Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] How naive am I?

Hi:

If your going to use your table as both plasma and Router, then in my
experience needs to be pretty tough. A router table will be better, the
tougher you build it.
My first table was just linear bearings bolted to the table for the
Y-Axis, two plates for the gantry sides and two linear bearings accross the
plates for the X-Axis. I soon had to add wire ropes and other widgets to get
the strength needed. I find the heavier, the better. My large table's gantry
weighs in about 150lbs, but thats probably overkill. The most important
feature appears to be the bearings on the gantry sides, you must try to get
no slop between sides. This can be done with a belt on each side or rack and
pinion (very popular) or even wire ropes under the table if you design it
properly. Extruded aluminum rails work pretty good for the gantry, bolt
bearings to them for the X-Axis. Use Ebay for the Z-Axis, you can get
amazing deals on small carriages that move a few inches.
If you'll take my advise, draw it out first, picture it moving, find
the weak points and fix the drawing a few times, then build it, it beats
fixing the table a few times.
I built my microstep controllers from scratch, I learned alot, the
best thing I learned about building them, is to BUY them in future. Any
controller other than the real cheap homebuilts seem to work nicely, the
more inexpensive the better, Gecko's seem to fit the bill, nice controller,
and can be gotten reasonably.
Good luck, its a longer process than you'd think at first blush. Just
don't give up, you'll get there.

Art
Master5 Software
http://users.andara.com/~fenerty/master.htm