Truss style Gantry

[D.C.]

Hi DC, ive been reading this thread with interest and i was wondering, what is the maximum tool size you will be using and what forces would be required to break it, Im not sure but isnt there a relationship with that information and the gantry stiffness required? I would be interested to know..

Rick

To be honest I can not answer your questions, I'm approaching things from the exact opposite direction.

I don't have any calculations for minimum acceptable tolerances, I'm just trying to make the best that I can knowing the skills and budget that I have. This is a hobby cnc, more one off multirole artsy kind off stuff and not industrial high tolerance required scenario.

Despite all the fussing about the arrangement of bits of steel, I will initially be using MDF plates for many parts of the machine, horrible I know but I can cut the alu parts I require and destroy the MDF in the process of doing so.

For what I want to do I need to 4 axis woodwork, I need to cut acrylic, I need to do PCB work and any alu past upgrading the machine is strictly artistic so the tolerances are not very high, as long as a curve is smooth enough for the human eye, I'm a happy bunny, most of that smoothness can be achieved by a good walnut finish, exterme accuracy not required.

Despite that it just is not in my nature not to study, investigate and attempt to the best job possible, if I can make a better machine than I need I would be disappointed in myself to settle for anything less.

[Ricardoco]

To be honest I can not answer your questions, I'm approaching things from the exact opposite direction.

I don't have any calculations for minimum acceptable tolerances, I'm just trying to make the best that I can knowing the skills and budget that I have. This is a hobby cnc, more one off multirole artsy kind off stuff and not industrial high tolerance required scenario.

Despite all the fussing about the arrangement of bits of steel, I will initially be using MDF plates for many parts of the machine, horrible I know but I can cut the alu parts I require and destroy the MDF in the process of doing so.

For what I want to do I need to 4 axis woodwork, I need to cut acrylic, I need to do PCB work and any alu past upgrading the machine is strictly artistic so the tolerances are not very high, as long as a curve is smooth enough for the human eye, I'm a happy bunny, most of that smoothness can be achieved by a good walnut finish, exterme accuracy not required.

Despite that it just is not in my nature not to study, investigate and attempt to the best job possible, if I can make a better machine than I need I would be disappointed in myself to settle for anything less.

Hey DC thanks for Answering anyhow, i guess i will have to wait till someone else knows the answer, i do look forward to seeing your machine come together as ive not seen one like this before, and to be fair MDF machines are a lot more usefull than may be first imagined, when i had Mine it surprised me.

Rick