Sturdy and Fast all Steel CNC , my first build

[Boyan Silyavski]

After your problems it's looking nice, I like the colour.

Thanks! I like to discuss here in detail the so called "problems" , not cause they are real problems, especially for a metalworker with the proper tools, machine and workshop.

I would rather say difficulties for the DIYer on the cheap where solutions have to be with what you have at hand and at the same time aiming precision.

What did you use to build the dams to hold the epoxy? I can't quite make out the detail in the photos.

Some post back you can see it on the photos. Alu angle profile, 10x10x1mm x 1m, very cheap. Instant glued to the frame and then hot glued from outside.

Its seems the epoxy is ok, as far as common sense is used, the profile is clean and 10mm margin is left from the bearing rail, as it/the epoxy/ tends to rise 5mm from the contact point with the margin, whatever the material.

PS:
-When lifting the angles or whatever you use to form the dams , it is wiser to clamp here and there the epoxy and always take care not to lift it ,break it or chip it.
-when drilling for the rails which for example are screwed with M5 screw, first mark the holes, drill with 6mm drill then center 4.2mm drill, drill and the tap M5. So the epoxy around the holes will not bother you, lift or chip, or heat and lift.
-with time , especially temperature changes can make the epoxy very easy to unglue. Clamping it is necessary in this case.

+1

Thanks! Great forum :-) and a lot of help.

Syliavski nice work. Conglatulations!!!!
How thick steel plate did you finally use and what is the weight of the gantry ( so far without Z axis)?

10mm steel plates, laser cut. Laser cutting the holes saves a lot of fiddling but care should be taken cause some long and thin section parts are not perfectly straight on their surface plain, so should be checked against straight edge where necessary and plastic mallet used to straighten them.

Now looking back at the drawings, instead of 0.5mm and 1mm bigger than the respective M screw size, i would advise at least 2mm bigger diameter. The paint eats it, the straightness eats it, adjustment eats it, so i constantly had to mount, check, unmount and open more the holes. Say if you have M6 screw, the hole from the beginning should have been 8mm diameter