Pre Joe's R&P walk through

[Mike Heidrick]

So I am just amasing parts at this point for a Joe's R&P. Many of you boys are Joe's guys too so you can relate to that. Figured you guys would like to hear about it too and I really do not have enough to start a build on Joe's yet I do not think.

Today I got my cncrouterparts 4 axis electronics kit. Crazy place to start I know but I have a 7th sojourn hybrid machine that needed electronics and steppers so that is where I started.

I mounted the steppers already and am going to go out and hack up a steel hammond size 12 for the G540. All tool lovers should use an air saw!

Pics to come.

For the Joe's boys (or any other builders of stationary machines - non benchtop), What size machine did you guys all build (meaning what lengths 8020)? Standard or longer or wider?

Oh, I also bought a EPZ vaccum pump off ebay for $157 shipped. Another cart before the horse CNC purchase . 2" PVC fittings screwed right on. This thing is crazy and should be much better than using Fein vacs!

[Chuck Saunders]

Hi Mike,
i am building a MechMate that will cut up to 60"x96". This allows me the room to cut both 4x8 and 5x5 sheet goods. I don't see any problem in getting different parts in different order, you're gonna need them all eventually.
Hope you make good progress quickly.

[Rob Wright]

Mike - that vac pump is crazy cool! What a gloat! I will need to start scouring ebay again to see if I can match that!

I had a standard leadscrew Joes in 4x4 config, but when it went through the metamorphosis to my Hi-win linear guided Rack and Pinion all aluminum monster, it grew to I think a 63" in the Y and 56" in the X. When I get around to re-building the base, my X will stretch to 65"+.

I am going to pre-order myself an extra piece of rack from Moore gear (73") and order just the linear rails for my Y and A in 9-ft lengths. At some point in the future, I can see stretching this machine to an 8-ft cutting length and ordering a couple of 3 meter 8020's to allow the machine to grow.

If I had the space, I would not hesitate at all to go for an 8-ft machine. I am nesting cabinet parts on 4x4 pieces right now, but doing them on an 8-ft piece would be so much more efficient.

Do you have any more info on that pump? What was your search?

The G540 is a breeze to setup.

Having said all this - 90% of all the work I do is at the front of the machine in a 36" wide and 18" tall (y direction) area, and in that area I would say that 90% of that stuff is in an 18x18 area - my spoil board can prove that

[Mike Heidrick]

Machine research had me stumble upon the pump. I found it first by looking at a machine on craigslist that had one. I had never seen it. It is made by an italian company called FPZ Effepizeta www.fpz.com. They make regenerative blowers for both vaccum and pressure applications. Mine was on ebay for $300 and a $50 offer brought it home for a counter of $110 plus shipping. I have seen pictures of this pump on shopbot and K2 and several other large (hobbies large that is) CNC sites. I had never even noticed it before. the 2" NPT ports is sweet for PVC piping to a CNC table application. We will see if it works.

Build Update:

It was a HUGE day for me for parts sourcing yesterday. Thanks to SMC I sold my Delta shaper and had cash to source parts with.

On the way:

8020 and economy T-nuts from 8020-Inc Garage Sale on Ebay - 25S 25-5010 series in two pieces of 72" for Y and one piece 96" for X - I know this will not be full 4X8 but it will be a nice large size for what I want.

20 degree 20 pitch Rack from Moore Gear in the 3/4" pre drilled variety - three pieces of 72" and a piece from Wes (Joes member) in 35 15/16" plus the aligner pieces.

All my hot rolled angle iron and bearing plate aluminum from onlinemetals - just wanted to source it all at one time as local is spotty without ordering and paying even more than the site.

V-Bearings and 4 bolt flange bearings from VXB - used bing cashback and got $22 cashback!

My eccentric and concentric bushings and a 120V DIN relay from CADCAMCADCAM.

Acme Screw from McMaster

ABL and couplings from Dumpster CNC

A TON of DIN electronics parts for my electronic box from factorymation, Automation Direct, Elecdirect, Mouser (followed AdminB's BOM) that included my estop, a door mount disconnect, momentary switch, motor contactor, fuse, DIN rail and mounts, distro and grounding blocks, and wire. Definately not necessary but it will be done right and offer ease in adding expansion.

