1220 × 2440 build

[JAZZCNC]

What dimensions are those gantrys Dean?

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Gantry is HD Item section 120 x 80.
Frame is 100x100x6

[JAZZCNC]

Here's design that will allow you to be more flexible with the frame. Although the base here is in one piece it could easily be made in 2 or 3 pieces and bolted together.
The important part is the full-length profile section running full length down each side. This will allow you some flexibility in adjustment so can get both rails on same plane without messing around epoxy resin etc. Must stress thou the accuracy will only really be good enough for cutting woods and softer materials. It will also take lot of setting up and tweaking until spot on.
In my experience profile is relatively flat and straight enough for wood router and does make fitting rails, ball screws etc much easier. The downside is cost so mixing steel and profile gives good balance of strength, costs and accuracy with ease of building which doesn't require too much machineing or timely and costly techniques for leveling etc.

[HullMark]

Here's design that will allow you to be more flexible with the frame. Although the base here is in one piece it could easily be made in 2 or 3 pieces and bolted together.
The important part is the full-length profile section running full length down each side. This will allow you some flexibility in adjustment so can get both rails on same plane without messing around epoxy resin etc. Must stress thou the accuracy will only really be good enough for cutting woods and softer materials. It will also take lot of setting up and tweaking until spot on.
In my experience profile is relatively flat and straight enough for wood router and does make fitting rails, ball screws etc much easier. The downside is cost so mixing steel and profile gives good balance of strength, costs and accuracy with ease of building which doesn't require too much machineing or timely and costly techniques for leveling etc.

Thanks for that, this is exactly the route I'm looking at now. Makes sense to use the profile for exactly those reasons.

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[routercnc]

Nice machine Dean - have you made one before ? :)

Out of interest do the profile rails down the side also bolt horizontally into the steel sections or just on the support brackets?
Would the ballscrew be drilled and tapped in the ends to bolt through the supports ears? Or the supplier may prefer to machine external threads and use a nut to tension.

Mark, as you are starting out then study this machine as it contains lots of nice features that would be missed be the casual observer. At all the critical interfaces there is scope for alignment and adjustment so you can dial it in.

[JAZZCNC]

Nice machine Dean - have you made one before ? :)

No not made one using this technique because I've got large Granite surface table so use different methods to get surfaces on the same plane. Mainly to save costs because the profile is expensive compared to steel.
However, I know from experience using lots of profile this technique will work great and would certainly use it my self if needed.

The Model shown is just basic layout to give some idea of the concept and that all fit together without any hidden surprises. (Which if got keen eye will see this model does have one in gantry area which would be pain unless corrected.?)
The original design was actually setup to be R&P but also did Configuration for ballscrews which shown.

When I actually build then I model to the last detail and actually use dimensions for cutting list etc.
This way I know 100% there will be no hidden surprises or costly cock up's. Only need to be off few mm's in some key areas and can cause your whole world of pain or worse still compromise the machine.

Out of interest do the profile rails down the side also bolt horizontally into the steel sections or just on the support brackets?
Would the ball screw be drilled and tapped in the ends to bolt through the supports ears? Or the supplier may prefer to machine external threads and use a nut to tension.

The plan was they would bolt in both directions. This would allow more setup adjustment.
The ball screw would be threaded on the ends so can put tension on them. The brackets allow adjustment for alignment.

Mark, as you are starting out than study this machine as it contains lots of nice features that would be missed by the casual observer. At all the critical interfaces there is scope for alignment and adjustment so you can dial it in.

Adjustment is Key at the DIY level and the more you build in the easier and quicker you'll dial in the machine. Unless you have large Gantry Mill to machine surfaces flat, parallel etc then the only way to achieve accuracy is with adjustment and lots of patience tweaking as you go.

[JAZZCNC]

Here's another simpler to make design. Warn thou it's heavy. Those lower beams are 300x200x6.

[HullMark]

Here's design that will allow you to be more flexible with the frame. Although the base here is in one piece it could easily be made in 2 or 3 pieces and bolted together.
The important part is the full-length profile section running full length down each side. This will allow you some flexibility in adjustment so can get both rails on same plane without messing around epoxy resin etc. Must stress thou the accuracy will only really be good enough for cutting woods and softer materials. It will also take lot of setting up and tweaking until spot on.
In my experience profile is relatively flat and straight enough for wood router and does make fitting rails, ball screws etc much easier. The downside is cost so mixing steel and profile gives good balance of strength, costs and accuracy with ease of building which doesn't require too much machineing or timely and costly techniques for leveling etc.

I guys hope all is well. So much to do with so little time! When I've been looking at doing something like this, I've been concerned about how to attach the profile to the steel so it's strong and minimises lateral forces. Are you really sure just bolting it on the bottom via those brackets is strong enough?

I don't know how clear it is in the pictures I've sent, but I've used 90mm box section with 160 x 40 profile sat on the top. This gives 35mm overhang either side and would allow me to bolt the profile from the top down on the inside and outside edges of the outer steel lengths. Also does the gantry look strong enough now? Cheers.

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[JAZZCNC]

I guys hope all is well. So much to do with so little time! When I've been looking at doing something like this, I've been concerned about how to attach the profile to the steel so it's strong and minimises lateral forces. Are you really sure just bolting it on the bottom via those brackets is strong enough?

Never said was just bolted to brackets. In fact, it's not that simple.!
There would be adjustment bolts between profile and steel to get the two rails parallel because couldn't rely on the frame being perfectly square.

These are the hidden things which cannot be seen but make a huge difference to how well the machine performs. Again can't stress enough always think adjustability when designing.

[HullMark]

Never said was just bolted to brackets. In fact, it's not that simple.!
There would be adjustment bolts between profile and steel to get the two rails parallel because couldn't rely on the frame being perfectly square.

These are the hidden things which cannot be seen but make a huge difference to how well the machine performs. Again can't stress enough always think adjustability when designing.

Thanks for getting back to me. Ahh I see! So how would you go about fixing those adjustment bolts to the steel frame? Showing my inexperience here. I was wondering about how with my design I could get the profiles lined up along the x axis (this is why I want ott with the aluminium in the earlier design), adjusting the height along the length wouldn't be a problem with those cleats, could just use shims ... I had an idea for the x axis, but it isn't empirical or anything, just basically a bit of measuring and trial and error.

I appreciate what you're saying about being able to make adjustments, i can imagine all of the that could go wrong if things aren't aligned properly, and making things adjustable will allow me to get everything dialled in.


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