[buddym]

After a couple of weeks of work my first DIY machine is up and running! I built the BigBear machince from HPDE plastic, and it works great so far.

It's a bit smaller in cut area than most machines I see posted here, but great for a first machine, and it will suit my current needs just fine. The build was easy, the plans straightforward and not geared towards CAD professionals.

I used an FET-3 controller and motors from StepperWorld, Mach3 ran great on the first try! Here's a couple of pics.


BuddyM

[buddym]

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[kosymailman]

Congratulations and Enjoy! Looks like you did an excellent job.

[Madclicker]

There are few more memorable times in life than the first cuts on a router you built.

[Jason Marsha]

Congrats on completing your first build, now the fun begins.

Jason

[Oldmanandhistoy]

Have you started your second machine yet lol. Well you do have a cnc to cut parts after all.

Nice going,

John

[buddym]

LOL, thanks for all of the kind words. second machine in the planning stages! I did swap out the Dremel tonight for a trim router, much quieter! Lot's of learning to do.

[ccsparky]

LOL, thanks for all of the kind words. second machine in the planning stages! I did swap out the Dremel tonight for a trim router, much quieter! Lot's of learning to do.

buddym,

Great job! I have all the pieces cut for my BigBear machine and hope it will turn out as nice as yours!
Which trim router did you use and were you able to use the same tool holder as used for the Dremel?

William

[buddym]

I used the $20 trim router from Harbor Frieght. It seems to work really well. It required a MUCH bigger hole in the mount than the Dremel.

Now I just have to find a place to order end mill bits!

Good luck on your machine, post pics!

buddym

[Drakkn]

I have the plans for this one ,I want to do guitar bodies - what do you recommend dremel or a router - if so which model

[buddym]

Since my machine is new, and I am newbie at this hobby, others here can give a much more qualified answer, BUT.... imho, the Dremel is a great tool for it's tasks, but not for carving guitar bodies. The $20 trim router I bought from Harbor Freight might be up to the task though. It runs much quieter, doesn't get hot, and is only $20 to replace. It seems to have plenty of power so far, and it came with spare brushes.

[chuckknigh]

How bad is the runout? (how "wobbly" is the bit when it's in the chuck?)

When you try to cut a straight line, does the resulting cut wobble all over the place?

The Harbor Freight unit looks quite good...but, frankly, they're not known for tight tolerances.

-- Chuck Knight

[buddym]

So far the router is quite tight, but it is pretty new. The machine cuts a very tight line. I will make some cuts with a 1 mm bit and post later today.

[chuckknigh]

I look forward to the results. I suggested using the same router, a while back, and was told it wasn't good enough.

I'm looking forward to seeing "them" proven wrong! ;-)

-- Chuck Knight

[2muchstuff]

Congrats on your new router there. Not bad for a couple of weeks tinkering around.

[Madclicker]

I have 5 of these HF trim routers. There is no problem with runout. I use them all almost every day, but only for a few minutes at a time. I don't think they would hold up to extended use. I have a 1 3/4 HF plunge in one of the stationary tables and I've replaced it at least 5 times under the extended warranty. I can burn them up at will.

[Talman]

I just got home with one of these orange trim routers from harbor freight.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=44914
It was on sale for $19.00. I haven't run it yet but right out of the box I am measuring runout of about 0.001 to 0.0015 inches. If it can hold that while running it will be a marked improvement over my rotozip which is between 0.005 and 0.01 runout. I don't think it is the bearings in the rotozip but the shaft itself which is not perfectly straight. I have tried two rotozips and both were about .01 out.
I guess we will see how this harbor freight tool does after I make a mount for it.

[buddym]

I have made some test cuts using 1/8" and 1/4" router bits, still waiting on end mill bits. The little orange rtr seems to be ok. I am sure that it wont mill traces between IC pins on a circuit board, but my machine is prob not up to that task anyway. I am working on adapting the clear guide / gaurd plate that comes with to accept a vac hose to help with debris.

Now if I can just learn how to use one of those friggin cad programs!!!!

lemme know what kind of success you have!

[esmiller]

I feel i should provide a safety warning here !!!

I ran this router for about a month.. at one point i ran it too long, and it LITERALLY burnt up.. guess it got dust inside it, or the lubricant burned off when it got too hot or something, and it caught fire inside the casing and melted down..

If you use this router, i would NOT allow it to run unattened !!

Oh, yeah.. one thing.. up until the point where it melted down, it worked great... LOL

Eddie

[Talman]

Awesome!!!:banana: (flame2) :banana:
You know the chinese invented fireworks, seems fitting for a chinese tool.
How long are we talking about here, like 30 mins or an hour or more? I may have to pop a bag of popcorn next time I fire up the old K2.

Seriously though, what kind of milling conditions was the router under in terms of load on the motor (cutting depth, material, etc) and what not. I once got a nice ridgid laminate trimmer which I liked very much but it has a softstart motor that I couldnt use with my speed controller and the onboard speed controller wouldn't go slow enough for the plastic engraving that I was attempting. For 19 bucks this thing seems easy to mount and should work ok for a while at least (no chuck lock button though).

On a side note every time I try to get a nice new tool my wife starts up about the whole we don't have any money, we don't have room for more tools, your robot is a waste of money yada yada. Harbor Freight is like the last ditch paradise of toolmen. You take the wife to the real store for the sticker shock, then you drag them to HF, the magic land where everything costs a fifth of normal price. I can't wait for breakfast when I get have the whole, "a guy on cnczone told me this MAY randomly catch on fire so just be aware of that" discussion.