I chose to buy the M2 kit because it was available Amazon prime and I am impatient. I have been debating on just using the complete kit and building the stock frame using the included brackets or doing it once and being done. In the long run I plan on building a metal frame because I live on the gulf of Mexico and humidity is terrible…
I’m hoping to have it almost operational this weekend (if it shows up Saturday)…
But looking around there are so many different frame designs and 100 different options. Some chains just hang, some use nails, some use guides, pulleys, springs, counter weights, 10’, 12’, or 12", 24", 36", and the list goes on…
Can someone hold my hand and tell me what is the absolute best? I’m thinking 36" and 12’ since I want to be able to cut full size sheets. But what is the best frame and setup? Springs vs counter weights? Best options for sled weight because the brick are hideous?
What do you wish you would have done differently? Or what did you do right with “no ragets”? And explain why thats the best?
Also must add I will probably have to keep the stock bar height this weekend because I will only have the stock chains… pretty sure it only comes with 10’ or 11’ chains.
with the stock chains you can’t make a lot of changes to the frame dimensions
if you make the top bar higher, you make the tension in the top center better
and the bottom corners worse
if you make the top bar wider, you make the tension in the top center worse and
the bottom corners better
however, the tradeoffs are not linear, so when you can do both, you improve
things everywhere.
I would say that you should make your frame with a 12’ top beam, but mount the
motors at 10’ and make it so that you can adjust the top beam (both from height
from the top of the workpiece, and spacing from the surface of the workpiece.
This will let you move the motors out and up when you get longer chains.
the other important thing to do is to make a skirt on the bottom of the frame
below the workpiece that you can make the same height as your workpiece (either
by adjusting the skirt or by shimming the frame to match), otherwise you can’t
cut near the bottom of the workpiece.
most people only use the center 4x4 area most of the time. if that is your case then just start with a higher beam which gives better results. I would not use the metal brackets they are only set up to be used with a 10’ top beam , and setting them up for a 12’ top beam is tricky because you need to keep the chains parallel
