Hi
My Primo build is well underway, but I haven’t decided on the dimensions yet. I might want to have a work area of about 600x600 mm, but this would make the machine quite big for my little workshop. That is why I’m thinking of storing it vertically.
I’m wondering, however, if there are any challenges with this - like belts stretching or pipes bending over time. Should I make some sort of parking clamp or is it enough to put the core at 0,0 and lift the machine up against the wall?
There are a few topics on this forum about foldable solutions for CNC machines. Here is one I participated in, and I’ve seen others. Beyond folding, I’ve seen two other space saving solutions. I’ve seen machines put on a shelf under a work bench. I’ve also seen a pulley system where the machine was pulled to the ceiling by all four corners.
I have theoretical concerns about the deformation of the MDF and the plastic parts over time if stored vertically. To mitigate these issues, I would do the following three things for sure:
I would remove the router when not in use. I’d probably put a hook on the base board to hang the router from to keep everything together.
I would make the base board (the board under the spoil board) out of plywood, not MDF.
I would provide mounted blocks of some sort for the butt end of the rails that will be vertical when the machine is folded to rest against so that the entire weight of the machine is not carried by the feet.
In addition to these three, I might consider:
Printing the feet with more perimeters and a high infill than V1 suggests.
Create a block so that the core is supported by the bottom (when folded) rail rather than resting against the truck.
Print parts, especially the feet and corners, out of carbon fiber PLA.
Of course, my concerns are all theoretical, and, since the MPCNC is so easy to modify, you could take no precautions and simply address any issues when/if they happen.
600x600 is quite large. Have you seen the lr3? Others are using counters and removing it when not used.
Oh and Welcome!!!
I store my burly on the wall with no I’ll effects. I do remove the router when storing to reduce load on the pipes and to keep the kids from hitting it with their bikes. Mine is. 24x48 footprint with a 13x30 cutting area.
Thanks! The Lr3 looks awesome, but I’ll save that build for later, hoping to get a bigger workshop with time.
Will I run into any issues when having such a large area? My plan was to go a little big in the beginning and if I see any tolerance issues, reduce the size by shortening the rails.
@robertbu Thanks for the solid advice! I espescially liked your last paragraph; since the MPCNC is so easy to modify, you could take no precautions and simply address any issues when/if they happen.
I’m all for observing and iterating.
Probably not. Others just note that of course it is pipe and will flex. Not sure how much.
After I wrote this, I noticed mine is 300x600. And i just use typical electrical conduit. It will most likely be fine. There are supports for the outside rails if necessary. Not sure what spindle you will use, as the weight could add more flex, but I will leave that for others more knowledgeable than I. I have been thinking about making mine bigger, so maybe I will check back and see how your build goes. (I have also had crazy ideas of destroying the cnc and going lr3 also.)
I don’t use clamp on mine when i fold it down, i just move the core to 0 on Y.
You can see my folding table here :