Hey folks, thought I’d throw up a few pics and some info on my full sheet+ build before I tear it down and upgrade it to an LR4…
My primary excuse/rationalization for building a 5x10 table in my workshop is that my kids are in a youth theater program, and 2-3 times a year I’m responsible for building sets and set pieces for their shows. 95% of what we do is build boxes (platforms, stairs, beds, crossovers, balconies, etc - at the end of the day they’re all boxes stacked on each other in some way), but I wanted to be able to do some extra fancy work for them when the need arises.
The reality is that I did it cuz I could, I have the space in the barn, and having a full sheet CNC sounded awesome. Glad I did!!
The table started as a previous workbench, so it’s got 4x6s for legs and aprons, and weighs a ton. There’s a 4.5x8’ torsion box that makes up the primary cutting surface, with the rails and belts running on 10’ long 2x6 ‘outriggers’. I did it this way so I would have some vertical clamping space at the front, and because making the torsion box longer than 8’ was going to be too much of a hassle.
Oh, and yes those are small drawers on the X0 side - super handy to have places for all the little CNCy things I need on that side of the shop like bits and sd cards, but they do currently argue with the hose & power cords if they aren’t closed perfectly. Hoping to fix that in the future with a gantry or boom arm.
I wish I’d seen your strut-captured X0 belt build literally a few days before I did - as you can see the ability to easily slide stock on from that side would be killer…
Maybe maybe maybe you’ll have a dxf for doing that with the lr4 by the time I get my new bambu to print with?
We’re trying to get the LR4 launched and established in a more stock config, but maybe after a bit of time passes, I may try to see if it can work. I do like having at least the non-rail side being that way. I later allowed myself to be compelled by others to do it to my rail side, and that works, but there can be complications there. For instance, if you have something go wrong, like bit getting stuck fast and solid, on one side, and the other side still moving, when the rail side would normally “helical” itself up and off the rail, if the belt and pulleys and motor mount are down in there and resisting that upwards spinning motion, it could prevent the “politely spin off the rail” fallback to not be so polite.
That’s not such an issue with it only on the non-rail side. There, “spinning out” does not involve an elevator climb! It’s on the rail side where it can be problematic. If it spun out on the non-rail side while you were across the room, and not reaching it quickly to pause/cancel, then it might well reach a place of not being able to go anymore, and just start skipping steps. Not likely to damage the LowRider.
In my graduate theater program, our Props instructor used to say “Be a stage carpenter if you want to get really good at building platforms, ramps, and stairs. If you want to do interesting stuff, go for props.” The shop foreman didn’t say much, but he was really good at building platforms, ramps, and stairs.
As a stage manager, we ended up having to understand it all, and they believed understanding came from doing, so I can build platforms, ramps, and stairs, as well as build molds to cast fake cinder blocks from 2-part foam, reupholster a couch, wire a lamp, edit both digital and analog audio, and build furniture (either really sturdy or breakaway) from scratch, sew up a costume (sewing machine, serger, or hand-stich), and program a lighting board. My K40 laser cutter is currently sitting on the drafting table I built as a props class final project.
Of course, none of that features very heavily in my day job now, but I love knowing how to do lots of stuff, and also knowing that if something can be done, I can probably learn how to do it if I’m sufficiently motivated.
Fortunately for me, our little volunteer org tends to spread out the fun builds a bit - especially if they’re complex - props will often hot potato things like a self-healing broken table over to me if they can get away with it, and I will happily oblige!
Feel free to throw a “No :)” at me for this one, but do you have any rough sketches or plans for the table you made?
I am not a good woodworker? And the table I made is… subpar and wobbly and not the right size for a full sheet build.
Other than that, I am overcome with jealousy on how well this build looks and probably runs. Curious about the other side of the setup with using Marlin on the SKR board and your adventures with that.
You shouldn’t feel like an idiot. For every one person like you that asks and learns, there are 100 more that learn with you (but those forlks were afraid to ask.)
I don’t have any diagrams or plans for my table, as I not only winged it when converting it from a workbench, but I winged the initial workbench build.
Here’s what I can tell you though - for a rock-solid table, the easy way is to use big lumber, and join it securely.
The aprons on my table are the same 4x6 construction lumber as the legs, and were half-lapped together then doweled (I used 3 beefy 3/8 or 1/2 inch dowels), and I’m pretty sure they could support most of the building they’re in.
Look in to plans and YouTube videos for traditional workbench construction for the legs, aprons, and joining said parts.
For the table, I went with a simple 4” tall torsion box that was 8’ long and whatever width the lr3 calc said I needed (can’t remember). Lots of YouTube vids on making torsion boxes out there too! Keep it simple and use thin sheet goods (you don’t need 3/4 or 18mm plywood for your ribs, 1/2” is probably overkill but often easiest to find in decent quality).
As far as the SKR goes - I replaced it with a jackpot, as mine started acting up and doing weird things. Spent an entire day troubleshooting it before deciding that a $60 swap might just save my sanity - and it did.
There are no obvious questions when you’re talking about a hobby that covers so many different disciplines. On this forum there are literal experts in robotics, programming, manufacturing, woodworking, and probably a bunch of other things I can’t even think of right now.
And the awesome thing is we’re all happy to help each other out!!
