I didn’t even think of the pocket hole jig. I’m going to do that this weekend. Great idea. Your frame looks great too.
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Just finished the build and it went pretty smooth. Here are some problems and solutions I had. The screws are many and sometimes difficult to figure out. A few extra pictures or a picture of what will be used next can help eliminate the confusion. The chain layout threw me off. Just need a little more clarity or more pictures. I also would like to think of a better way to create that tension. A weight and pulley might work for an even tension throughout the routers travel. The chain tension on calibration doesn’t do small increments. Securing the wires is a must to break the tension from the connectors on the motors and the control board. I used wire staples.
I used my pocket hole drill bit to counter sink all the holes on the front about 3/4 of the way through. I don’t think I will plunge this deep.
Lastly, the sled is still a problem. I think we should offer a sled template in the kit and offer a printable template with drill holes laid out for the router, and markings for the ring and the brick placement.
Here we are completedwith the first cut.
Also, the handles have to be removed. There is a plug that will not come out unless you drill it. I used a small bit to mark center and then a large bit to drill it out. I didn’t have an Allen wrench big enough for the bolts so I used a flat head screw driver. They are in really tight.
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In the discussion of drilling straight, another neat trick:
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Great discussion! With the three boards to stiffen up the plywood, do you think the plywood backer thickness could be down sized or even removed?
One goal of the new frame design was to eliminate the plywood as a structural component. I would keep a sheet of something there (nothing stiffens better than a large sheet) but I see no need for something thick. All the sheet is doing is keeping the frame from shearing and so even the thinnest board would likely work. The least expensive 4x8 sheet of wood material you can find would be sufficient, in my opinion.
@madgrizzle with keeping the frame from shearing in mind, I have done a quick Sketchup model of a concept frame.
I believe this frame would eliminate the need for the plywood backer. In place of the backer is (2) 2x6’s held in place with a dado joint with bolts thru the joint to a flush tee nut and 2 tie downs acting as cross bracing. The reason I would like to eliminate the backer is to make a frame that could be collapsed into movable pieces. I am a Graduate Architect and would like to move the frame between the office and home. I would also use a piece of waste (most likely 4’x8’ rigid foam insulation) between the frame and the work piece but didn’t include that into the images. Any feedback is appreciated.
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Good to see an approach from the architect’s viewpoint! Could a single sway brace take the place of the two cable/turnbuckle members? That would add to the lumber to carry, but would reduce the adjustment needed at each setup.
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As a graduate architect, you certainly know more about it than I do (just a lowly electrical engineer)… The whole goal is to get it square so if you think it will work doing that, go for it. Certainly seems to be a good away to make it adjustable to dial it in square.
Also, I like the dado idea. I did that with my new frame (used 2x6 for legs and notched it so I could full recess unistrut pieces that span the width of the frame (one at top of work area and one at bottom). My frame is complete and utter overkill…
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square is overrated, you need the top beam parallel to the ground and the right
distance out from the workpiece, but (as long as you adjust for the reduced top
height), it doesn’t matter if the legs are vertical or at a 45 degree angle as
viewed from the front, you just shift the workpiece to the actual center of
where you are cutting.
David Lang
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Philosophically, that’s true. But if your frame is square, odds are your top beam is square. If your frame is not square, odds are your top beam is not parallel to the ground.
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How square is square? How square is the ground? How round is round?
I couldn’t help it, I had to.
Thank you
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parallelograms have the top parallel to the bottom, without a square in sight
making the sides the same length is critical, making sure it doesn’t lean, much
less so.
Good point. Square is overrated.
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Kit just arrived and I was looking through bolt together frame assembly. Just curious why you selected three 10’ and two 8’s. It looks like one 10’ and four 8’s would do the same cuts without as much scrap. While cost of wood is only a few bucks cheaper, it’s an easier haul from the store…
I have a trailer so the length doesn’t matter. Here is a good tool to calculate the cut list. https://jonathan.overholt.org/projects/cutlist
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I’m new to this, I’m still waiting on my machine to be delivered. I have never built this frame, but I plan to soon. From reviewing the design, the CNC calculates the bit position based on a triangle. The fixed positions of the triangle are the top right and top left corners. The bit position is calculated based on the chain length of both sides and gravity to keep it straight. So what I think matters is to keep the two top motors at the same elevation and the same distance from each other. The ground (floor) could be sloped or not even, and the frame sits on the edge of a 2x4, so that could easily get compressed or worn down on one side or the other (or not cut square). So wouldn’t it be more important to put a level on the top bar to make sure that is level “after its final position” vs making the legs square or top bar parallel to the floor.
Just an example, but if it’s placed in a garage, I think a typical garage floor has a slop of 1/4 per 1ft for water drainage. If the top rail is 10’ long, that’s a 2.1/2" drop in elevation from one side to the other. That might make the bit position off if the top bar is Parallel to the floor (or legs square and the same length) but the top bar is not level.
Not 100% sure, but an occasional re-calibration can offset and curl or warp from the dimensional lumber.
As for the actual level, the verticality of the design in addition to the third point of triangulation being on the waste board, not the ground, seems to keep the machine honest.
Correct me if I am wrong, anybody, I am by no means a power user.
The design doesn’t have verticality built into it. They only way it would have that is if the ground was level (which you need an actual level to determine), but the design doesn’t specify that it must be placed on a level foundation. If you cut 2 10ft boards, stand them on their ends and space them 10’ away from each other on a ground that is sloping (like a typical garage), then put a level across the top, it will only be as level as the ground is. The third point is based on gravity not the waste board. If the ground isn’t level, then the 2 points on top will not be level. Gravity doesn’t care about the slope of the ground or if there is a waste board there. Its gravity and the chain lengths that determine the 3rd position.
I uploaded a quick sketch to show this. If the motors are spaced 10’ between each other, and both chains are the same length, then it should be directly in the middle of the two motors. In the image, the left has the top line level, so at 6’ chain lengths or 5’6" chain lengths, its still horizontally in the middle. With the slope of a standard garage, it walks 1/4" and if cutting, the line would be walking vs going straight up. the cut point is based off of gravity (horizon, actual level), but the cut board is based of the ground level (or foundation slope). So in my opinion, you could build the frame as designed, but then put an actual level on the top beam. If its not level (because of the ground its placed on), then shim the feet until it is level. Then it and the cut board will be level (per gravity, or the horizon, not the ground).
I did get mine built and have cut out several items (Chairs, tables, signs, holiday yard decoration, etc.) I am really enjoying it and have a bunch more things I want to cut out! The only down side is the amount of money I am spending on wood…