BINGO! Thanks Alan!
I've been mulling over how to get a perfectly level platform and I think I
have it. If you look under the top of a small table saw, you'll see a sort
of criss-cross reinforcement pattern in the alloy. Duplicating this pattern
into wood using a router (but with deeper cuts), placing a short retaining
wall around the square and then filling that with liquid plastic, I should
have a fairly sturdy and flat surface.
Gravity will take care of the hard work for me, perfectly flat surface. I
just have to sand 1/8" along the perimeter to remove that curve liquids do
along vertical walls.
I can also use the same technique to make a perfectly flat side to the
gantry and the vertical drill slide; 2 other areas that still puzzled me.
Liquid plastic also has the advantage of strength with little weight and can
be threaded.
Shoot, there might even be a small market for this if I can make it
straight.
Robert
:)
I've built one, it's realtively simple too. $75 or so plus spare motors
and
my own built driver board. All just a few different parts from Lowes etc.
I
need to take better pictures and write it up, I think it's about as minimal
as
you can get and still have an almost entirely metal machine. The good
drawer
rails and aluminum angle and threaded rod and connecting nuts. If you know
the
right things to do you can make everything free and aligned while
eliminating
most play and centering what's there. Mine will drill with #80 bits, most
people say you need a real machine to do that, it just needs to have proper
alignment.
Alan
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