My acquisition.

**Fivetide** · 10-06-2013

what a great idea and awesome results .. well done kingy :)

**kingcreaky** · 18-06-2013

So, il perhaps post more pictures later if anybody is interested in a photo adventure? But The X rails are now both clean and sliding properly. Ive removed the gantry to find the Z is round supported rails with a 16mm pitch ballscrew. Both of which have been guarded from the weather and seem fine. I have both Y rails in the gutter (aka tank) in the process of cleaning them now.
Il paint the gantry and re-assemble for the weekend where hopefully I may get it working

Ive removed the electrics, It has a 75v switched chineese power supply (which works :D)
4 Leadshine drivers ... (which at this point ive established power up which I guess is a good sign)
but I cant get a sausage from the breakout board... PLEASE tell me the reason they turfed this machine out is because the bob is broken and everything else is fine!!! :D that would be quality.....

thats about it. well apart from holding up a full time job 45 hours a week, and looking after my two year old and all the other family related duties...

Ive got all the electrics wired up on the bench and hopefully tonight/tomorrow I should be able to get the steppers going... in which case Il need to buy a new spindle a new breakout board and perhaps think about what vaccum pump solution im going to use...(obviously the present ones are 3phase) which will be directly relative to where and what I decide to do with the machine

See the thing is, my workshop is presntly approx 20ft, 10ft... the machine is 12ftx7ft!!! its presently being stored temporarily at a friends farm... but im leaning on him so It cant stay there forever

Option #1, once machine is working... keep the machine, get rid of / store my other one -- this will involve flattening my existing workshop and starting again
Advantages
Get a new purpose built workshop / which id obviously soundproof
Get to keep the bigger machine
Lots of time to use machine.. Its just down the end of the garden

Disadvantages
Loose valuable garden space for little one growing up (although we are surrounded by fields)
Would have to move / sell / get rid of existing machine due to space

or

Option #2
Rent somewhere out to keep it
Advantages
*Dont have to rebuild workshop
*Can get it going straight away
*Have more space for more toys
*No worries about falling out with neighbours over noise (not that im worried about that as I live next door to and surrounded by good friends
Disadvantages
*Rent!
*Although Ive made a few things for friends etc, im not a business I have a good job and its just a wicked toy so justifying the rent of a unit a car drive away maybe a bit silly?

anyway... theres an update...