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I’m completely new to CNC operations. I’ve been a conventional woodworker all my adult life. I take delivery of my new X Carve Pro on Thursday. I’m very excited and want to prepare the table for it. I purchased the 24” model figuring that I can tile longer projects. I plan to place the machine on a heavy duty metal bench with a 2” butcher block top. This bench is mobile on heavy duty (locking) casters. This would allow me to move the bench with appropriate infeed/outfeed support for tiled projects.
Does this pose any problem with the initial leveling, set-up and surfacing of the machine?
I would think that as long as the surface is co-planer to the machine, that rolling the assembly around a slightly sloping garage slab would be okay, but would appreciate any reassurances or feedback.
it only causes issue if you try to follow the part of the assembly where they bust out a level. Well it could also be an issue if the table is poorly constructed. I made mine using a torsion box design for the top and lower layer , & used 4x4 for the legs and there’s quite a few cross braces to keep the table very square, but even then it rarely gets rolled around the shop, I don’t think it’s moved in 9 months. Moving around a flimsy table could allow the base to shift and that could allow the cnc frame itself to get out-of-square and that would be problematic.
…Yes as long as the wasteboard surface is parallel to the spindle plane of movement than “level” plays absolutely zero part in a CNC setup. The stock wasteboard is Oversized, meaning you cannot surface the Entire thing, this causes issues with your Tiling. Sooo I suggest adding a Sacrificial Wasteboard atop the included one, the sacrificial one being smaller and within the surfacable work area, and surface that one flat and parallel to the spindles plane of movement. This will make future projects easier and more accurate!
I did almost exactly what you did and regretted it. I built a metal frame with heavy duty locking casters for easy movement. I used 3/4" melamine for the top since I know it would keep flat and straight, then I added the machine on top of that. problem was that the floors of my workshop over the years have kinda gotten rather uneven so the wheels of the frame sometimes never always sit flat (at least not all four at once) this put a strain on the entire table and caused the entire contraption to go off balance and unlevel. Levelling the machine takes a lot since the floors are wacked, but once I get it done, it works…until I have to roll it out to do a tile cut and have to spend a tidy bit of time getting it setup. I should have made my table stationary by attaching to the wall, get it levelled, then install the machine parallel to the wall (Y Axis) with enough space on both sides to slide my work pieces. But like they say…OOOPS too late. Don’t fall into that same situation.
just 3/4" plywood, the torsion spacing was about 6" apart. Was screwed and glued to keep it all as rigidly in place as possible.
basically this method for the squares sandwiched between 2 pieces of 3/4" for the top/bottom of the torsion box… i did this for both the top of the table and for the lower shelf as well…
Your table sounds like it should work fine. For casters, I recommend the kind that are retractable. Then attach leveling feet to the bottom of your table legs. You lose a tiny bit of vibration control with the leveling feet, but I don’t think it is significant.
I looked at those before I bought the ones I did. I think I would have gotten them if my table wasn’t already at the correct height. They look like they might provide more shock control than the single screw that holds leveling feet.
Thanks for all the input. I will need to keep the table mobile if I do any tiling. I’ve opted to install heavy duty retractable casters before I set the machine up.
The downside is that my machine comes on Thursday but the casters don’t come until Saturday. I’m going to stare at an unassembled machine for 3 days!!
