4R8's table build

[4R8]

The next installment...... The controller

I wanted the computer separate from the machine as I'm not sure on where the machine will end up in the shed once it's completed, or the orientation in which it will sit. So I went with the following, which will undergo a few changes shortly as plans have slightly changed.

Here's a quick one with a few details to follow.


I bought a rolling tool cabinet that, in my eyes suited the application perfectly. It originally had the base as shown with another section ontop which had two more full width drawers and six 1/3rd width drawers. I picked it up for around $120.
The idea was to house the PC in the lower cupboard but unfortunately the PC I have is a flat unit, not a tower style one and did not fit.
Instead I used the lower section to house the power supplies, Torch height control unit and stepper drivers. I used Al pieces sourced through my father and built a rack to hold all the components which was then mounted to kitchen drawer slides.



The individual components also slide out to make wiring and replacement simple. each driver also has a 120mm PC fan mounted below for help in cooling. It does get up around 50 deg Celsius in the shed during summer!



Now I needed somewhere to house the PC. As it's width was larger then the depth of cabinet, I grabbed a bit of 1.6mm steel sheet from my pile a bent up a piece to house the PC on top.