4x8 Gantry Build...

[Apocalypse Fabrication]

My gantry beam hung over the edge of my side plates about 5/16”, so the reinforcing brackets would not work without shimming. Today I am going to bring home some washers and longer bolts to make this work correctly.


I am also going to make some cable carrier brackets. Why aren’t these included? Seems that every other bracket was there....
Since I didn’t have the cable carrier brackets made. We had to stop with the instructions at this point. I looked over at the bench with all the parts and wondered… “hrm, don’t these motors and z axis need to go on?” I scoured the instructions and found nothing about their mounting. The following pictures are just me guessing where things go and bolting them up loosely in case I got it wrong.

I was missing to the nyloc nuts for mounting the z axis. I stole some off of the side motors for right now.


The magnetic torch mount was pretty straight forward, just lined up the locating dowels and watch your fingers!

The motor for the z axis used the 4 black allen screws, the aluminum standoffs and the shaft connector (which looked like a rubber Lovejoy coupler, if you know what those are).


Loosen the allen binding screws and slip/force it on to the motor and the z axis screw.

Then install the black allen screws and standoffs.


The machining looked like the outside holes were a little thin… be careful on torqueing those down. Is there a reason why there couldn’t be an 1/8” more material there?


I really hope my instructions and pictures help others in the future. I will be sending my therapy bills to Matt@ Bulltear! :P

My current status:

[Apocalypse Fabrication]

You can absolutely post up. Just a couple quick things we do before items ship and also some info

1. The magnetic plate is set to your Z axis and does not need anything special to setup. The unimount torch mount allows the use of .9-1.5" diameter torches. A 5/16-18 bolt holds in the smaller diameter.
2. The motor mounts are attached one way and there is a left and right. You will note the slot configuration. Attaching the motors can be a little tricky because one side uses a square nut and a slot for retention and the other side uses a flange nut. There are 2 different length socket head capscrews and they are assembled on the reduction units. When you buy a gantry kit the motors are usually not attached to the reduction units and require you to take loose the socket head capscrews and attach the motors. Taking it all apart can make assembly a little tougher.
3. We used to install the Z axis motor however we found that the assembly is very long to ship.

1. I got the magnetic torch mount figured out...
2. & 3. I think the reduction units (belt drives) were already installed on my motor plates... Can you verify from the pics that they are correct? I did not see any flange nuts just the nylocs. The pictures should show what I have.

What do I do about gear contact? I assume the gears should be meshed fully, but is there a specified amount of preload I should put into the gears before fully tightening the nylocs? What should they be torqued to?

Side question: How the hell do you torque the bolts in the 45 degree gusset to 25 ft lbs? I can barely fit a wrench on the inside bolts, let alone a socket.

[jeepsr4ever]

Gear contact should be listed in the instructional. It looks like we have a page missing from the instructional. You want 5-15lbs of force into the gear rack. Watch as you dont allow two teeth to ride on each other or one side wont drive. Once your all hooked up power the drive unit up and wiggle the side plates and Y axis. You should get no play if you do there is slop in the gear rack or your set screws arent tight on the motor shaft.

[jeepsr4ever]

1. I got the magnetic torch mount figured out...
2. & 3. I think the reduction units (belt drives) were already installed on my motor plates... Can you verify from the pics that they are correct? Yes they look correct I did not see any flange nuts just the nylocs. Right, then your motor assemblies came fully assembled. The pictures should show what I have.

What do I do about gear contact? I assume the gears should be meshed fully, but is there a specified amount of preload I should put into the gears before fully tightening the nylocs? What should they be torqued to?

Side question: How the hell do you torque the bolts in the 45 degree gusset to 25 ft lbs? I can barely fit a wrench on the inside bolts, let alone a socket."Barely" and "can" are sometimes the same thing :) You will need to tighten those corner bolts with the open end wrench on the bottom bolts (of the gantry) and a socket on one side and a open end wrench on the sideplate upper bolts.

That help?

[Apocalypse Fabrication]

That help?

That is exactly what I did... but with an open end wrench... feeling for 25 ft lbs is inaccurate, at best.

[Apocalypse Fabrication]

I was just thinking... It's probably a good idea to use Never Sieze or Blue Loctite on all the threaded connections between steel in aluminum. I guess I will have to do that too. I've got previous experience with steel bolts in aluminum heads... not good without thread sealant.

[Apocalypse Fabrication]

Matt:

What size are the nylocs for mounting the z axis... I didnt measure before I left. 9/16 socket to tighten, so I am thinking 3/8 fine thread nuts?

Another question:

The cable carrier came in one piece. At what measurements should I break it to make the x axis and y axis lengths?

[jeepsr4ever]

3/8-24 nuts. IIRC 44 links on the gantry.

[Apocalypse Fabrication]

3/8-24 nuts. IIRC 44 links on the gantry.

kk ty

[jeepsr4ever]

:) If you are up against a wall call in we have a couple guys here that know every single bolt on these kits and they build the tables.