New Gantry Ideas

[Tomnewry]

Hi guys i have my machine up and all is great but the problem i have is that i am losing 100mm top and bottom of the cutting area as spindle does not go to the full size of the bed, so i want to redesign the gantry and was looking to know what everyone else has done/recommends, all help greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[EddyCurrent]

Can you upload photos of how it is now ?

[Tomnewry]

Hi Eddy i will put some up tomorrow to give you an idea wot im working with. Cheers

[JAZZCNC]

Unless you build the gantry sides so they Offset the Gantry back or extend Rails the gantry runs on so the gantry extends beyond the Bed end you can't get away from losing some cutting area. It's just the nature of the beast.!!

[Tomnewry]

Hi Jazz yes i know what you mean thats what im thinking of doing by build a whole new gantry but need a few design ideas.
Thanks

[EddyCurrent]

Edit: Please ignore this, I've just seen your spindle stops short at both ends so my comment was rubbish.

[Tomnewry]

Hi guys trin to upload photos but it wont let it keeps asking me to log in and then wont let me log in..

[Tomnewry]

Hi guys see attached pics to give you an ides of my problem.http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/05/ba5amury.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/05/sypy5uza.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/05/une5are2.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/05/de4ezamy.jpg

[Tomnewry]

Not great pics but got them up

[EddyCurrent]

Still confused, do you mean at each end of the bed such that the gantry cannot reach to the full extent or each side of the bed such that the Z axis cannot reach the full extent ?
The side of the bed being the longest dimension.

[Tomnewry]

Hi Edd I mean the width ie the bed has a 8x4 bed i can only rout at 1000mm so i am losing 200mm of the sheet on the length i can pull the sheet through so this is not a problem. This is why im thinking of making a new gantry.
Thanks

[EddyCurrent]

Now I'm with you.
If you changed the rails on top of the gantry to Hiwin type maybe this would allow the Z assembly to be made narrower so that the spindle would get nearer to the ends of the gantry.
Failing that it looks like the gantry needs to made wider and hence the rails that it runs on each side of the bed would have to be moved out.

[Tomnewry]

Yes i think your right so i am looking for a few design ideas for the gantry i was thinking of mounting the spindle to the front of the gantry.