New user. What special tools for assembly?

[ed_lang]

I am driving to Durham on October 14th to pickup my new Alpha96. I plan to start the assembly on Saturday morning. What tools should I make sure I have on hand before I get started?

Any other suggestions or comments would be appreciated as well.

[mikejohn]

The assembly of the 'bot itself is very straight forward and requires only spanners.
If your assembling the table as well, get the longest and best straight edge you can, up to the length of your table.
Coffee, patience, and at least one extra pair of hands is also needed.
Welcome to the family.

.........Mike

[ed_lang]

"get the longest and best straight edge you can"

Any suggestions on where to get one?

I have the EZ-Guide system for a circular saw. maybe that will do.

[richards]

Instead of a long straight edge (which I hunted for, but couldn't find - at least one that was truly straight), I used a laser level. By using just the edge of the laser beam, and carefully measuring the distance from the edge of the beam to the body of the machine at the level and then measuring the distance from the edge of the beam to the point being adjusted, I was able to align the machine almost as fast as I could go from bolt to bolt.

[dvanr]

.6mm copper coat welding wire stretched tight to the point you can make music, worked really well for me.

You need 6 quick grip clamps, and some spacers made from the same stock (check with a calipers to be sure), mdf with laminate on both sides works. Stretch the wire down the length of the rail as tight as you can. Now slide identical thickness blocks under the wire at each end. This will do two things lift the wire over the rail a know distance and start to tighten the wire. Push the blocks into the ends as far as possible.

With a third block and the shims you can go up and down the rail checking till the shims just brushed the under side of the wire and then use them at that point.

3170

3171

[waltie]

I rented a Laser Level, to level the table and the X-Rails.
Worked Great

[mike_annetts]

We used a fishline stretched tight but I like the idea of wire as Dick said. also we rigged up a stiff welding rod bent at 90 degrees welded to a 3/8 drill bit to level the router to the table. It seemed a lot easier and more accurate than using a framing square as shopbot suggests in the manual. Also I would suggest having a square sheet of plywood (measure diagonals) handy to square up the y axis with.
Mike

Mike

[simon]

Dont forget your Eyechrometer!

[bleeth]

The best straight edge you will ever buy and use for the rest of your life is available at every store in the world that sells wallpaper hangers tools. It's a six foot piece of extruded magnesium and some come brass bound. They are precise and I couldn't imagine working without one. Another great tool for your purpose is a bubble level (hunk of clear plastic tubing with water and food coloring in it).

Dave