Help with initial decisions, confined space.

[JAZZCNC]

Wonderful idea! Do you mean truly vertical, 90degrees from horizontal? Or slightly tipped? How do you control coolant in this way? Should the gantry ride horizontal or vertical? ;)

Approx 80deg from vertical. The gantry runs Vertical but mostly because of machine design not being optimised for standing vertical (I didn't build this machine and to make vertical It's just standing on stilts to raise height.!!). It works fine but I do have to counter balance the Gantry to stop it falling down under it's own weight, it also helps take some strain from motors thou they easily handle weight without.


Both positions have there advantages and disadvantages. Vertical needs to account for affect of gravity on gantry but is easier regards building and accounting for chips, coolant etc settling on rails, ballscrews which horizontal position would have. If horizontal is needed then I'd design to help reduce these factors. Also Size comes into play. Obviously 8x4 can't stand vertical unless very high roof but 4x4 fits nice in 6ft x 3ft floor space. The pics should make the space saving and Vertical travel Layout and coolant/chip clearing more clear.

Regards coolant then I mostly use Fog less air mist so it's minimal and gravity does most of the chip clearing just falling into the tempory box's below. Again the pics will show just how little mess is around the machine with 90% of the chips falling into the boxs. These boxs are tempory and proper sheet metal will funnels will guide more chips into purpose built tray on wheels when I find time to make them. (So that will never happen.!)
If I built this from scratch then I'd build it within an enclosure and all messy would be contained.

As you'll see access to the work area is excellent. I'm often asked about Work holding which is probably your next question.?

This isn't much different to horizontal machine because you still have to fasten all parts to stop them being pulled into cutter or flung around room with the only difference (and the only Disadvantage compared with horizontal layout) being that the initial task of holding material while you get a clamp on is harder. But I have Temp holding rest I use for heavy material so it's minimal issue and the other advantages out weigh this one ten fold.

Edit: Oh and it is actually fastened to the wall with brackets not just proped up against it.
You'll also see if designed to be vertical from beginning it could be made even less deep, there's probably 250-300mm more depth could be saved by removing the legs.