I want one....

[upscale]

[quote author=jmbfestool
Ive decided 100% to build my own.  I would have considered buying it if it was £6-7k with all accessories included.  I'm sure many more people would be it.

I've got a couple of welders and an awsome welding mask i bought. [/quote]

Sure, you might be saving money on material by building one yourself, but you're putting in the labor building it and that has to be worth something too.

 

[jmbfestool]

[quote author=jmbfestool
Ive decided 100% to build my own.  I would have considered buying it if it was £6-7k with all accessories included.  I'm sure many more people would be it.

I've got a couple of welders and an awsome welding mask i bought.

Sure, you might be saving money on material by building one yourself, but you're putting in the labor building it and that has to be worth something too.
[/quote]

Yes thats very true!
However i believe material cost will be £2000 at most.  My dad isnt very good pratically but he can weld. Im pretty crap at it im still learning.  So i can get my Dad to do all the welding.... free

His job isnt very hands on so he loves working with his hands when hes off for a month at a time.  All i have to is design it for him and cut all the steel correct angles and sizes because hes not very pratical like that.

but still i dont think it would take that long to make it all and i would be saving well over 10k

If it took me a week to do i dont earn 10k a week lol

 

[Carl Prentiss]

I don't know where the 30K figure came from but this is what's showing in the US. It's still not tall enough for JMB and it looks like the package doesn't include everything shown in the video annnd the accessories are costly but it's a lot less than 30K.
Rangate Link

* Edit: It's really not clear what's included as far as accessories.

 

[Thunderchyld]

Charlie, I'll do some digging, see if I can't find the info link I got the number from. 

From the summary I was reading a few months back, the initial price is just the frame and table, zero clamping elements.  Each of the uprights is $600 or $1500, depending on rack and pinion or hydraulic, $3500 for the lateral press portion, $500 per for each rack and pinion plug(of which the video shows 8 at one time) $4000 for the equipment cart, and so on. 

 

[Carl Prentiss]

I think that if it came with nothing, that would end my consideration of investing in it.

 

[Nippychippy]

that's pretty cool
but for 30,000 for a full set . I would think your mad
you could build a whole array of dedicated assembly jigs and tables and a shed to put them in for that money
im sure you will build it for 10k or less.
a lot of the features are only showing off features that you could do cheaper other ways .
like gluing up worktops or wider boards

I think it's a classic case of it being a niche product and having the typical niche price!

The thing in my mind is that your expensive station is tied up till the glue dries.

... wouldn't it be cool if there was a glue that stayed "wet" until you hit it with a signal, current, activator or something ... maybe a "sonic screwdriver" [big grin] so it instantly set. That'd save some time.

You on about this kinda wood welder?? I wanted to buy one a couple years ago but that is another tool which isnt that cheap.  Only works with water based glues

My mate has one. He got his for £100 or from a company going under.  Jammy buggar

That's the one I was Looking for jmb. You pal was a lucky bugger

 

[upscale]

[quote author=jmbfestool]
Yes thats very true!
However i believe material cost will be £2000 at most.  My dad isnt very good pratically but he can weld. Im pretty crap at it im still learning.  So i can get my Dad to do all the welding.... free

His job isnt very hands on so he loves working with his hands when hes off for a month at a time.  All i have to is design it for him and cut all the steel correct angles and sizes because hes not very pratical like that.

but still i dont think it would take that long to make it all and i would be saving well over 10k

If it took me a week to do i dont earn 10k a week lol[/quote]

Anyone know if the base sheet with all the holes is aluminum or steel? How readily are sheets like that available? And, when you finally get your hands on one, you lose half your mind drilling 5,000 holes in it. 

 

[Carl Prentiss]

From the Rangate site (although the holes don't look like 2mm):

Product Description

The perforated plate is made of solid 6mm steel, with 2mm holes at precise 50mm intervals. There's enough flexibility to support and press any shape or curve you can glue. Optional rack and pinion press elements can slot right into the plate like a pegboard, and exert pressure at any position and angle your workpiece needs.

 

[jmbfestool]

From the Rangate site (although the holes don't look like 2mm):

Product Description

The perforated plate is made of solid 6mm steel, with 2mm holes at precise 50mm intervals. There's enough flexibility to support and press any shape or curve you can glue. Optional rack and pinion press elements can slot right into the plate like a pegboard, and exert pressure at any position and angle your workpiece needs.

I tottally agree when i read 2mm my first thought was no way do they look like 2mm holes.

I thought might be miss type and they meant 20mm

 

[Kev]

From the Rangate site (although the holes don't look like 2mm):

Product Description

The perforated plate is made of solid 6mm steel, with 2mm holes at precise 50mm intervals. There's enough flexibility to support and press any shape or curve you can glue. Optional rack and pinion press elements can slot right into the plate like a pegboard, and exert pressure at any position and angle your workpiece needs.

I tottally agree when i read 2mm my first thought was no way do they look like 2mm holes.

