My MPCNC table top is built, mounted and aligned.
Since I planned to run the Mostly Printed CNC in a corner of the garage, I decided to use two walls to support the table. It’s been a while in coming, but the MPCNC table top is now in place.
The table is made of half-inch plywood glued to a hardwood frame. The MPCNC table top is supported along the walls with 2×4 cleats screwed into studs. The frame is attached to the cleats using 1/4 inch dowels. The dowels are glued into the cleats, but not glued on the table side. This way, I can remove it. The dowels were drilled using a 3D printed jig which was clamped into place to make sure the holes lined up.
The open corner (lower left) is supported by a hardwood leg with a level adjustment at the foot. This leveler has a 3D printed base, with a 1/4 inch bolt through a T-nut in the base of the leg. There is about one inch of adjustment. I was very careful in leveling the cleats.
When I placed the table on the cleats, it took a few taps with a rubber mallet to get the MPCNC table top to seat down, and the leg required little adjustment. And voila, a perfectly level and sturdy table. I am pretty sure that this table could take my weight, but I have not had the courage to actually sit on it yet!
MPCNC Table Top – Mounting the machine with bolts
The table is 38 by 32 inches and is very square. The MPCNC machine frame is mounted with 5/16 bolts that are placed in the corner posts and run through the plywood table surface, with a nut and washer underneath. The mounting holes are 2.5” inches in from each corner.
All of the holes are drilled at 5/16 diameter. My original plan was to widen two of the holes so that I could make slight adjustments to get the frame square. However, everything seems to have squared up nicely on the first attempt. To get the height aligned, I did some gentle tapping down on the corner posts with the rubber mallet.
It is a great feeling of accomplishment (for me, at any rate) to run the level along all the pipes and see that little bubble sitting in the middle!
By the way, if any of you have been checking the Mostly Printed CNC web site, you may notice that Ryan has designed some updated 3D printed parts. I have not printed these, but am sticking with the parts in place before May 2016.