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I’m very new to the community, and just purchased, a couple weeks ago, a 1000mm X-Carve.
I am very excited to recieve and assemble it for sure. I’ve made a spot in the garage for it and have a table (I hope) all ready. One question, though:
It is a 48"x48" steel top that’s 1/2" thick, mounted on 1/8" thick wall 2"x"2" steel square tubing. It was an old welding table. This thing is indestructible. I’m not worried about racking/twisting at all. It is however 1/32"-1/16" off level in one corner. Can I use this table with the xcarve shimmed in one corner to keep it level? Should I make a top to go over the existing table that will keep it level? Or should I just build a wood one?
I’m unsure of how it’s mounted to a table until I get it.
Thanks for the response. I figured there would be a way to shim it somehow to get it leveled out.
“The more mass the better.” Yeah. The top alone probably weighs 350 lbs easy. The whole table? Maybe 450. Luckily it’s on industrial casters, or there’d be no way to move it.
Now regarding the table, it may be indestructible, but it’s not going to be level enough to use with a CNC machine. Now that doesn’t mean you can’t use it - you can (and should). However there are several things that you’ll need to do before it should be used. You’ll need to level it, but it still won’t be what you need for a proper CNC base. For this you’ll need to make something called a Torsion Box. They are simple to make and won’t cost much either. In order for the X-Carve to accurately cut, it will first need a level “reference” point from which it’s resting on, that’s the Torsion Box. Even if you made a table from scratch you’d still need a Torsion Box, so you’re already ahead of the game Kenneth. Below is a couple of pictures of a Torsion Box, and a good video on how to build one.
Your table is plenty level to use. Even torsion boxes people have built have been off by that much level. It’s one corner barely off? It’ll be just fine.
My machine isn’t even level and it works without issues.
The biggest thing to keep in mind is the table being perpendicular with the Spindle. I would add 1,if not two, layers of MDF then you can come back and surface the MDF. As long as the base is stable, just surfacing the wasteboard should solve your issues. Just make sure your z axis is properly trammed so that it cuts the waste board perfectly flat with no steps.
Just to be clear, the Xcarve dont have to be level - you can mount it at an angle or even in the ceiling should you desire it.
What you need to do however is making sure its square and supported, once there you skim the waste board so it is perfectly parallell with the Z-height.
"Just to be clear, the Xcarve dont have to be level "
I guess I was imprecise when I said level. Flat is probably more accurate. one corner of the table is off. Sort of one of those “Three points define a plane, four points define a taco” things.
I’ll get it set up to the best of my admittedly limited ability, see what’s wonky, and fix it later. I’m lucky enough to have a beast of a table to set up on.
That’s probably the plan. I should be able to avoid some of that sloping corner. Guess it all depends on how rigid the xcarve is? I probably bought a larger machine than I needed, but I guess it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