Rack and pinion parts are on their way from an order Wednesday again from cncrouterparts.

My electronics package is here (G540, power supply, Nema 23 380oz steppers, and cables) from cncrouterparts.

I have my mdf pieces and hope to get my HDPE pieces sent this week.

A lot of the $$$ hurdles are over. This build has a lot of $100,$200, and $300 digestable chunks. Cost so far according to my spreadhseet is $27875 but again that is overkill with an industrial controller box and Vaccum pump.

Still left to purchase:
Unistrut - Home depot
MDF - Menards
Base Hardware - I will be using wood I already have for it though
All my machine bolt hardware - will be bought by the pound at F&F
All thread - also F&F
K2 CNC mount
Other holdowns and T-track
Probably more I forgot but that all that will make a big machine pile of parts.

I have started making holes in my Nema 4/12 box already. That will continue today. Gotta love an air saw!

[Chuck Saunders]

Mike, you might want to check your spreadsheet, if you have spent $27875 I think you may have been able to buy one cheaper

[Mike Heidrick]

LOL! That is my new Shopbot I ordered. J/K .

$2785 is a lot better!

Got the unistrut, F&F hardware, the rest of the hardware ordered from boltdepot.com, and ordered some carriage bolt capable T-Track from 8020 for $8 per 48" shipped.

[Rob Wright]

Mike - what are you doing for a base table?

On your controller - sounds like you are going with a modified Homann Designs G540 build since you are using a contactor? http://www.homanndesigns.com/EN010_V8.pdf

Sounds SWEET! A DIN box would be sooo much nicer looking than the radio shack terminal strips I used in my NEMA4/12 box. At least it looks nice from the outside!

Love that Vac Blower, been searching fleabay, you sure got a great deal!

[Mike Heidrick]

I am going to build a big wooden base. I will have the big unistrut (1 5/8X1 5/8) table off teh angle iron mod that is mounted to the 80202 and it will have big unistrut supports. Should allow for a fourth axis and vertical clamping and shelves and cabinets. That is what it looks like in my head anyway.

The box design is actually a combination of a mechmate drawing, the homann drawing, and some ideas from the CNC cookbook files. Mostly AdminB on Joes forum inspired me with his Bill of Materials for his controller box other than I am using a G540 and different power supply.

Got a bunch of shipping nitifications today and a box from Ahren at cncrouterparts with my rack and pinion kits!

[Mike Heidrick]

So I have received almost all my parts. So far I have built my pallet base, cut the unistrut, drilled the brackets for the 8020, attached teh feet to the legs, assembled the Y-axis unistrut sides, attached the 8020 Y-axis to those, placed them on the base, and then attached two stretchers of unistrut accross the front and back. I officially have a frame of a machine! I am ALMOST square but not perfect. I took a break from the frame tonight and drilled my 2"X2" angle iron so I can mount it on the 8020 and then my unistrut bed support members will attach to that. I will prime and get them painted soon - will probably drill all the 3/4" angle first though.

[Matt Clara]

What did you use for feet for the legs?

[Mike Heidrick]

Since I am bolting to the pallet I used the 4 hole unistrut L brackets. They wrap the ends nicely. Some folks are using some 4 hole square unistrut feet that are made to bolt to a floor and or casters. If I find those I might switch out but the L brackets are working great.

[Mike Heidrick]

Added the angle iron and more supports. First time HVLP spraying metal. I used primer from rattle cans - that will not happen again. Spraying is SOOO much easier. 2oz of Naptha added to a quart of Yellow John Deere Paint and it was super easy to spray even with my cheap-o Buffalo branded HVLP gun that was given to me. Picked up some Gravity fed HVLP guns today to play with from Farm and Fleet on a memorial day 33% off sale. Sure am using a lot of 1/2" Bulk Bolts.

[Mike Heidrick]

Pics from the last couple of days.

[james mcgrew]

love the john deere paint colors, quality of the paint is top notch as well!

jim

[Mike Heidrick]

Worked a bit on my controller box tonight. Cut and mounted DIN rail, installed a through door disconnect, drilled and tapped the mounting screws for the G540 and its fan, put the momentary switch in a hole on top (hole was already there) and started working out placement of pieces a bit. I will take it all out tomorrow and drill for Estops and cut for outlet for router and power inlet. Let me know what you think about it.