Disassembly of PRTalpha

[roger_barlow]

Hello, just bought a PRTalpha and have to go and disassemble it. I figured I'd ask if anyone has tips or thing to look out for or the like. I'll be transporting in a 6'x10' enclosed trailer.
Thanks

O.K. did some searches on site - seems to be lots of links about moving. Should'a looked first then posted.

[thewoodcrafter]

You don't say what size the machine is.
But take off the X motors and either tie down the X car or lift it off the rails and set it on the machine table. Set the control box on the machine bed also. Tie everything down and then you need to figure out how to lift the thing.
Now a standard sized machine should fit in 72 x 120.

[myxpykalix]

One person made (for lack of a better description) a wooden boot with a wheel on the bottom for each leg and rolled it onto a trailer.
You might try to rig up some type of trailer jacks.

[roger_barlow]

Yep, forgot to mention the size. 4896 and travel is 8 hr + drive (nothing 4sale local!). Unfortunately, I can't get the bot in the enclosed trailer due to trailer door size. Figured I'd do a partial disassembly of bed and table, and keep gantry whole. Or find a trailer with a bigger door so I can roll it in like I've seen others do.

[Brady Watson]

1) Pull the X motors off of the gantry & zip tie to gantry.

2) Coil all wires and control box & place on 21" wide piece of plywood. Nest plywood in between Y car rails on gantry.

3) Remove spoilboard and throw in trash.

4) Remove all crossmembers from between C-channel/6" extrusion table sides.

5) Protect X rails/table sides/legs from damage with heavy blanket or pad with insulation foam & tie each other with plastic twine/shrink wrap in trailer.

-B

[roger_barlow]

Thanks, should I crate/box the gantry, and if so what size box, I thought I would show up with appropriate packing, not try to make it on the fly. I've got plenty of moving (heavy quilt type) blankets that I use for furniture delivery, thought I't use these for packing bot. Also didn't mention, this has a VFD and columbo spindle.

[Brady Watson]

If you are going to be in an enclosed trailer, then you really don't need a crate. Pull the VFD off the wall/mount & place on it's own piece of plywood. Place the YZ car in the center of the big X car & then put the control box on one side of the YZ car on plywood & VFD on the other side of YZ car on it's own piece of plywood. SHRINK WRAP the entire deal together. You will also want to shrink wrap the spindle & Z axis T-rail to keep it from dropping down to the trailer floor. Place 2 4X4 blocks at least 24" long under the gantry when you place it on the trailer floor. It would be best to drop the X motors and secure to gantry. Then place 4X4X24" blocks under the gantry & shrink wrap into place. Then pull gantry off rails & clock 90° and place on table. Then put VFD & control box on & shrink wrap them. Place entrie assembly into truck. You'll need your wheaties that day...so don't forget to eat!


Secure the gantry to the trailer floor with ratchet straps or box it in somehow to keep it from flopping around. The rest of the stuff is just steel & AL and a few bands of shrink wrap for the X members is all that is needed. DO NOT remove the X rails from the C-channel/AL table sides. Siamese them together with a piece of insulation foam in between. 4X4X12" pieces in 3 places along the pair of sides will be fine to support them. Take care as to how to siamese them so that you don't damage the rails that the v-roller bearings ride on.

You'll need:
Tools:
3/4" , 9/16" & 1/2" standard & deep sockets
3/4" , 9/16" & 1/2" combination wrenches
Regular & Phillips screwdrivers
Pair of side cutting wire snips

Lumber/Supplies:
1 Roll of 6" plastic twine/ shrink wrap
1pc 4X4X96" lumber (cut to spec)
Ratchet straps
1 pc 24X48X1/2" plywood (cut to fit in between Y rails) Shoot for 24X21" ea.


-B

[roger_barlow]

Outstanding, thanks Brady