Quote Originally Posted by Frank S View Post
I read these newcomer posts almost every day. the unfortunate thing for HMT is many newcomers never return for follow ups.
Jon is very diligent in moving many newcomer's queries to other sub forums when they post questions on how ot build or when they post their creations here as well.
It seems like I've been making my own tools since way before Hector was a pup.
It's interesting that you are considering cutting off the rails of your build because of the rust, A lot of times most things can be cleaned up with a little stoning.
Glad you will be having some space allocated for your projects. In the past when I had good facilities I used to allocate some space for young men to work on their projects for free and never regretted doing so.
What cad work do you do? I 've been using Solidworks as my primary and Autocad as a 2nd since 1999
Good luck on your projects and by all means post some of your work in the tools in progress sub forum as a member of the older generation I am always delighted to see the next generation take up the torch so to speak.
I will post a bit more once my old truck is sold and I have space to make projects. In the mean time I may make a simple thread for a tiny press brake I made.

The rails are merely square tubing. I could just get new steel and replace them, but since I will soon have shop spaces I am going to build a 4' x 8' table instead of 4' x 4'. The electronics and motors are still the same.

Eventually I intend on using solidworks, but can't justify the cost. With the classes I am taking though I may be able to get a student version much cheaper. I currently use sketchup and QCAD, but I can still make some pretty complex things, which you will see in my future laser cutter thread.