Orso
New Member
Posts: 6
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Post by Orso on Mar 18, 2019 21:47:00 GMT -5
I'm about to take the plunge on an AR4 Pro and was hoping for some feedback from owners before I do. The door into my shop is only 26" wide and I've read that the machine is 27" tall. Can anyone verify if the machine height includes the rubber discs that go in between the machine and the stand? If so I was hoping to be able to just take those off before I try to get the machine through the door.
If the overall height is without the rubber discs how many other people would be recommended to pick the machine up and maneuver it through the door? Thanks
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johnb
Full Member
New owner @ March 2019, AR16 Elite, Aspire, 4th Axis & Laser
Posts: 326
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Post by johnb on Mar 19, 2019 7:09:09 GMT -5
Have you considered removing the door and "angling" it through the opening? The max height of the machine is only at the top of the box on top of the gantry. You might consider powering it up first and moving the gantry all the way to Y0 before moving it through the doorway. Use 2 of the four wheel furniture dollies (cheap at Harbor Freight & Northern).
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Orso
New Member
Posts: 6
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Post by Orso on Mar 19, 2019 7:35:31 GMT -5
Thanks for the response. I was planning on taking the door off first. And I was actually also going to get one of those carts from Harbor Freight as well. I currently have an Iconic CNC where the AR4 is going to go and getting that thing through the door was a nightmare without a cart. If I were to stand the machine on it's front do you think I could angle it in without any problems? And how many people do you think it would take? Thanks
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lco
New Member
Posts: 2
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Post by lco on Mar 19, 2019 8:27:18 GMT -5
I just installed an AR6 Pro and it required at least three people, but we used four ( one was a teenager ). This thing is not lite. As long as you have plenty of help there shouldn't be any reason you couldn't get it through the door.
The rubber grommets that go between it and the stand aren't installed either.
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johnb
Full Member
New owner @ March 2019, AR16 Elite, Aspire, 4th Axis & Laser
Posts: 326
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Post by johnb on Mar 19, 2019 8:54:03 GMT -5
I wouldn't rely on a single moving dolly. Putting it "on end" is going to make for a much more unstable load, but that may be a requirement depending on how far the door is from the adjacent walls. If you do put it on end, know that you can move the spindle (and thus the high point) to one side or the other of the gantry along the X-Axis without powering it up (I found no way to move the gantry manually along the Y-Axis on my AR16 Elite, your mileage may vary). This will help when angling it through your doorway. I don't know how much of the weight of the machine is in the machine vs. stand on your AR4 Pro. (Call Axiom and ask). Mine weighs >1400# with the stand (to which it is already mounted when shipped). If 1/2 your weight is in the stand, two stout people ought to be able to move the machine alone. You may be able to "tilt" it onto the dollies and avoid lifting the entire weight, but you'll have to do that eventually to get it onto the stand once you're inside the shop.
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Post by stevem on Mar 19, 2019 9:01:35 GMT -5
From the bottom of the rubber discs to the top of the Z motor cover is 31". You could take the cover off and even unbolt the Z stepper motor that will give you plenty of room.
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loren
New Member
Posts: 67
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Post by loren on Mar 19, 2019 9:39:19 GMT -5
I moved mine downstairs. I used a 2x6, some scrap 2x4s, and some wheels to make a carriage so we could safely set it on its side, roll along floors and slide down stairways, etc. Here's a phone image one of my friends took 1/2 way through as we were pivoting around a tight corner that sort of shows it: The spindle is surprisingly heavy.
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Orso
New Member
Posts: 6
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Post by Orso on Mar 19, 2019 9:55:15 GMT -5
I moved mine downstairs. I used a 2x6, some scrap 2x4s, and some wheels to make a carriage so we could safely set it on its side, roll along floors and slide down stairways, etc. Here's a phone image one of my friends took 1/2 way through as we were pivoting around a tight corner that sort of shows it: The spindle is surprisingly heavy. Thanks for the pic. So you can take the spindle assembly off of the Z axis? I think that would clear up any issue of getting it through the door.
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loren
New Member
Posts: 67
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Post by loren on Mar 19, 2019 10:10:52 GMT -5
Sure. Only minor issue is dealing with the coolant lines - you need to have some little stoppers to keep the hoses from dripping.
Be ready for the weight of the spindle when you loosen the bolts - you don't want that crashing down on the table.
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309cnc
Junior Member
Posts: 124
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Post by 309cnc on Mar 19, 2019 10:42:28 GMT -5
Another approach.....? Best $170 I ever spent was hiring a local mover to take my AR8 from the garage down into the basement ;-)
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minn
New Member
Axiom AR-8 Pro+
Posts: 10
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Post by minn on Mar 19, 2019 11:18:33 GMT -5
Like 309cnc, I hired a moving company to take my AR8 from the garage to the basement. Best money I ever spent too!. They used straps to carry it down the steps. As you can see in the first picture I braced the crossrail assembly with 2 X 4's using the T-slots. What I didn't think about until too late was clamping the spindle assembly so it didn't move.
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Post by Rob Austin on Jun 18, 2019 11:08:15 GMT -5
Can you mount this CNC on a fold up platform? My current CNC is used flat but I fold the table up to store it.
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Post by Axiom Tool Group on Jun 18, 2019 12:54:06 GMT -5
Rob, that would not be recommended.
The weight and balance of these machines would be expected to far exceed any folding platforms capacity.
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Post by Rob Austin on Jun 19, 2019 23:00:37 GMT -5
I currently have an X-carve which is much lighter and it is mounted on a flip type table. I want a better more robust CNC but would like to store it away when not in use.
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Post by gerry on Jun 20, 2019 9:57:23 GMT -5
You won't mount any decent CNC on a flip table.
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Post by Rob Austin on Jun 20, 2019 14:42:29 GMT -5
I'm running it flat. When I'm done i move the gantry to the back so when I flip it it does not move much.
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loren
New Member
Posts: 67
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Post by loren on Jun 21, 2019 8:31:35 GMT -5
A wheeled stand maybe your best bet.
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russ
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Posts: 16
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Post by russ on Jun 29, 2019 0:44:19 GMT -5
I currently have an X-carve which is much lighter and it is mounted on a flip type table. I want a better more robust CNC but would like to store it away when not in use. Your x-carve is a great lighter weight hobby level machine. Any decent “robust” CNC such as the Axiom line, will be much heavier (much heavier) and larger than your x-carve. You will quickly find it impractical to store away and impossible to mount on a flip table. These things are beasts, especially when you start adding stands and toolboxes.
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