That is some table top! Very nice. I would have been tempted to fill the inside with concrete.
Dang, that is one hella good-looking table! Going to be solid as a rock.
This is the jig setup I used with the 3/8" box-joint blade to cut the slots.
The setup worked very well. The table size is 45" X 45" just a little bigger then the machine itself. I figured if I need extra space I would add a fold out table.
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Rusty, itās only saskatchatoon where you canāt find in-treated 4x4ā¦ Lol. Here on Vancouver Island they sell it at 7/11
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<img src=ā//discuss-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/original/2X/0/052b5dafb5382b5451168071ef18b05c5d951481.jpgā width="690 height=ā388ā>
Itās not as pretty as the others that have posted here, But it gets the job done.
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I didnāt like itā¦ Makes my machine looks like a shiā¦ 
After several iterations, and lots of headaches, Iāve gotten my workspace to a place where Iām happy with it.
Itās not as pretty or as dedicated as some of the other ones I see here, which Iām blown away by, but itās functional (finally!) and Iām really going to enjoy using it.
Some highlights:
ā¢ Resin countertop baseplate for the X-Carve is super dense and SUPER flat. This will help keep the bed true, though I may have to screw it down as itās also very smooth and slippery.
ā¢ Detached the microcontroller from the power supply and wired the steppers, homing switches and spindle power into a terminal block.
ā¢ Added a couple of Molex connectors (not pictured) to the wiring loom. This was a large headache to do and there are a couple of loose connections so Iād like to re do it. I bought a 12pin and two 6s but I really should have held out and bought a 20 or 24. Crimping the terminal ends is a pain even with the crimper tool. Itās important to get extras. But the convenience is worth it.
ā¢ Monitor is on a tilt-swivel wall plate I bought from MicroCenter for like $5.
ā¢ Iām running GrblController as a Gcode sender on a Raspberry Pi with a wireless keyboard. I still use Easel to generate the Gcode but thatās on my computer in another room, so I donāt get it all manky and full of sawdust.
I had to troubleshoot the wiring because when I set up the grbl shield I soldered 2 sets of header pins to it, which at the time wasnāt a big deal but when I rotated the unit it caused me to put the limit/logic connector on the wrong set by mistake, and caused all sorts of problems. First I blew out a Z switch in a failed homing attempt, then the shield wouldnāt communicate with the pi unless the connector was undone while opening the com port, then m3/m5 wouldnāt work to turn the spindle on and off. I double checked each connection with a multimeter, but it wasnāt until I checked against a photo of the shield that I realized it was on the wrong set of header pins.
What do those other 8 pins do anyway? Other than cause me problems of course 
Next steps are to create some tool and bit storage, Iāll probably see if I can find or have made some MDF thatās the exact thickness of the void under my X-Carve just for added stiffness and flatness.
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You donāt need longer cable, just make one lower level extension to your table, put some cover protection with the hinges to protect it. when ever you need, you can pull open hinged cover. Your table looks beautiful.
Thanks. It was built a day after ordering. Couldnāt wait.
As for the longer cable. I want to be able to sit it next to the pc. I plan to build a pseudo enclosure for them both. A little more protection from dust. Dirt. 3 year old. The usual. Also planning quick disconnects. In case I have to move it.
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And dear lord. Next bit HAS to be the dust boot. I canāt babysit the project for 8 hours using the shop vac every 25 minutes.
I re-purposed a Triple monitor stand that was laying around to hold my VFD and laptop. I have one unused arm that I am undecided on what to do with yetā¦
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Koozie cup holder for your adult beverage?
Oh wait, power tools + adult beverages = bad jujuā¦
soft drink?
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Camera to record the carves?
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Alan, do you need any kind of air deflector when you use a dust shoe like that?
Air comes from Dewalt helps to clean chips out of cut, makes it nice clean. Iām agains deflector. Answer is no.
I was beginning to think I was the only one who realized that air was there for a reason.
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Iāve had my X-carve for a few weeks now, but hereās my workspace and setup. My stock 300w spindle died a couple weeks ago, and when I requested a replacement, I was told they were on backorder for a couple weeks. They were nice enough to send me a universal mount/plate so I could use my Craftsman āspiral sawā. Iāve had it for a few years, never used it, so I figured what the heck. It runs off 19.2v battery packs, so I figured 24 volts wouldnāt hurt it too much, and if it does burn it up, itās not a big loss.
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There you go, McGayver invention. Anything it takes to see some carving on the surface. Looks great.
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