Small rigid router - Design advise needed

[mitchejc]

The top and bottom is 160x80x3 each with a 120x80x3 between them as per below picture. The main benefit is a very simple construction and less parts but the down side is those three sections are quite heavy. Because I'll have to buy 6m of each section the plan was to use the same for the sides that bolt to the table.

I agree the back plate does not offer much apart from completing the box instead of just a U so it might stiffen things a little but its probably not worth the weight and alu cost. Wow I like your gantry and ESPECIALLY the new Z design! Now you got me going back to the drawing board with mine :-) Will you please send me the link to the thread with your new design.

[Boyan Silyavski]

Post #56

Ignore the double ball screw, i will mount at least once a vibrating hammer so that's why. Same goes with the triple bearing blocks. 2 are enough. The 2 square bars on the Z plate can easily be substituted by structure of 20mm plate, but i don't have the time to fiddle with it so i will use solid alu bars.

Today just soldered many things. Still no time to update the thread, but one of the things i most like about this design are the gantry legs, save some money on plates, cutting and welding. Cheap profile i mean instead of laser cut plates. As i changed some bits of the design, the gantry legs will have a plate below slightly larger or access hole for mounting the bearing blocks. But i wanted it strong left right, that's the change from the initial plan. look below:

[mitchejc]

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I really like your design and I can see you put a lot of thinking into making the construction easier without compromising strength. The simplicity of the two solid bars on the top and bottom is a great plan. I'm going to keep a very keen eye on your build to see how you do things. Time for me to start changing my drawing to incorporate some of your new ideas. The only thing I will do different on mine is to not have the rotating ball nuts on the x. Not because I don't think its a good idea but its my first serious build and I'll rather avoid that bit of complexity and go for the stationary x motors on mine.
How are you mounting the spindle inside the z box? Are you making a custom mount or will you just be modifying those standard cast spindle mounts?

[Boyan Silyavski]

How are you mounting the spindle inside the z box? Are you making a custom mount or will you just be modifying those standard cast spindle mounts?

The simplicity of the two solid bars on the top and bottom is a great plan.

if speaking about the gantry, today while soldering changed the idea. As it was impossible to weld it well from all sides. So did not use the square tubing for support. Just made more ribs. Anyway i have bought 6m for the 2 plates, so i had enough of it. Instead used the square tube pieces/60x60/ to align the ribs. Its ridiculously strong. the gantry i mean. but the welding goes ridiculously slow. Great care should be taken. First spot weld, then short passes, then wait, then short passes... Still have to finish it tomorrow.

[mitchejc]

Thanks for the photo's Sylafski. VERY nice!! That gantry looks extremely solid.