New build with recycled parts on a ridiculous budget 120cm*60cm work area

[Neale]

In a domestic environment, each house in the row is connected to one phase in turn. Over a street-full of houses, it probably balances out. Where I live, in a little group of 5 houses, I've no idea how it works! But I guess that averaged across the village, it's OK.

What you should avoid (I'm pretty sure that there are regulations about this) is having two or more different phases available within reach of each other. Not quite sure what the minimum spacing is, but the idea is to avoid anyone connecting themselves across these two phases which will be even more likely to kill than just phase and earth/neutral. Obviously, that doesn't apply when all three phases are being used together, but in that case they all go to the same appliance/tool/whatever.

Kettle sounds like a useful find - I have to walk all the way indoors from the garage to make my coffee!

[Desertboy]

You have to remember that it is not just one house but many so there are many on each phase and they will average out.

For three phase to run correctly they must all balance out. (I am not having go)

Regarding the oven I believe there are some that run from a 13A socket these days.

Not mine lol I have the manual for it recommends a minimum 30amp also the cable I only discovered the wiring because the smell of plastic burning coming from behind my tiles and when I got the melted charded mess out I was glad it was under tiles and not plasterboard lol.

I want to learn Clive so tell me where I'm wrong I need to be educated lol as my teacher said you don't learn anything by being right it's only by being wrong that you learn ;)

I assume that if I only use 1 phase out of 3 then I need not worry about balancing at all? I want to wire the 3 phase socket as it's easier to convince my dad to let me fit the socket if it's 3 phase.

Also I have the 3 phase stuff and I want to buy a 3 phase plasma cutter so it all makes good sense to me if it's safe of course.

[Desertboy]

This will set me back another week but after extensive talk to someone in the know I've decided to pour epoxy resin inside my aluminium extrusion (Gantry only for now).

Probably this stuff
http://www.mbfg.co.uk/epoxy-resins/p...ble-resin.html

Mixed at this sort of ratio
50% aluminium filler powder
35% Epoxy
15% Carbon fibre powder

Fill these cavities


I've found out that epoxy resin generates heat in curing which would cause problems but I will bolt the gantry mount on one end fill the extrusion up leaving another space to bolt the top plate on tight. Then I will put the whole thing in a water bath for overnight to cure evenly.

From discussions with the fibreglass guy it'll be stronger than aluminium but weaker than steel for ~4kg's of weight added to the gantry should make it much more rigid.

Will make the gantry mounts with 25mm ecocast to reflect this, I'm going to have a rectangle milled the size of the extrusion so it's embedded 5mm into the mounting plate when bolted in.

Also getting the aluminium drilled next week so it will bolt together with 10mm A2's and will add in the centre struts.

[Desertboy]

Getting closer just ordered a 1605 ballscrew 250mm with fittings for z axis as not happy with the ballscrews I have (40cm) and had a score on the tool aluminium which has saved me £70 ;)

Local aluminium supplier had a few pieces that were cut too short for the customer which are perfect for me £30 ;)

2* 360mm*150mm 20mm these will be my gantry mounts
1*300mm*120mm 15mm this will be the basis of my Z

Still need to work out what other little bits I need but a score and a 1/2 ;)

[Desertboy]

Dilemma 25mm supported rail with 4 bearings for the bottom axis or 15mm Original HIWIN with 4 carriages?

I now have the rail and then some lol ;)

Some nutter just bought a lot of rail and 40 carriages lol.

[Zeeflyboy]

proper linear rail will always win imo... 15mm is a slightly awkward size in some regards but more than strong enough for any loads your machine will impart.

[Desertboy]

proper linear rail will always win imo... 15mm is a slightly awkward size in some regards but more than strong enough for any loads your machine will impart.

"but more than strong enough for any loads your machine will impart." that's all I need to hear ;)

The big PITA is I need 4mm T nuts like 90 of them lol at £3.60 a pack of 10, gutted because I have a bucket of 6mm T nuts somewhere :(

But now I can do Hiwin for the z axis as well. So Real Hiwin's on the bottom axis and Z and clone Hiwin's on the gantry a significant upgrade from the original plan but need to seriously think about how to build this properly. I'm taking my time but I'm getting there and hopefully with a hell of a lot better than an xcarve/shapeoko at less than their cost ;)

Not sure what to do with the other 32 carriages and rail but when I get my machine working I might just turn them all into Z axis's to flog (Add 1605 ballscrew of course) or maybe make some extra large 3d printers to sell.

Be nice to turn the Hiwin's I don't use into cash but probably keep a spare set in case.

[A_Camera]

This will set me back another week but after extensive talk to someone in the know I've decided to pour epoxy resin inside my aluminium extrusion (Gantry only for now).

Probably this stuff
http://www.mbfg.co.uk/epoxy-resins/p...ble-resin.html

Mixed at this sort of ratio
50% aluminium filler powder
35% Epoxy
15% Carbon fibre powder

Nasty stuff... Read the safety instructions before starting.

[Lee Roberts]

"The big PITA is I need 4mm T nuts like 90 of them lol at £3.60 a pack of 10, gutted because I have a bucket of 6mm T nuts somewhere :(

Think I got 200 M5 for about £7 off ali express.

[Desertboy]

I was looking Lee but 30-40 days shipping time is just a little too long but would cost me ~£10 now for 100 M4 45 series T nuts KJN will cost ~£30 but I can pick up today (KJN is 4 miles from my work). I need to go KJN anyway to cut some more extrusion for the bed and they are going to drill/counterbore the extrusion I'm making the frame from. So I can bolt it together rather than use corners which is cheaper and stronger.