A Sturdy Table for M2

[Doug]

So it should be known that the M2 printer deserves a sturdy table to sit on.  I built mine on the dining room table and have done the first couple of prints on this table.  Its "somewhat" stable, things roll around on it while printing and my laptop screen bounces back and forth, not an ideal spot for a printer.  Because I also want some place to eat I need to move the printer to my CNC room, the room where my diy cnc router lives. I don't really have a decent table in that room either, just some ply wood across saw horses.  So I want to ask is what types of tables/workbenches are people placing their M2's on?  How are they built and generally how sturdy are they?

I have considered building a specific M2 printer stand, custom designed for 3d printing with an M2, including a spot for filament storage, tools and most importantly MASS so that it can handle all the M2 can throw at it.  The feature list for the stand is growing in my head but I don't I have enough experience to really decide what is needed.  So for those more experienced, what features would make this stand worth putting the effort into?

I face the decision of buying something that I can make work or building something I know will work, either way it's going to take some work to make it happen.

Doug       

[Rick Pollack]

Ha, yes!....we say that here
http://www.makergear.com/blogs/frontpage/6345200-m2-4u

--
Rick Pollack
MakerGear
23632 Mercantile Rd.
Unit D-Rear
Beachwood, OH 44122

[David Buggs]

I have my Rostock [admittedly not an M2], which has a high center of gravity and moves aggressively, sitting on a hardwood horizontal file cabinet that I picked up from IKEA over 15 years ago.  It is stable and does not move a bit.  I use the drawers for supplies.

Buggs

[Matt Larson]

Hi David,

How are you liking the rostock? I am working on building one right
now as well. Just ordered steppers and RAMPS for it, still have to
get belts and pulleys. I am worried that it will be hard to
troubleshoot - if there are issues such as having a twist in the frame
or misalignments of the precision rods.

-Matt

[screamcheese]

I'm intending to use this:

http://www.alvinco.com/Shop/Products.aspx?IID=35577

It looks cheap (well, it is cheap - vinyl veneer on chipboard, etc),
but it's actually remarkably solid. It doesn't move much at all with
the casters locked. Comes fully assembled. Available online for a lot
less than MSRP.

Of course, won't know until I try it, so you might want to wait on my
experience. I think that a few bricks in the bottom might not be the
worst idea, either.

The printer is currently on a dining room table that weighs, well, a
metric s-ton. No issues with that - at least, not with me. Of course,
my wife wants her table back ;)

[sto...@gmail.com]

If you are wanting Rostock talk join us on the deltabot google group:
delt...@googlegroups.com

----- Reply message -----
From: "Doug" <dougc...@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Sep 5, 2012 4:19 pm
Subject: [MakerGear] A Sturdy Table for M2
To: <make...@googlegroups.com>

David,

 

A real hard wood cabinet would make a nice stand, it may be harder to come by and more expensive than other options though.  I'd be interested in hearing about your rostock printer but maybe another topic would be best.  I want to hear from some other M2 owners about their tables/stands.

 

Doug

 

On Wednesday, September 5, 2012 3:13:57 PM UTC-4, M L wrote:

Hi David,

 How are you liking the rostock?  I am working on building one right
now as well.  Just ordered steppers and RAMPS for it, still have to
get belts and pulleys.  I am worried that it will be hard to
troubleshoot - if there are issues such as having a twist in the frame
or misalignments of the precision rods.

 -Matt

On Wed, Sep 5, 2012 at 2:12 AM, David Buggs <david...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I have my Rostock [admittedly not an M2], which has a high center of gravity
> and moves aggressively, sitting on a hardwood horizontal file cabinet that I
> picked up from IKEA over 15 years ago.  It is stable and does not move a
> bit.  I use the drawers for supplies.
>
> Buggs
>
> On Tue, Sep 4, 2012 at 9:51 PM, Doug <dougc...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> So it should be known that the M2 printer deserves a sturdy table to sit
>> on.  I built mine on the dining room table and have done the first couple of
>> prints on this table.  Its "somewhat" stable, things roll around on it while
>> printing and my laptop screen bounces back and forth, not an ideal spot for
>> a printer.  Because I also want some place to eat I need to move the printer
>> to my CNC room, the room where my diy cnc router lives. I don't really have
>> a decent table in that room either, just some ply wood across saw horses.

>> So I want to ask is what types of tables/workbenches are people placing
>> their M2's on?  How are they built and generally how sturdy are they?
>>

[Doug]

I like the shelves and the size looks right but not I'm a fan of the casters.  Bricks in the bottom is going to be the way to do it I think. Let us know how it turns out

[David Buggs]

You are correct to be worried about getting the frame straight and all the angles correct.  Make certain you use a template.  I used a protractor and got close on my first go round and ended up cutting top and bottom on a laser cutter and using a 3D printed template to get the screw positions exact.  My first attempt at calibrating left the middle of the print area seemingly low and the edges high side to side but ok back to front so I replaced my top and bottom pieces to correct the issue.  With the exception of steppers and the Audrino Mega/RAMPs boards I have parts to build another one or perhaps two more or to sell parts as hardware kits.

Buggs

[Doug]

I looked around a little and found two options that fit what I'm looking for

 

http://www.micromark.com/machine-tool-stand,8436.html 

 

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=240-7159&PMPXNO=4882181&PARTPG=INLMK3

 

The prices are a little high when you account for shipping but I like that they are built for benchtop drill press/mills.  I also think the leveling feet are very important, so it doesn't wobble at all.