I Need More X Travel

[jim_vv]

Greetings,

I have my indexer mounted parallel to my machine's Y axis and would like to use the indexer to hold small parts for flip operations. I have moved my X rails so I can cut a full 4x8 sheet of material on the machine's table and I am able to just reach the center line of the indexer. When the spindle is centered over the indexer I have no more travel in X to make any moves in X. I called Dianne at ShopBot yesterday to get a price for longer X rails, roller tracks, and racks. She offered me a better solution . . . a 6 inch extension kit which was developed for those adding an ATC. Does anyone reading this forum have this? I would like to know how it bolts up and how smooth the transition across the joint is. I would love to see pictures.

Kind regards,

JIM

[Brady Watson]

Jim,
I'm pretty sure those little extensions bolt right through the extrusion holes @ the 1.5x6" end, like long pieces of all-thread. Here's a Pic (http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11532&page=4) or two of what Bob Dodd did. The bumps are nothing a straight edge, square and shims can't tune out - and if you really want to get crafty JB weld the seam and feather it out.

-B

[garyc]

Jim...
Yes, as smooth as you make them and here: http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12025&highlight=rail+extension

:D

[jdervin]

What was the ballpark on Diane's price for the extensions?

[jim_vv]

Greetings, John

$499.00 plus shipping.

Kind regards,

JIM

[gerryv]

Thanks for the info on the Shopbot produced extension kit Jim!

[daski]

I extrended my extrusions using a staggered seam strategy and it worked great. I also cut a scarf joint for the rails, this was magical as the wheels are never in the 100% "in" the joint. Now bear in mind I had 24" of rail and so I had extra rail and support plate to work with.

I put the 8020 extrusion on one end of the bot and the seamed rail on the other end. I moved the hardened rail along the support plate by one set of holes so that it stuck out on end by 3". I cut about 2" off the existing rail on an angle to start the scarf joint using a grinder with a ZIP cut wheel. Then I slid the support plate along until the two hardened rails touched, this meant that the new rail was sitting on the old support plate thereby reducing flex. I used the grinder to grind the two at the same time to create a perfectly matched scarf joint. A quick file to deburr it and we were off to the races. It has performed amazing!!! I spent hours thinking and planning so I didn't screw it up and waste material, and about an hour and a half doing the work. The key was the scarf joint.

We are now able to cut and drill 5x10 which is great.

We should get Shopbot to make a "super" extension kit by selling 3' of materials, then you could get almost 15" of extra rail. The raw stock is 12' long so 3' chunks would make sense.

I hope the picture explains it all if not let me know and I'll talk you through it.

Dave