Gantry Type Mill Or Table Type Mill??

I don't know if I have the terminology right but which type works better with EMC2??

Or do the both work equally well?


Gantry Type





Table Type




Thanks.

i have the sherline table top and it's great for small projects.
but i guess it all depends on what you will be doing.
i cut aluminum, usually 2X3 and .75" deep with a 1/4" endmill.
but i can only take about .02" at a time. that gantry, i never used
but i think it would be more unstable. again..it all depends on
what you are doing. hope this helps.

p.s. gantry and table top are correct terms.

thanks for the info...



i saw this picture and decided that it was what i was looking to build..

it's a combination of both.

i am going to build a small 14 inch x 14 inch unit with a pencil instead of a drill chuck or dremel just to get used to EMC2 before i build a larger unit.

yep...

i'm using scrap wood instead of the acrylic in the picture, and almost everything else came from assorted busted printers and scanners.

i couldn't find any thru couplers in the size that i needed for the axis movement so i got some T nuts:

Gantry type mills can generally handle larger workpieces, such as cupboard doors etc. table- mills work better with smaller material sizes, but is more rigid and ideal for handling harder materials, such as steel.I built my first gantry mill from square pipe and made it hopelessly too big(1meter by 1.5 meters). The result was a very very sloppy machine, which had a tendency to flex, twist and vibrate. The lesson is clear, do not make the mill bigger than is absolutely required and build it strong.

BigJohnT wrote:

Keep us posted as the build progresses.

John

sure, no problem..



i should have the base finished tomorrow.

Tim.G wrote:

Gantry type mills can generally handle larger workpieces, such as cupboard doors etc. table- mills work better with smaller material sizes, but is more rigid and ideal for handling harder materials, such as steel.I built my first gantry mill from square pipe and made it hopelessly too big(1meter by 1.5 meters). The result was a very very sloppy machine, which had a tendency to flex, twist and vibrate. The lesson is clear, do not make the mill bigger than is absolutely required and build it strong.

thanks for the info..



i'm gonna be primarily working on round pieces of steel and aluminum from 1 to 2 inches thick and at most 10 inches in diameter. when i make the good mill, it will likely be made from steel or aluminum because i have access to a milling machine, surface grinder, and lathe.

the one i'm making right now is literally being built from junk. i'm using printer and scanner parts, scrap wood, and odds and ends, just to have something to practice using the interface with...