Was just working to improve the parameters and the resulting functionality, and wished for a way to export / import params. Found this “app” for doing so:
Worked a treat. Linking both for record here and in case it helps (if you don’t already have something like it).
Interesting, that might actually help with sub assemblies. That is Solidworks default behavior, it looks for a sheet when it builds. More of what I am used to.
I wanted to search for all expressions (aka formulas) where a certain param was being used. Opening the list in Excel made it easy to do!
Thanks, that’s all great help.
Re the brace differences, I was more talking along the Y-axis and slotting together rather than lots of screws.
Re the rail widths, I did look at that and was a touch concerned about going wider towards the centre of the table and potential clearance issues with the vac shield etc but it looks like 10-20mm would be safe.
Re the metric conversion, I was able to change the units with ease by right clicking on the document settings and changing to mm which worked fine for overall dimensions. but when I tried to adjust the values in the change parameters section to match local material thickness etc is where I ran into issues as that all stays as inches, my work around was to convert my figures to inches but it seemed to create rounding errors so when checking final dimensions things like overall width weren’t whole numbers. (Im pretty green when it comes to fusion360 so this could be 100% user error)
Hey, regarding the steps I mentioned before… I had made a newer version of the table that has its parameters interacting with one another a little bit better. So I whipped out two more versions of the table, one at 24" x 48" and one at 48" x 24" — here’s the download link:
I think i broke your f360 file lol. Was trying to see if a 2meters wide torsion box was posible
Hi Doug,
I didn’t have time to read your post until now. I´m not sure about the X-gantry on the 48" axis.
It seems like this is not recommended?
Thank you for the steps. I don’t have a router yet so I think I’ll build a table that can cut the struts in the Y-axis
If you wanted to build a wide X with a short Y, because of planning a long Y later… it’s not a bad way to go. But unless you have a reason like that, putting the X gantry on the shorter axis has a little better rigidity. I made table versions going either way:
Hi Doug,
I have my tubes cut at 1400 mm and a wide X and a short Y is what I can make room for right now.
I don’t have Fusion 360 yet. How much material would a wide X and a short Y take?
I am not sure if the belt moving towards me (wide X) is easier to use?
If you begin with the 8" tall version I posted here: More parametric CNC-cut tables for LowRider v3 (full sheet+): 3.625", 6", and 8" tall versions
… It widens to 2 meters with only two quick fixes needed.
Here’s a Fusion 360 file I’ve done that to:
CNC Table for LR3, WOOD RAIL, v2, 78.74’ x 97’', 8in tall (v6).f3d.zip (504.4 KB)
There are 2 major reasons why it is recommended to make the X axis your shorter one.
The beam is the weaker link. While the brace and rail structure is strong against sag, it can twist, resulting in dimensional inaccuracy.
If you plan to cut the strut plate on the machine, the X axis is definitionally not long enough to do it. You need a Y axis longer than X in order to be able to cut the struts on your machine without tiling.
I was thinking about strategies to tile the strut plates, and it’s kind of tricky. The best I could come up with is to use the holes for the bolts, but bootstrapping that is troublesome. Alternately using the machine to cut blocks to position a strut cut to width on a table saw with an index for position could work. It isn’t that there aren’t ways, but I like to try to let the machine provide the accuracy rather than have it manual.
Re: tubes:
My plan that can cut to the very edges of a 49" wide MDF sheet calls for X-tube length of 56.102362". So, with your X-tube length at 55.11811", you’ll be able to cut a full 48" wide sheet, maybe a tad more.
Re: “How much material would a wide X and a short Y take?”
I have not had time to calculate that. Will try to do it over time.
Re: “I am not sure if the belt moving towards me (wide X) is easier to use”
It’s really up to your preference.
I think my biggest issue at the moment is that I lack a preference since all this is new to me!
I was only asking about material since in your thread with 3",6" and 8" tall tables you had that in there.
How would you compare the 3", 6" and 8" tables? Is 6" a good middleground?
I know the shorter one (3.625" version) can have its torsion box cut out of a single sheet. I know that any taller than that and it spills over to another sheet. Quick guess-timate, I’d suspect two sheets would do it.
Yes, I would expect the 6" to be a good middleground.
This basically means that my Y-axis has to be atleast 1400 mm usuable working area?
The thicker the torsion box the stronger the table. If it is just going to hold material for cutting, any thickness is more than enough. If you plan on using it for other uses that will carry weight, like an assembly table, thicker is nice.
More ribs is also equivalent to a thicker table.
If you want a 1400mmX strut plate yes.
I used the table with the unistruts
What about the legs? Can they be anything?
