1800x800 bed or 1200x800 and cut big panels in 2 goes?

[jimbo_cnc]

I don't have a lot of room, and I'm thinking ahead to building a wood router. I'm going to want to cut shaped panels from 1700x700 sheets. So I'd probably make a router with something like 1800x800 bed.

But if there's a technique that works well for cutting in 2 goes, then I could consider something like a 1200x800 size.

So is there a good way to do this 2 part cutting? There will be space around the perimeter of the sheet for clamping or drilling location points.

[Boyan Silyavski]

Hi,
the standard panel in EU is 2440x1250 or something similar. Thats what you can go in any big shop here in Spain and buy right away.

What will serve you better could be half 8x4 table. So you make 1300mm x1300mm working area. That will do a big sheet in 2 times. Further more you will avoid big ball screws, servo drives and all stuff associated with longer than ~1600mm machine. For the money of a small machine you will have a machine capable as a commercial 8x4 router

[jimbo_cnc]

but 1300x1300 is bigger than 1800x800 and the wrong shape!

My material comes 2800x2070 and will be sawed into smaller rectangles for me to collect and put on my cnc. The biggest shape that I need to cut is 1650x670.

I don't have the need (or room or ability) to handle anything bigger than that. I did choose 1200x800 based on it being 1/3 of a standard sheet, which is a nice size to collect from the local B&Q.

[irving2008]

What material is that?

[Boyan Silyavski]

The biggest mistake in building DIY CNC is having in mind one project. After a couple of months or an year this project could be off and you would knock your head why you did not listen and make the widest gantry possible.
Think out of the box. Make the gantry as wide as possible and that to be your long size on the table. Especially if you want to save space.

[jimbo_cnc]

The material is Egger 18mm MFC.

I know what you are saying silyavski, but it's a massive step from 1800x800 sheets which I can handle by myself in my garage, to 2400x1200 which I can't.

On the other hand, if the current product works out, then I will be looking to move to a small unit/workshop and I'll be able to get a bigger machine. Or I'll co-locate with someone who has a big cnc.

[Sven]

If this is to be your first cnc, chances are you will build a second at some point anyway.
Could you find a way to make a 800x 900 router work?

I am now also contemplating a bigger one as my 550x850 is getting slightly too small.
The bigger options require a lot more money which I would recommend a first timer to stay away from.

[charlieuk]

If you build it so the axis on the gantry was your long axis at 1200 then you could at a later point just build a new table for larger sheets and use the same gantry. you could also slide a full or half sheet in and do a series of cuts to start with on the small machine.

[Boyan Silyavski]

If you build it so the axis on the gantry was your long axis at 1200 then you could at a later point just build a new table for larger sheets and use the same gantry. you could also slide a full or half sheet in and do a series of cuts to start with on the small machine.

Thats what i am bragging about

[JAZZCNC]

If you have free wall then make it vertical then you can probably cut full size sheets.!!. . . .. Massive space saving to be had with vertical machine.???
Just think horizontal machine tipped on it's side.!!!. . . . It works trust me.