Thread: New CNC Gantry for Stevejw

Hi Steve,
Good to see you start a thread for your build.
Over in Oz you have to adapt to different materials and availablility of parts so expect to modify the design on the fly.
Have you seen this site for backlash nuts?
Look forward to seeing the build progesss.

Hi All,
I have some parts!!!
Not all of them but some and that is a start and has me itching to get started on the build!




More Soon I Hope!

Onya Steve,
Are they stuck to the ceiling.

See what you mean Rod, no just my crazy photography.
Man 800 x 800 and 100k is small when you have a good camera.

Mine you stuck to ceiling is the only place I have to store them at the moment. My double garage is full of racks of horded bits and pieces, mowers, motor bike in pieces, welder, gas axe and electronics bits and pieces.
I need another shed!

Cheers
Steve

Originally Posted by stevejw

I need another shed!

Don't we all.

Greg

They are not really stuck to the ceiling ... just levitating. A new way for magnetic levitation to remove any friction!!

Cheers,
Alan

Hey steve,

good to see another machine coming along. Just remember to always ask questions as there is a huge amount of knowledge here. Even if you just want clarification you never know what kind of ideas and suggestions pop up.

Enjoy the build. Cause i will enjoy following it.

Daniel

Good start so far Steve

Off too the post office to pick up the T rail for the bed now.

Would also like to know if anyone has used aluminium RHS say 2 x 60 x 60 sections welded together with welded plate ends instead 120 x 80 extruded section for the gantry?

Just to save $$$$$

Cheers
Steve

Steve

You don't need to use that aluminium slotted section. Lots of other ways to go.

Perhaps a RHS with a thick enough wall to tap the rail fixings into.

I just used that because it is slotted for fixing THK style rails. It is nice and straight. Heavy. Easy to tap into the ends for gantry side plates.

A few builders here have followed my example but it is definitely not essential.

One other thing is that it is best not to weld components together. Distortion is a problem unless you stress relieve and machine afterwards.

Much better to bolt assemblies.

Greg

Thanks Greg,
I take your point, I have decided to go with 150 x 50 x 3 RHS @ 6.4kg per metre my 600mm gantry should not weigh to much.

I have received the T Section aluminium for the bench and purchased the SHS and RHS fro the table frame so now to build it on the weekend!

I asked the supplier if he could cut the RHS & SHS for me, no problem he says. My thinking was he will use a cold saw or band saw, WRONG. He used a friction saw and did not even cut the lengths the same!!!!

Should have done it myself with my friction saw but you know what they say about 20-20 hindsight!

Cheers
Steve

Originally Posted by stevejw

I asked the supplier if he could cut the RHS & SHS for me, no problem he says. My thinking was he will use a cold saw or band saw, WRONG. He used a friction saw and did not even cut the lengths the same!!!!

Should have done it myself with my friction saw but you know what they say about 20-20 hindsight!

Thats what me off when I bought my steel, I even asked them and told them it needed to be accurate, and they still cut some stuff off by a mm or 2.

If you want it done right do it yourself.

BTW about the welding I would not weld aluminium for something that needs to be accurate I had enough problems with my steel then again I am not a experienced welder.

That's it Chris you have to do it yourself or put up with crap workmanship of others.

I nearly bought a band saw today but it is stretching the budget so I will have to wait until my side business has some more turnover then I may be able to justify one.

I hear you on the welding, I am not able to weld aluminium at present as my TIG setup is DC only. A blunder on my part when I purchased it, I should have paid the extra for the AC (read square wave) unit.

Anyway I am going to TIG any steel gantry parts that I do weld, low heat and very neat but still strong.

Cheers
Steve

Hi All,
I have attached a sketch (bit crappy Paint file) of a thought I have for the X rails mounting. I propose a side mounting is that ok for open trucks or should I have them vertical?
Cheers
Steve