Thread: CNC Gantry Router #A

Originally Posted by crocky

So now I am just a disabled pensioner who plays CNC for a hobby

You couldnt have picked a cheaper hobby

Hi Bob,
Good to hear you have it sorted with Centrelink and wound up the business.
Being a retired CNC'er is not a bad place to be.

Morphy is morphing into a finished machine Most of the mechanicals are finished now.

Today I got the X axis mounts done and as you can see from the photos there were a few obstacles to overcome. If I had drawn this up I might have seen those coming but that is half of the fun of it overcoming design problems on the fly. I am pleased with the way it fitted together in the end. The rear bearing support is clamped at the moment until I make the final adjustments.

X is a twin screw (sounds like a big launch ) with a two to one pulley arrangment. Same as the Y this is done to gain speed. Motors are 497oz nema23.

The photos tell it all and expose me for being a messy worker. Amazing how many tools and parts keep multiplying on a horizontal surface.

Nice work Rod it sure looks a treat. I think we all suffer from the horizontal surface expanding collection of stuff syndrome.

Been out there pondering - dangerous
I need to cover the pulleys and belts as little fingers might get caught up in there. Easy enough to do a 35mm pocket to cover them so it is not the design that is a problem. The material has me stumped - I have 40mm thick ally but do not want to use it for something like this. I have acrylic but would have to laminate several pieces to get it that thick - maybe cheap superglue? I could make it from MDF as I have some 30mm thick that I could add to.
So ally too expensive, acrylic maybe and mdf I am not kean on as it will look crapola and probably chip.
So any suggestions?

Originally Posted by rodm

Been out there pondering - dangerous
I need to cover the pulleys and belts as little fingers might get caught up in there. Easy enough to do a 35mm pocket to cover them so it is not the design that is a problem. The material has me stumped - I have 40mm thick ally but do not want to use it for something like this. I have acrylic but would have to laminate several pieces to get it that thick - maybe cheap superglue? I could make it from MDF as I have some 30mm thick that I could add to.
So ally too expensive, acrylic maybe and mdf I am not kean on as it will look crapola and probably chip.
So any suggestions?

I know you can get perspex in 50mm thick blocks, but if they will sell you a small QTY I doubt it.

You can use some of this perspex bonding stuff, I dont have it on me right now but it will bond (melt) it together and if you make it with no bubbles you shouldnt be able to see the layers.

I'll get the name tommorow if I dont forget, all my gears over at the factory.

Its what I used to assemble the box I used for my Xyoltex kit, its far stronger than superglue and doesnt look like ???? when it dries.

Hi Chris,
Thanks for taking the time to reply.
Yeah I sort of came to the same conclusion that acrylic is the best way to go. I have been collecting heaps of it from a dumster but most of it is only 6mm thick. Being tight in the pocket I don't want to pay heaps for thicker stuff so I'll wait for the name of the glue and laminate some to cut. Thinking about it, it would be good to see inside the cover in case the belt goes slack or other problems.

I like the idea of being able to see whats going on inside. I have a fair quantity of 6mm perspex and was thinking of using it for dust shields etc, but was concerned about the xxxx look of superglue joins.

Rod your machine is looking so good ... a great inspiration, if only I can get back into the shed to try and copy your good ideas!!

Cheers,

Alan

Hi Rod, you could try to get some HDPE that thick, I have a chunk about 20mm thick in my carport, I don't know how thick they make the stuff but a trip (or phone call) to your local plastic welding man should sort it out, that is where I got my stash, I raided their scrap bin and the fella was happy to give me the stuff in exchange for the story of what I was using it for.

The stuff I got is black so it matches everything but you can get white stuff as well. I don't think you can glue HDPE though so it either needs to be the right size or welded together.

Good Luck !

Russell.

Thanks for the suggestions and encouragement.
I started this thread back in August so it has been the longest time that it has taken me to build a machine. It seems like a few of you are in the same mode so let's blame it on climate change.
Depending on what my social secretary has planned for this weekend I might even see it running.

Chris,
Have you found the name of the 'perspex bonding stuff'?

I have some perspex that I would like to stuff!!

Cheers,

Alan

Alan

I have some glue here that I got from the local plastics place in a tube.

"WELDON #16 clear, medium bodied solvent cement, for joining Acrylic"

Greg

Thanks for that Greg ... instant service!
I will try to track some down here in the Highlands.

Cheers,

Alan

Originally Posted by Greolt

Alan

I have some glue here that I got from the local plastics place in a tube.

"WELDON #16 clear, medium bodied solvent cement, for joining Acrylic"

Greg

damn beat me to it, just got home.

I also have the Weldon #16


You can buy some from Plastix.com.au but you have to pay for a courier which to me was $16, reason I bought 2 tubes.