I thought might be miss type and they meant 20mm

They've got to be 20mm .. plus the "intervals" must mean 50mm between the edges of the holes, in other words 70mm centres

 

[Thunderchyld]

Hmm, I wonder what would be cheaper, having the metals company drill the holes or taking the time and drill bits to lay out and drill em yourself?

jmb, if you want to make one a bit taller for architectural millwork and the like, one of the standard sizes of plate steel is 5 x 10 ft, I'd go three or four plates long.  Even be able to do some driveway gates on a rack that's 10'x20',  ;D

 

[Kev]

You wouldn't want a 10x20' plate steel wall falling on you [eek] [scared]

I'd be very curious about how much the clamping pressure would deform the holes (if at all) in 7~8mm aluminium plate.

Atlas Steel in Oz offer:

Aluminium Plate
Alloy 5005, 5052, 5083, 5186, 5454
Temper H32, H34, H116, H321
Thickness (mm) 4 to 25
Width (mm) 1200 to 2500
Length (mm) 2400 to 12000, Customer specific length
Finish Mill, Customer specific finish,
Coating PE Coating (not standard)
Plasma profile To customer drawings

... you'd just need a frame and some very accurate hole drilling - imagine drilling a hole in the wrong spot of your 2500x5000 aluminium plate [crying]

 

[jmbfestool]

You wouldn't want a 10x20' plate steel wall falling on you [eek] [scared]

I'd be very curious about how much the clamping pressure would deform the holes (if at all) in 7~8mm aluminium plate.

Atlas Steel in Oz offer:

Aluminium Plate
Alloy 5005, 5052, 5083, 5186, 5454
Temper H32, H34, H116, H321
Thickness (mm) 4 to 25
Width (mm) 1200 to 2500
Length (mm) 2400 to 12000, Customer specific length
Finish Mill, Customer specific finish,
Coating PE Coating (not standard)
Plasma profile To customer drawings

... you'd just need a frame and some very accurate hole drilling - imagine drilling a hole in the wrong spot of your 2500x5000 aluminium plate [crying]

Good thing about aluminium I  can do it on my cnc.

I might do it with 30mm birch ply.

 

[jmbfestool]

Hmm, I wonder what would be cheaper, having the metals company drill the holes or taking the time and drill bits to lay out and drill em yourself?

jmb, if you want to make one a bit taller for architectural millwork and the like, one of the standard sizes of plate steel is 5 x 10 ft, I'd go three or four plates long.  Even be able to do some driveway gates on a rack that's 10'x20',  ;D

Funny you mention driveway gates. I just started doing one last week. 
Cantiliver... welded two existing gates together onto rail.  With angle iron welded on top for when i get round fitting top wheel supports.

Just gotta attach rack and pinion and motor and a post on the closing side.

Excuse the welding i had a few goes. After my dad decided I would be best practesing on scrap lol haahaa
Plus using the old welder and 25year old welding rods was pretty much impossible eventually welded 60% of it decided to buy a new welder and welding rods.  Man the difference!!! So much easier.

 

[J@mes]

Similar clamping systems like that come up various auction sites 2nd hand for a fraction of the cost. Not as sophisticated but maybe a good basis to adapt to work for you.
Nice to have the capability to clamp door frames but not that necassary as everyone seems to use screws to pull the joint up tight whilst the glue goes off.

 

[HAXIT]

You wouldn't want a 10x20' plate steel wall falling on you [eek] [scared]

I'd be very curious about how much the clamping pressure would deform the holes (if at all) in 7~8mm aluminium plate.

Atlas Steel in Oz offer:

Aluminium Plate
Alloy 5005, 5052, 5083, 5186, 5454
Temper H32, H34, H116, H321
Thickness (mm) 4 to 25
Width (mm) 1200 to 2500
Length (mm) 2400 to 12000, Customer specific length
Finish Mill, Customer specific finish,
Coating PE Coating (not standard)
Plasma profile To customer drawings

... you'd just need a frame and some very accurate hole drilling - imagine drilling a hole in the wrong spot of your 2500x5000 aluminium plate [crying]

Good thing about aluminium I  can do it on my cnc.

I might do it with 30mm birch ply.

Before aluminium or brich ply, try Panzerholz. If you have never heard the name, I am going to make it easy for you.
Just give them a call for pricing and info.http://www.ltlewis.co.uk/b15.htm

 

[RickyL]

Panzeholz is a good shout, as an engineer of steel rather than wood in my day job.

If you can afford the weight, mild steel would be great for cost and strength. But stupidly heavy. 5000 x 2500 would be around 1000kg.

The best way would be to get it laser cut, in smaller sections. Then if wear, corrosion, damage occurs you can replace that section.

2400 x 1200mm sheets are standard, so that would be a good size for the height. Next size up is 3000mm x 1500mm. With the laser we can hold around 0.1 to 0.2mm accuracy on holes at 20mm for round/taper. But you could chase them through with a drill pretty quickly.

You would then just have in each corner some countersunk allen heads to bolt each panel into your frame.

 

[PreferrablyWood]

Fascinated by this idea. But the cost and the weight are crazy. I think perhaps just situation specific solutions could be found. Holding band clamps, Pin nailers instead of clamping where the surface is painted or heavily finished. Maybe just welding up a purpose built frame in metal for a serial production run of oversized pieces. Just a set of good normal sided clamps and a hardwood table with lots of dogholes..