I’ve been working graveyard shift and was playing around with extending the x carve to a 5’ x 10’ work area. or 1500mm x 2750mm.
1st the x axis: Easy, either 40mm x 80mm extrusion or a c-beam from openbuilds whichever is cheaper. I roughed out the cost of the c-beam and the stuff to make that work and it came out to roughly $140 including shipping.
2nd the y axis: had the idea of buying 2x 1000mm and 2x 750mm makerslides.
Using 5" x 3" x 11’ angle and drilling some precision holes I could attach the makerslide to the angle. Then screw the angle to a wooden frame and, well you get the idea you get the idea. The price to do this was about $200 this idea sounds good until you try to add a waste board. keeping near perfect precision over this large of an area is a challenge.
So after some pondering I came up with the picture you see. (after some though I would replace the 2x4 with a 2x6 for the added z height)
Basically I would build a sturdy 2x6 frame roughly 10’.5" x 5’5"
The Y axis 2x6 would be capped with a 3/4" x 3/16 angle iron. On top of the angle iron is the 1 3/4" T-bar. 2" Lag bolts on the top and 1.5" lag bolts on the side hold everything together.
On the bottom of the 2x6 another 1 3/4 x 3/16" T-bar is bolted on with lag bolts. This leaves a .875 ledge to attach 3/4" square tubing to.
The waste board will bolt to this tubing.
The original makerslide requires the v-wheels to be roughly 1.738" apart, the T-bare is 1.75 so close enough that the eccentrics will work. 8 of the steel v-wheels from open builds to replace the plastic ones. and you have a very stable y axis and the C-beam will be a very stable X axis.
Hope you followed along. I may try this one day I might not, what this really boils down to… is a slow night and a couple ideas.
What do you think?
A rough estimate this would cost about $450.
Biggest question I can think of is “how precision is angle iron”
This is as close to scale as I can get it with a ruler.
For the y axis yes. It would be reinforced by the 2 T-bars and the Angle iron.
The Y axis has no load (it’s supported by the table the whole way) so the length doesn’t matter.
The X axis would basically be stock but instead of a 40mm x 40mm extrusion it would be a 40mm x 80mm extrusion
Again, I’m on the last stretch of a 90 hour work week so mental clarity at the end of a 14 hour shift if kind of limited. Lol
My hopes are to make enough “neighborhood entrance signs”, “barn brands”," large man cave décor", ect… to pay for a solid machine. The X-carve is great for what it is, but its frame is weak. I think what that this idea has potential. I mean seriously even if the cut speed and the accuracy stay the same, it will be ok, because I’m not trying to cut parts for NASA
I upgraded my XC by changing the X and Z axis to a c-beam and doubling the Y rails to make it 2000mm long. I have found the added length to be a HUGE improvement.
Before I had a machining area of 32" x 32". I found I could get a standard 4’x8’ sheet of material cut into 6 pieces (24"x32") easily enough. But now I can easily use the precut 2’x4’ sheets - which has been a huge improvement. Especially when working with MDF (I just get the thin precut sheets from my local Home Depot)
I also redid my waist board to have clamp holes that matched pegboard. So I can use a sheet of pegboard as a sacrifice sheet. - This has also been a huge improvement.
I doubled up the Y rails because I was able to use the extra maker rail from my old X axis after the upgrade. (I did this before inventibles came out with the upgrade kit) I probably could have gotten some new 1800mm rails instead.
I made support brackets to hold the Y rails and had them bridge the seam (I also raised the rail higher). I had a heck of a time lining it up. The trick that finally worked for me was to loosen the bracket, position the gantry so a v wheel was over the seam, then tighten everything up. This worked surprisingly well.
I said this in another post, but I will repeat it… when you upgrade you 1000mm x1000mm x-carve with the solid maker rail and x-controller you have extra wire and 2x 1000mm maker rails. you pretty much have the fix’ens for a 63"x 32" machine. we just need to convince inventables to make the maker rail available in sizes larger the 1000mm.
overhere in europe there options for longer makerrail
This shop in germany has normal makerrail up to length of 6000mm and makerslide max 
(40x60mm) also in length of 6000mm
