Raising the Gantry

[gordread]

Hey all, I recently starting doing some projects that require a significant depth of cut, to a point where I needed to raise the gantry from the bottom up one set of bolts.

I found that I got significant chatter on my cutting when I did this. Has anyone else had this same experience? I've tried to slow the cut, take smaller bites with more passes, etc, but I still get significant chatter.

I've thought about replacing the sides of the gantry with aluminum, but that doesn't look like a small task.

Does anyone else work above the lowest setting on the gantry? Has anyone else experienced this chatter? More importantly, has anyone fixed it?

Gordon

[balbritton]

I'm not sure how thick of material you're machining, or if you're machining completely through something, but you could always flip the cradle (where the router mounts) and not move the gantry at all. It's pretty easy to do. This may or may not work depending on your situation, but it is something I've done in the past.

[balbritton]

Also, I have an HD3 and have used that high setting and didn't experience chatter. What material are you using? Pass depth? Bits?

[gordread]

Hey guys. I have the Original Shark HD. I couldn't tell you what the speed was, but I did try several speeds. I'm not machining all the way through the matierial, it is just tall material, I'm using a 1 1/2 long end mill with a 1/2 shank. As well as a roundover bit on a 1/2 shank. I'm cutting fir, just some 2x4s so not really hard wood at all.

Gordon

[pletcher]

Hey guys when doing some machining, I sometimes find I cut the middle of the part down and then when changing bits it is hard to find the projects height because there is nothing to set my touch plate on any suggestions.

[tonydude]

Use bottom left corner for your zero. I always set mine at lower left for my set up and home position, this way no matter what size board you have, your zero will be in that corner.

Tony

[Kayvon]

You can also set your Z based off any empty point on your spoil board/base. I'll often do that when changing bits mid-job, usually using the same empty spot each time for consistency.

[pletcher]

Thanks guys, staying in the left corner seem to be the way to go for me.