Titivating A CNC Plasma Table

The Craftmans Shop > New from Old

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awemawson:
I was being lazy and didn't want to dismantle all the gubbins on the plate

awemawson:
The six 6003-2RS bearings arrived this morning by post. No point in fitting them yet as the belts aren't here yet and it's much the same dismantling to change either.

Belts promised for tomorrow, but as it's Friday the 13th who knows what might happen :med:

mattinker:
Andrew,
I wish there was a like button! I follow your posts with pleasure!

All the best, Matthew

awemawson:
Thanks Matthew, good to have you along :thumbup:

The new slightly longer belts arrived late this afternoon. I only had time to fit the Y drive.

First I pulled off the T5 pulley and the pinion bearing assembly and rebuilt it with new bearings, then it was just a case of putting it all back together and adjusting the belt tension. Previously the belt had been 'murder tight' even with the adjustment at it's slackest. At least now I can adjust the tension as I want it.

So that's Y done, just X and X-slave to do when time permits

awemawson:
Having replaced the other sets of bearings and belts it's now time to return the plasma table to the welding shop.

Now it came in quite cheerfully on the fork lift, but someone's added bits and bobs all over the place making it neigh on impossible to get the forks anywhere useful. The welding shop is down one concrete ramp across a yard of coarse road planings and up another concrete ramp, so not feasible just to roll it on it's castors. However there is an 18 inch step between the two ramps - if I could pick up the table on strops with the JCB 803 and gently lower it on the lower side of the step I'd be virtually there :ddb:

Now rigging this beast is not straightforward - the only realistic places for strops are the four corner pillars, and because of the electrical enclosure the balance would be wrong - however it has the advantage that the strops would miss the gantry which is a bit delicate :thumbup:

So, four strops duly fastened, then joined to a fifth linking strop and the JCB advanced into position. Sure enough it's hanging down as expected on the cabinet corner but the gantry is clear. I gingerly drove forwards having raised the boom a bit, and lowered the table onto the top of the welding shop ramp.

At this point the castor on the lower corner decided to collapse :bang: It not only was taking the full table weight but probably a bit of inertia load as I came down. Rubber hammer was applied to get it roughly in line and I managed to roll the table safely into the shop.

Then a quick call to roadside assistance produced my 10 ton railway jack and I was able to replace the castor temporarily with one of the non rotating non locking ones that I'd taken off - I'll have to try and source a proper one when the dust settles.

Rebuilding the PC, the PC monitor table and Hypertherm cutter along with the swinging gallows bracket, all of which I'd removed for the journey, put it back in a state that I could test for any damage. I'm pleased to say it all still seems to work.

I just need to cut a 12" diameter hole in the workshop wall, and I can then test it in earnest actually cutting :ddb:

This of course has released my 'project space' for more fun and games

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