Well, it certainly isn’t the cheapest material to build with but it should be good an durable for me if I take it out and about with me during the winter months. I goofed on the build already - was hoping for a 22" X 42" working area but that won’t fit on my 30" X 48" table. I do believe I can get away with shrinking it down to a 38" work area and just fit the feet on the table top corners. I’m okay with that. Most of my work will be well within the 20" X 40" opening anyway.
So here’s the details: 30" X 48" tabletop, 36" final height all in - casters, double thick table top etc. (so my bad back won’t be bending too much). The top table top will be cut once the machine is running after new inserts are made by the machine (I figure I can do a cut and carve of the same parts to achieve the hole and the insert - then I’ll adjust for clearance as required. The plan is a stepped insert composed of a double thickness of ply - 1.5" total thickness. The bottom part will be 22 X 42 to match the already cut opening, the top will be 24" X 44" so that a step is created that will hold the insert in place by gravity. For table top work I’ll use a 1/4" or 1/2" spoil board.
The leg opening on the end is cut wide enough and tall enough for the ice block, riding on the hydraulic lift to be rolled under the table and lifted up into place. I have yet to fashion a clamping system that will clamp in on one side and one end of the block, holding it in place. Have the parts - next post perhaps. The other end of the table has not been cut wide open just in case in the near future i need to fabricate some sort of cabinet to store bits, 3d print head, lasers etc. The sides have been cut wide open just for aesthetics/design. Once the paint is on this bad boy you’ll see the reasoning behind that. Lots to sand first though.
Thanks to Ryan for the SUPER fast shipping to Canada I have a box full of goodies to tear into now too! I’ll pick up the stainless tube tomorrow or Friday. Now let’s see if I can put these pictures in here…Please, any red flags or anything let me know.
Is it weird that I remember packing almost ever single box…
I am pretty excited to hear/see how this ice thing works.I am sure most 2D stuff will be easy and I am pretty sure you will be able to use larger diameter bits, I think but I have never even dreamed of milling ice.
If Canada had a solid Maker faire…I would love to come out for a quick trip.
Wasn’t sure if I should keep a thread going or start a new one so I figured I’d pile it all in here in case this becomes a resource for someone, somewhere, some other day.
I’m all done! Other than the pretty it all up part I guess. The wires are all plugged in, the power supply is connected and I have started diving into Fusion 360 which is so amazing and so easy (for me) compared to the other 3d applications I use for work. I guess the next question is what next? I am going to be using an old clunker PC laptop from the neighbour to get rolling so I need to get that from him and get it loaded up but I’m sure at some point it’ll be time for the pen mount and the crown! So excited…
Well, the PC is out for diagnosis (OpenGL is misbehaving and won’t allow PixelCNC to run). Since the machine was going to be dormant for a few days and the shop is in no-carving mode while some BIG carvings get their urethane sealer I figured it was high time to break out the team colours and paint the chassis. The top with the MPCNC attached slid off onto my table saw with ease.
Once this paint dries I can put the second top back and permanently attach it (I think I’ll paint out just the edges of that ply). I found a great solution for the Mini Rambo so I’ll attach that as well.
Next couple of projects are to use the machine to cut the second layer drop hole, create the insert plug and then mill out a grid of dog holes for that clever eccentric clamping system from another recent thread. [attachment file=70571]
[attachment file=70572]
Waiting for some parts to arrive so I’m back at the MPCNC tonight. Just attempting my first 3d carve and quite impressed and shocked at how easy Estlcam makes it. The interface isn’t the most intuitive but I trusted it, went with it and am watching in awe as the roughout is cleaned up revealing incredible detail. One or two more tests and it’ll be time for some real world work that’s waiting in the wings. Man I love this thing! I’m so glad I just jumped in without over thinking things too much. I have a feeling the same awe will fill my world once the MP3DP is running…
Well, ice carving season is full on now so I had to commit and open up the drop table. I swapped the Y rails from the laser build into the drop table MPCNC so I could get the full width of a carving block in travel (I missed by an inch on the initial build). I added a full four inches so I’ve got room to spare. The Y travel stops right at the edge of the opening, allowing for up to a 1/2" bit without hitting the table. But I also took this opportunity to slip in the dual end stop bits so once those are wired up and the board is changed I won’t have to worry about hitting the table.
Partial test tomorrow with the hydraulic lift cart on a full thickness partial chunk of ice block. Then starting this weekend we should be loading in full blocks. Loads of photos to come!
Free beer for you! Actually it’ll be an Old Fashioned. Hold the rocks.
I had to jet to the festival meeting with the two prototypes and didn’t even get a chance to take a photo but there are 20 on order for Tuesday and 100 for next Saturday! I’ll be sure to get a good group shot of the Tuesday 20 for you - they turned out fantastic. They are 5 oz tumblers being used as a partial fundraiser for the festival. You’ll love what you see when you see it - they sure did. The MPCNC let me take it up to a whole other level.
Now for some assistance? I’ll start a new thread to keep this one focused on the build.
Holy moly. Did I ever complicate that drop table / hydraulic cart plan. I ultimately decided that I’d like to be able to “pin” the tray that holds the ice slab/block into the opening thereby ‘attaching’ it to the main machine cabinet. Well, as soon as I did that I realized I’ll either ONLY ever be slipping 4-5" slabs into the tray at a fixed height OR I’ll be lifting a full block that will not require flipping at all up into the machine for single surface working. So when I set the pins on all four corners I moved the gantry around, made sure I was parallel between the tool and the work surface and bolted the tray in place. Ugh…the hours (and hours) I could have saved…I was devising an over engineered method of leveling screws with threaded inserts, metal plates etc when all I need to do was level the tray and bolt it in place. The bolt holes will always be there for the next time I need to slide a slab in.
Oh well…time in the shop is never bad time.
Next time I drop the tray out I’ll take pics of the whole setup. It is still pretty slick - but more than it needed to be.
Now THIS is a hard working machine if I’ve ever seen one (check out the bit!). Six hours was a little much though. Need to up the tool speeds. What’s the maximum Z drop I can get away with? And can anyone explain to me why, when boring out the middle of the cups (set to parallel pocketing) the z axis drops as the x and y spiral slowly, then, once the z axis drop is done it speeds up and cuts normal? Can I get rid of that slow part? It’s fine one by one but when it takes 45 seconds for the bit to reach it’s new height it adds up over a hundred cuts.
