Tight Head Space for the frame - your advice please

Hi there, I am planning to install my Maslow in a large loft (with an inverted v-shape roof space) above my studio and the ceiling clearance I have is exactly 79" to the cross beams between the exposed roof trusses.

So my thoughts are that the standard default frame is just going to be a little tight by the time I allow for the motors sitting above the main truss and clearances for chains etc.

So, can I easily knock say 5 inches off the feet of the unit without causing any major design/config issues?

Additionally as the roof trusses are there, is there any way I could actually use them as part of the frame?

Thanks!

Sure! The only critical dimensions are the angle the board sits at, and the “Z” distance between your workpiece and the motor sprockets.

The correct angle ensures that the sled slides properly while still having sufficient “hold down” force.

The Z distance ensures your chains all stay in the same plane (otherwise the sprockets could skip).

You could lob off some length on the feet, but your sled / bricks could catch on the floor when cutting the very bottom of a 4x8 sheet.

Having your trusses be part of the frame could give you some cool options, like pivoting the whole thing up when not in use.

Thanks Emile - never thought about the pivoting idea - interesting!

Can you explain further what the Z distance is?

On the clearance for sled/bricks etc that’s a good point - so perhaps not 5" off the bottom but 2.5" off the top and bottom might work?

Z-distance: the sprockets need to be the same distance “towards you” from the work surface as the sled ring. The goal here is that your chains don’t come to the sprockets at an angle. Think about aligning the chains and it’ll become obvious.

For the bottom clearance, it really depends on how close to the bottom you want to cut, the machine itself doesn’t care. Switching to lead weights could help you gain an inch or two as well.

Thanks Emile - that makes sense - thank you for explaining