full. I'll send the details through once it is clear.

Done sorry about that.

We get such a small pm box.


That reminds me, has anyone here built a spray booth? I am working in a rented property so I am not allowed to deface the property in any way. Currently thinking of drop sheets and aluminium extrusion (Light cheap stuff)

Probbaly of no interest to most of you here. But the pics were mainly to show rod how I moved it as I was asking him how he moved his.

There are 2 straps holding it up and 2 straps to stop it from doing a flip on me.


Also a pic of the forklift with a thousand problems.

Only thing left to move is the bench now and then I can get started on it again

Well executed and safe too.

A lot safer than when I had to put my mill in place on it's stand. I used one of the engine cranes and rope. One of the most scariest things I've ever done.

Been a long time since a update.

Ok, 120x80 alu rail on its way, I had been meaning to drive to linearbearings and purchase it myself but apparently within a few days of calling them and then going down there they ran out of stock.

So I just decided to pay the $15 and get them to ship it to me (costs me $7.60 in tolls to get there). The guys at linearbearings took me in the back and showed me the aluminium extrusion (80x40 they had) and that stuff is built strong, I would be interested in building a mid sized router out of the stuff, but it would be really expensive.

Been busy stripping the forklift in the pics, as it was going to have a service so i thought id give it a clean and new paint job only thinking its a few days work but since im lazy its about a week now and im only starting to apply the primer. Would have been nice if I had a sandblaster setup, blast all the ???? off while getting the paint off also.

Got my aluminium extrusion, fast shipping, and good packaging.

Now my question is do people screw into the aluminium? I was planning to buy some T slots for both sides but the supported round rail base isnt wide enough, **See pic. I wasnt really wanting to screw into the aluminium.

I will be sending in the perspex to be cut tommorow and hopefully I can see a sliding Gantry by the weekend.

How much did the extrusion end up costing, if you don't mind me asking?

Originally Posted by John H

How much did the extrusion end up costing, if you don't mind me asking?

$305 + GST + $15 TNT Post.

1550mm long.

Hi Chris,
I see your problem.
If it was me I would just drill and tap the extrusion. If it is the heavy profile there will be plenty of meat in the walls to get a good thread.
The alternative is to fix the rails with countersunk screws from the back into a strip of 5mm thick steel that is wide enough to stradle the slots. On the attached photo you can see what I mean - the bearing bracket is running vertical but I'm sure you get the drift.

Chris,
I am at about a similar stage to you with my build. I have fixed my round rails to the 120x80 alum by just tapping and screwing ... that lump of alum has got plenty of 'guts' and I had no trouble fixing to it. I have attached a couple of photos that may help.

I have been very envious of the guys with their X3's doing all sorts of fancy milling, so I thought I would also include a couple of photos of some bearing holder thingamies that I milled on my Wigitmaster. The thing that I liked was when I had finished and the bearings just clicked into place ... boy such precision!!!

I hope that the photos are not too small ... every time I try to upload I get told that my attachments are too big and I have to stuff around reducing them, so this time I started small!!

Cheers,

Alan

My router must be the Ugly Duckling of all current builds.

99% of you have skills when it comes to metalwork , makes me wish I had the option of doing metalwork in school.



Alan (Zoot) did you T bolt 1 side then drill and tap the other?

Beg to differ on that Chris. I would love to be able to weld and put together a base like you have.

There are a lot of us going through a learning curve and this is what we do here - share what works and doesn't work. We are our own worst critic and that is how we improve our skills and knowledge.

Time to stand back and look at what you have achieved.

Chris,
I agree with Rod ... I would love to be able to weld. I have tried MIG, stick, oxy and all end up a disaster! I even did a welding course at night school before we bought the farm 9 years ago ... I was going to weld up gates, yards, thingamies all around the farm ... but I am hopeless, anything that did manage to stay together was only short lived, then they just collapse!!

With the round rail, I tapped both sides to the alum. You can hopefully see from the closeup photo of the end of the top rail, I kept the rail close to the edge of the alum, probably only 4 - 5mm from the face, which means that I pick up the real meat of the extrusion in the corner, the rail support then straddles the t-slot and the next row of screws has also got sufficient meat as well. Hope this helps.

The other thing that I did with my 120x80 extrusion, was that any t-slots that were not used, rather than leave them open to collect dust and swarf, I ran a plastic strip into those t-slots before I fixed the ends. I had some plastic tongues from particle board flooring ... usually yellow tongue, but for some reason mine was white!

Keep up the good work.

Alan