It's begun....

[Washout]

A quick pic of the machine for those interested.

Doesn't look like I can get a ballscrew machined before Christmas, so the build/upgrade etc is going to have to go on hold. I'm also moving house next week, which means taking the gantry off or seeing the removal guys slip a disc or two and this will also be a good opportunity to fit the second ballscrew when it arrives.

For the sharper eyed amongst you I didn't have my new gantry mounting brackets on when I took this pic, but they are ready. Also for some reason the flash on my crappy camera phone has made the ali extrusion look like I have pimped it with blue LEDs, but the coolant is indeed green. I've been using PC watercooling pump and fluid, as I have been water-cooling my PC's for years without any gunk forming and using a spare radiator/fan unit means I don't need much of a resevoir for water. So far I've yet to feel my spindle get warm after a continuous 54min session.

BTW - the new house has a 31x15 foot workshop and I'm going to be building a workbench down one wall out of steel box section, which means learning to MIG weld - does anyone have any recommendations for a welder and whether gasless or gas is better?

Cheers


Chris