L Style Gantry on a 6040 sized machine?

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Originally Posted by Sterob

You were Lucky! (apologies to Monty Python....)
I can't even find anyone to sell me less than 6 metres!....lol

Can you remember who that was?

Yes, steel maybe a cheaper option.....

Will probably explore buying from UK, or failing that *shudder* china......

Early days.....Have to get the shed up first!

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I think it was Statewide Bearings in Perth. I can't easily search my old emails at the moment as I'm away from home but it was for heavy duty profile of quite large dimensions, 120 x 60 perhaps. My rails are fitted on the front face of the gantry so it needed to be quite deep and was going to be an 'L' shape. Even ally bar is a crazy price down here and, as you say, finding someone who will sell you less than a full length is near impossible. Steel on the other hand we dig out of the ground by the meggaton so is a much cheaper option.

I'm now using 2 pieces of 50 x 100 steel welded together to give a 200mm high face for the rails and more of the same for uprights and feet that bolt onto aluminium plates holding the linear bearings. This was my first attempt at welding but after a bit of careful grinding and copious applications of car body filler and paint it looks quite neat!

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Originally Posted by Kitwn

I think it was Statewide Bearings in Perth. I can't easily search my old emails at the moment as I'm away from home but it was for heavy duty profile of quite large dimensions, 120 x 60 perhaps. My rails are fitted on the front face of the gantry so it needed to be quite deep and was going to be an 'L' shape. Even ally bar is a crazy price down here and, as you say, finding someone who will sell you less than a full length is near impossible. Steel on the other hand we dig out of the ground by the meggaton so is a much cheaper option.

I'm now using 2 pieces of 50 x 100 steel welded together to give a 200mm high face for the rails and more of the same for uprights and feet that bolt onto aluminium plates holding the linear bearings. This was my first attempt at welding but after a bit of careful grinding and copious applications of car body filler and paint it looks quite neat!

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Yeah...they are agents for Modular Components.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by Sterob

Who are these prices from Andy?

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KJN for the profile, 45x90 Heavy, £25/m + VAT: Link

Although as you'll read from other posts, perhaps not the best option, but hey we're just looking at prices here.

Parcel 2 Go for the delivery: Link and Search

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Originally Posted by Sterob

Yeah...they are agents for Modular Components.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

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Thanks for the reminder. I used Statewide for exactly that reason.

Have sent emails to UK and China enquiring about 45 series extrusion...no good leads yet.
In the mean time, it seems that some supplies do not offer an intemediate size, ie 90 x 135mm.
This means I have to use a different sizes for the Gantry.
I was wondering if there is a difference in the stiffness of a Gantry between these 2 options?
Steve
Attachment 27489

Option B is my preference, if joining on the back is acceptable to do.

I'd have said option A will lead to a stiffer machine, simply because you've increased the mounting distance between your rails? What does the gantry deflection calculator tell you?

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Originally Posted by AndyUK

I'd have said option A will lead to a stiffer machine, simply because you've increased the mounting distance between your rails? What does the gantry deflection calculator tell you?

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Haven't looked at that . Will have a look now.

Later.....

Thats going to take a while to get my head around.....lol

What size machine you building because 90 x180 profile arranged in L shape will make for a BIG gantry. To give an example I've just built a 10 x 5 machine with 2mtr wide gantry and it's only using 80 x 160.
Also, The point of the L shaped gantry is to have the bottom profile laid flat which is the stiffest direction for the cutting forces.

Its basically a 6040 sized bed but the frame will be larger so the tool will reach the whole bed area ( at this stage. )

Re: 90 x 180, yes I agree it will be huge. Most suppliers don't seem to offer anything between 90 x 90 and 90 x 180.
I have seen 90 x 135 ( and that is my preference ) but that seems uncommon.

Just got a quote back from Parts-On in the UK. 800 pd total. 350 pd of that is postage. doh......Works out to $1500 AUS.


Might have to conceed defeat and use 80 x 80, etc......

Not that keen yet.....

Check out Misumi (massive Japan based industrial supplier) - they have a fair range of big profiles and appear to have an outlet down under and whilst not always the cheapest you might get much cheaper shipping.