Good Morning. This is a terrific forum! I, like many here, am entirely new to CNC and waiting for delivery of my OneFinity Woodworker. Between now and arrival at the end of April, a workstation needs to be built, and after arrival the OneFinity will be used to cut the parts to build Mitz’s sliding enclosure.
My question is about the appropriateness of using locking wheels to make the workstation mobile. Does the workstation need to be absolutely immovable during machine operation; or, are the small movements that might occur with a mobile workstation inconsequential to the accuracy of the OneFinity? I imagine a situation in which the action of the machine movement is met by a reaction in the workstation and the resulting movement of the workstation, no matter how small, might cause problems.
Jim,
If it is able to wiggle and wobble it will. When making fast moves it has a fare amount of momentum. I would be cautious of caster if you don’t require mobility and if you do use them have a foot that can lift them off the ground if possible over using locking ones.
Jim, I am in the planning process for my table and plan to use Kreg 3" Dual-Locking casters. I am very much a beginner but believe that a small amount of wiggle is acceptable.
This is the third set I’ve bought from them. They’re also on my planer and jointer. You essentially get casters and locking feet in one. The reason this worked well for my cnc table is that the torsion box top was way stiffer than the base, but having the levelling foot allowed me to raise the base corners independently. I was able to easily level both axes. If I need to move the machine it is easy to get the top level.
Good luck.
imgona, thanks for taking the time to respond. Kreg makes terrific stuff (there are case upon case of blue screws in thousands of pocket holes joining every bit of framing in the house we are bringing to completion) and their casters are no exception.
I am a belt and suspenders kind of guy, and if there is a possibility of even little problems I like to eliminate those problems up front so they don’t lead to other or bigger problems later. The OF team has gone to great lengths to come as close to absolute rigidity of their frame. My initial guessing about maintaining the quality of that rigidity throughout the entire system, including the stand, seems correct based on other responses here.
I have a mobile workbench consisting of a rocker panel cart under a torsion box/20 mm system work surface. The cart has aftermarket double locking casters. Everything is super rigid, and the locked casters work well - until there is sudden or significant lateral force applied. Then things move - sometimes a little and sometimes a little more. This makes using the Domino and Lamello joiners somewhat dicey, especially when making deep mortices with the Domino. The movement has, on occasion, introduced error. It seems logical that similar error could be introduced when using the OF on a catered cart, no matter how rigid the cart.
roylnn has pointed to a terrific solution (THANK YOU roylnn!) and while it is a little pricey it does provide mobility (if a little inconvenient) and rigidity. When things go wrong (as they must in this imperfect world) I won’t be wondering if the work platform is part or all of the problem.