1.2m x 0.6m plasma, <£2k questions!:

I've installed LinuxCNC now on one of the PCs and a RPi4B too, with (mostly) success, and thinking about just buying a (cheap!) 4 axis NEMA23 kit to play with initially.

Completely agree on the 'just get something hacked together to learn sentiment!

A couple more questions...

1. When you say 'all thread', are you referring to studding? (Different name in the UK I think?) Like this...
2. What sort of length 1605 ball screw would you suggest? You mentioned 30mm for the studding. Same for a ball screw or a bit longer?
3. With the water pan, do people put the big tanks under to table, so that they can drain it easily or fill it?! I would have thought a tap and a bit of hose would be fine?
4. Can't find the stepper driver you mentioned (the 109 one!) but will do a bit more searching.

Chris.

This is the tank I built for my table,


1000l/m pump to fill my water pan quickly.


But for a hobby machine as long as you can drain it when needed and fill it back up it should be fine without. Just make sure your draining it somewhere safe, the water gets pretty dirty. I would drain it out side and let it evaporate, although it will have a lot of steel particles in it.

The pan is aluminium?

How does the pump survive when emptying all the fluid and metal particles?!

No its steel and I had it hot dipped galvanized.

I have a filter on my pan output that filters the big chunks of steel. And when I drain it I have a pump bypass valve that the water goes straight into the tank. When I fill it the pump, pumps from the tank. I have not had any pump issues with this setup. Although the pump is an agricultural pump made for harsh environments.

The other option is to pressurize the tank and the air will push the water up. I dont like that idea as here in Australia the tank becomes classed as a pressure vessel and become a big pain in the ass to make and keep compliant. Also I just dont like the idea of having my guys using something like that in a workplace. To do a pressure tank properly cost a lot of money with testing certifications and such. If something goes wrong I could end up in jail. At least with the pump the worst that could happen is the pump breaks down or it leaks.

This is my pan,


And the filter,



And finished table.

Stefan, I know why you won't trade it with me. It has to be the best made DIY table out there.

rodw wrote:

Stefan, I know why you won't trade it with me. It has to be the best made DIY table out there.

Not to hijack this thread but I am rather fond of my creation. All my years of fabrication experience came together to build it. My wife calls it my first born child Lol.

Looks fantastic! And massive... What rails did you use?

And what part of Australia do you live in? I lived there for 3 years a decade ago.

Just realised I need a new stool after that picture.

C.

WinstonTodge wrote:

Looks fantastic! And massive... What rails did you use?

And what part of Australia do you live in? I lived there for 3 years a decade ago.

Just realised I need a new stool after that picture.

C.

I used HGR25's, duel on the X axis and single each side of the Y.

I live in a rural city called Dubbo in NSW.

And yeah the stool comes in handy.