CNC Gantry /table.

[ukracer]

Some of you might have followed my need to cut a lot of squares out of 1.8mm thick felt/polyglass material.

Having done a few manually it's easy to cut and with templates I can speed things up But it need to do it even quicker and it will be an ongoing task.
So I am approaching it from different angles and feel I could do it manually but using a CNC type set up without the electronics for now.
How much and where could I buy a CNC table I could add three drag knives.

Essentially I am currently using a template to create strips and then another template to create the squares with square hole in the. Centre.

My plan is to use a fixed y axis with one drag knife to cut the strips by manually setting the material against an end stop and then going from side to side.

Then once I have the rolls cut into strips to use 3 drag knives to cut the strips into squares by fixing the x axis and manually pulling the y towards me.

Once they have been done the plan is to press 2 inch centre square 5 or 10 sheets at a time using my press and cutter.

 

[ukracer]

I have been having a think and wondering if I am trying to over engineer a short term solution.

Sitting here I am now thinking I don't actually need linear rails.

A few bits of angle and some bearings might suffice for now.... Anyone know of any designs..I have a book I think it might be called Home made CNC but can't. Blikin find it.
Its basically bearings running on the side of angle iron with the pointed part at the top I am looking for. I can't think of what to search for....

 

[Brad93]

I have been having a think and wondering if I am trying to over engineer a short term solution.

Sitting here I am now thinking I don't actually need linear rails.

A few bits of angle and some bearings might suffice for now.... Anyone know of any designs..I have a book I think it might be called Home made CNC but can't. Blikin find it.
Its basically bearings running on the side of angle iron with the pointed part at the top I am looking for. I can't think of what to search for....

I’ve seen the design you’re thinking of.
What’s the tolerance on the part

 

[ukracer]

A lot.. Lol

Currently they are being done by hand round a template. So you can imagine they are not to a mm or 2
.
What's annoying is I know how the angle was laid down across the wide part with the point at the top. I just forgot how the bearing holders were cut and drilled and I can see any on you tube.... Lol

 

[hotponyshoes]

Some spacers will do and you can use angle for the top as well to give you a flat surface to mount the cross rails onto

Stainless angle has a pretty smooth finish on it but I have seen one made from regular steel that the guy mounted a da sander on and pushed it back and forth to smooth off it's own runner
Another option is angle on the bottom then weld a bit of round bar on the point of it then run the bearings on that.

 

[hotponyshoes]

Get some cam shoulder bolts to mount the bearings then you can mark out and drill the holes by hand and adjust them up so they are all carrying.

If you use box or a ladder section for the top rail (or stiffen up the angle enough) you could probably just get away with 2 bearings on each carriage for a hand cutter but if I was making one I would look at doing it as the start of a cnc build as it would give you a lot more options for it in the future

 

[WorkshopChris]

You can get the angle in BMS that would be a vast improvement over black, not sure how the price would compare to stainless.
Do you have any packaging manufactures locally, shouldn't cost much to have a die made and get them cut?

 

[ukracer]

You can get the angle in BMS that would be a vast improvement over black, not sure how the price would compare to stainless.
Do you have any packaging manufactures locally, shouldn't cost much to have a die made and get them cut?

I already have angle in aluminium as I planned to make the CNC in the book but never got round to it.

Its like the rest of my life allup in the air. TIG welder is not hooked up and behind some stuff I moved to put the table up.. Lol. So I might end up using steel carriers for the bearings to mount to.

 

[Ali]

Not to put you off making something - it sounds like a good idea. But if you’ve got lots of these to do why not just outsource it to someone with a CO2 laser cutter - everyone’s got them these days. Or buy a cheapy one from China yourself.

 

[knighty]

will a guillotine not be easier/quicker/better?

 

[gaz1]

the fastest one is a rotary die cutter

https://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-cutting-dies/

https://www.thomasnet.com/articles/custom-manufacturing-fabricating/rotary-die-cutting/

 

[ukracer]

Not to put you off making something - it sounds like a good idea. But if you’ve got lots of these to do why not just outsource it to someone with a CO2 laser cutter - everyone’s got them these days. Or buy a cheapy one from China yourself.

because I have the time and need the money. I am not getting a fortune so subbing it out is silly..... Its not as if I have another job to do. Having spoken to people who have the equipment to do it locally they don't have the capacity and would charge more than I am getting for them.

 

[ukracer]

will a guillotine not be easier/quicker/better?

Its a 50 metre long 600mm wide roll of expensive felt so possibly if it were not for the center holes in each square. But buying one for a job that could end anytime seems a tad ott.
I do have a desire to learn CNC and want to build a plasma table after anyway..... But today I was told CNC plasma tables and CNC router tables are different builds...

 

[knighty]

I meant a cheap one on ebay... you could feed the roll in so you're cutting the 600mm side first?

or you could build a dual purpose machine... put two gantries on it so you have one for the plasma and one for the router?