Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Heavy Iron

ths992001 wrote:

> Anybody else following Robert Nansel's "Heavy Iron" project in Nuts &
> Volts?
>
> He's planning on using those XY compound tables from Enco. Large one
> for XY bolted to a 10" channel iron and the smaller one on a 4" X 6"
> X 1/8" Thk box section column for Z. Lashed together with angle iron
> brackets.
>
> My thoughts:
>
> It won't be close to square - no problem, you can tram it in. Just
> make sure you align your spindle to the Z axis before tramming the
> spindle to the table.
>
> Not nearly rigid enough for cutting metal - must be ok, because some
> guy sent him pictures of his machine w/ a 1/2" endmill cutting
> aluminum. I'd weld up a beefy frame from heavy plate, personally.

1/2" endmill doesn't define rigidity. If he can take that endmill at full
width and 1/4" depth, and plow a reasonably straight slot with no more
than .005" wander in the sidewalls, then it is doing well. From the sounds
of it, the machine might well come apart if he tried a cut like that!

Jon