Thoughts about building my own gantry?

[Oldsarge]

In the VERY early stages of designing & building a table. One thing I see that is a big chunk of the build cost is the gantry. Was wondering how many here have constructed their own gantry, and how it turned out. Also if you built your own, what if any was the cost savings over buying a prefabbed unit?

I found this site, and am very interested in what they have to offer and if it can save money using their products... :

http://www.mknorthamerica.com/linear-mo ... uides.html

As I get closer to actually starting construction and do more research I think I'll contact these folks and see what their price structure is... Thoughts? Feedback? I think this could be very doable if the price is right!

Oldsarge

[WSS]

OldSarge,
What kind of work do plan on doing with it? What size plate do want to be able to cut?

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/dynatorch ... log-7.html

Here is a link to my build on cnczone. I have a packet in it and it still is not done!! It is a good machine though, it runs all day with little problems. I imagine any build will have the inevitable hick-ups and hurdles. Once they are ironed out though it is pretty satisfying. A popular build your own kit is Tom Caudle's CandCnc.com gear. It depends on your patience, pocket book and knowledge/experience. The latter is really not as important as the first, by the time you get there the journey will teach you. Isn't that metafork or is it metaphoric?

WSS

[Oldsarge]

WSS... 6x12! That is a really impressive table! I'm not planning to do something quite that big... really looking at a balance between art stuff, and general metal fab stuff at first. Originally was thinking a 4x8 table, but have a feeling that is going to grow by the time I start steel shopping!

I've been looking at the packages offered on CandCnc and think theirs is a good setup. Like most of us on here, I will have to build in stages because of the financial outlay, but I'll get there eventually.

I'll probably cut no thicker than 1/2" occasionally, and 10-12g mostly for artsy stuff.... Hopefully will grow to the point that the table will be running 4-6 hours a day. I have a lot of experience with woodworking, and pretty intermediate with metal stuff, have built several dump trailers etc... The shop will also be doing some light powder coating and tube bending. I want to combine multiple medias in some of my projects, and I already have several products like bedsliders and miter saw stands that I'll be building.

I'm impatient to get started, but will be very patient and methodical on my build... If I can build a really accurate gantry on my own I may try it, but if the savings aren't substantial, then I'll go with something commercially available. Like I said, VERY early stages, and I have a lot of questions to ask, and a lot to learn.... This board is going to be an awesome resource! I hope I don't wear out my welcome with too many questions!

Metaforks? I think somebody posted a DXF file for one of those!!!

Oldsarge

[tentonjj]

I have the Precision Plasma 2x2. It is very similar to the link you posted.

http://www.precisionplasmallc.com/My_Ho ... Page2.html

[Kentuckyfarmer]

Sarge
As I said I plan to build my own, cant send you a drawing yet it, is in my head, I build based on what is in my metal supply or what I can get local. With that said if you are confident enough to build a dump trailer that is used on public highways then I would not think twice about building the gantry. Another point I have not seen here, may have missed it, is if you are doing comercial work you can impress a customer by telling him I built the complete structure not a kit I put together. May go a long way to getting a job, you know the thought if he can build that, my little project should be a piece of cake for this guy. Just my 2 cents worth, which with inflation is useless
Mike

[plain ol Bill]

Sarge my gantry (as you saw) is heavy duty and they can be built much lighter really. Remember - when you do it yourself you know how to work on it afterwards.

[Oldsarge]

Mike, Ibthink you are right on as far as building the gantry myself. I got the opportunity to visit Plain Ol Bill at his shop today, and all I can say is "WOW!" What a nice shop, and Bill is. true craftsman and a great guy.... I learned more in the few hourss I spent there than in a week of sorting through the internet trying to figure things Out! Fthanks again Bill, and I hope you don't mind if I "borrow" some of your ideas, especially the watertable idea...that is just too Slick!

Saw Sheetcam running and Mach 3 in use, and a great demonstration of what can be done in Corel.... If I was mildly interested before seeing this stuff in action, then I think it's safe to say I'm an addict Now! I decided I'll be using components from CandCnc for the electronics, and will fab the gantry myself. As soon as we close on our house, the shop moves too te head of the priority list.... Will post what I find out on the gantry resources.



Oldsarge

[WSS]

Oldsarge,

You are one lucky guy!

CNC cutting is only a small facet of what plain ol bill is known for. True craftsman!

Listening to your thoughts, I would incorporate a water table in your build and make one like Bill's. I skipped this step with "intentions" to add later. Now I have to use a different design and it just keeps getting pushed back. If for nothing else your health is worth it. Push the size to a 5x10 if you can.

WSS

[WSS]

I have the Precision Plasma 2x2. It is very similar to the link you posted.

http://www.precisionplasmallc.com/My_Ho ... Page2.html

Jayson, do you supply the electronics and motors? The Z looks robust!

Keep us posted.

WSS

[Oldsarge]

That's tue frustrating part aabout not having a well equipped shop... I'd like to make a nice Z axis like that, but,limited by what I have to work with at the moment. I did, however, crack the code on gantry building materialls (at least for me) and have ordered most of the materials I'll need to make the gantry minus the mounts for the motors.... There's the rub... would be awesome to have a table to cut out the parts I need to maake a table!

Anyway, I'm started and I have a lot of ideas that I want to incorporate into this table.... will post more as I go Along!

Oldsarge

[cjdave]

I used 80/20 extrusion (3030), purchased off the 80/20 eBay outlet store, cncrouterparts carriages, and built my own drives, but my drives are almost the same as there drives you could just use there stuff if you wanted to save some build time. I also got a big hiwin linear bearing with 4 cassettes on ebay for cheap for the gantry. Cheap easy, I use the candcnc blade runner system. Purchased a nice ball screw setup with a nema 23 mount off eBay and made the rest of my z from aluminum and some small linear bearings off eBay. Works great, plenty rigid up over 170 ipm cut speeds and 600 ipm rapids on my 5x10 table. I have probably over 1000 hrs on it in the last 8 months no problems.

[Oldsarge]

cjdave,

I think my build will be similar to yours.... I ordered the 3030 a few days ago from their EBay store too... I also ordered integral linear v rail for the gantry, and may use a heavier profile for the side rails as well... Really slick stuff, and able to get really tight tolerances on their carriages... found them the other night & got a quote...

http://ivt.pbclinear.com/IVT/

Spoke with Tom at CandCnC today, and will be ordering their system in a few days.... 8020 stuff is pretty reasonable for what you get.... Will post more as I get my components in & start playing with the design a little more!