So, what if I wanted to make a simple......

[Dennis Peacock]

What if I wanted to make a very simple X and Y motor driven platform on the cheap...just for flattening slab panels. I'm talking up to 10' long by 5' wide type panels. Would all thread rod work or would I need something more? I'm just thinking about better solutions than standing and pushing a router box over rails for hours on end. Thoughts? Recommendations?

No, I'm not looking to buy a CNC setup ..... would I love to have one? Yes....can I afford one right now? No. Thus, I'm asking the collective minds here. This doesn't even have to be computer controlled or even automatic. Micro-switch control to send it across/back and away/to??

[David Warkentin]

Should work. Get some 8020 and get to work. :-) Use angle iron rails top and bottom of your side rails and run on them with ball bearings with the little v's cut in them. I can't remember what they are called.

[Tony Leonard]

I guess "cheap" is relative. I don't think you could do what you are describing cheaply. It would have to be a pretty decent structure to support the router. I think some folks use all thread, but it has its issues. You could probably use an Arduino to control the steppers and to change direction. Sounds like a fun project, but I think it would get expensive and complicated quickly! On the other hand, people have been flattening slabs with plywood and routers for many years! Now that's cheap! I have had the thought and will try flattening smaller stuff with my CNC router. Just haven't gotten around to it. I have a few pieces of wood that could be neat flattened out and finished.

Tony

[Art Mann]

If I didn't already have a CNC router, I would be very interested in such a project. I spent several years as a manufacturing engineer in a very large automotive electronics plant and have overseen the construction of similar machines many times. I would just like to warn you that what you are proposing to do is much more complex than you might think (like Tony implied). You will need computer control and software development knowledge that is going to be hard to come by unless you are already somewhat experienced.

In answer to your question about lead screws, I think they would be adequate for the purpose. You aren't trying to do precision X-Y positioning. You might get by without stepper motors if you use limit switches cleverly. 80/20 extruded aluminum rail or similar would be ideal for constructing such a machine but I am afraid it would be quite expensive if bought new. I once saw about a ton (literally) of this material being sold at scrap aluminum prices from our warehouse of used and obsolete equipment. If you could find a source of this material as salvage, you would be well ahead of the game.

My ultimate advice to you is to abandon the effort unless you want to learn about computer controls and machine design and construction. I don't think this project is feasible as a cost saving effort alone.

Edit: I was just giving your idea a second thought. Because you mentioned a CNC router, I was thinking in terms of full automation. If you are just interested in providing a motor drive for the sled and are willing to do some manual setup and control during the process, the job becomes a lot easier.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I would just like to warn you that what you are proposing to do is much more complex than you might think (like Tony implied). You will need computer control and software development knowledge that is going to be hard to come by unless you are already somewhat experienced.



My ultimate advice to you is to abandon the effort unless you want to learn about computer controls and machine design and construction. I don't think this project is feasible as a cost saving effort alone.

AMEN Brother Art!

[Dennis Peacock]

Ok, advice well taken. I would just like a less manual method of pushing a sled but hey, I do have grand ideas and hopes but I have to digress from this one I guess. Maybe one day.
Thank you.

[Malcolm McLeod]

Dennis,
This is a really simple problem to solve using materials like the 80/20, 2 or 3 VFDs, a like number of motors, plus lots of other electrical & mechanical 'stuff'. And a PLC. And software to program it. And experience. I did some napkin calculations once, and figured $10k-$12k to make a 4'x8' envelope machine dedicated to flattening slabs. We have similar "grand ideas".

All I have is the experience (sounds like I might have been contractor to Art?), but I have similar fantasies of building a flattening machine. On the surface it is a very simple issue: 1) start at the beginning; 2) traverse the y-axis(pos); 3) index the x-axis; 4) traverse the y-axis(neg); 5) repeat 2/3/4 until you reach the end. Simple.

Simple until you include the eleventy-seven steps that keep the machine from wrecking itself, or stealing your car and driving to Sumatra. Making something work as expected when everything is working as expected is easy. Making it work as expected when every operating parameter came directly from The Twilight Zone, is slightly more difficult. But still,.....hmmmmmm.

(I make my living trying to anticipate the arrival of these 'Zone' events.)

[Dennis Peacock]

Dennis,
This is a really simple problem to solve using materials like the 80/20, 2 or 3 VFDs, a like number of motors, plus lots of other electrical & mechanical 'stuff'. And a PLC. And software to program it. And experience. I did some napkin calculations once, and figured $10k-$12k to make a 4'x8' envelope machine dedicated to flattening slabs. We have similar "grand ideas".

All I have is the experience (sounds like I might have been contractor to Art?), but I have similar fantasies of building a flattening machine. On the surface it is a very simple issue: 1) start at the beginning; 2) traverse the y-axis(pos); 3) index the x-axis; 4) traverse the y-axis(neg); 5) repeat 2/3/4 until you reach the end. Simple.

Simple until you include the eleventy-seven steps that keep the machine from wrecking itself, or stealing your car and driving to Sumatra. Making something work as expected when everything is working as expected is easy. Making it work as expected when every operating parameter came directly from The Twilight Zone, is slightly more difficult. But still,.....hmmmmmm.

(I make my living trying to anticipate the arrival of these 'Zone' events.)

Malcolm,

LOL!!!! At least I don't feel all alone in my fantasy world of solving the grand scheme of a flat x,y with a limited budget.

[Merritt Conner]

Dennis, Rather then inventing something from scratch using 8020, and such, check out Open Builds product line. They offer extruded aluminum rails, carriages, and motor packages for a good price. You might be surprised how inexpensive a system could be...especially if you are making it for limited use. Not sure how it would work for a 10x5, but I have used their stuff for a 3x3 system, and I am not disappointed. I did make a 3x5 system out of 8020 a while back, but I went way overboard on the motors, electronics, and linear guides. $$$ Good luck

[Leo Voisine]

I can envision a very inexpensive cross sled of sorts. I don't like the word cheap as the connotation is to say junk. Inexpensive is just soo much nicer of a word.

Indexing to the next pass and hand cranking the router across the panel is all you really need to do, if I see this correctly.

There are a number of ways to do it, motorized or manual.

I am in the CNC camp, but that sometimes clouds the thinking. Simplicity is sometimes best. If you just want to get a panel flat, that is too big for the jointer, as simple as a jointer plane and winding sticks will work, but you want a little more than that. YES it IS doable. Threaded rod may be too laborsome, but a pully and cable and some home made gears may be a workable prospect. Could use a electron burner drill as a motor, the finger on the trigger is the limit stops.

Imagination, is all you need to get the job done - but yes is the answer.

[Mike Heidrick]

I am thinking Inventables makerslide, Delrin V bearings and some roll your own carriages if their plates do not work for you, mxl belts to drive it maybe or beefier. Run it off an arduino and a grbl shield with pololus and some nema 23s. Build your own risers. Beef it up yourself as needed.

Research makerslide.

[Ross Moshinsky]

Sounds like you want a router sled. Plenty of videos on Youtube.