My new router.

Well, late last year I realised that a larger router was needed.....So I started to build a new one from parts I'd acquired a year or so previously.

First picture is my old router....It lasted less than 15 minutes on ebay before it sold, which was either testament to it's quality, too cheaply priced, or it just looked pretty?

Then the pictures of the new router taking shape.

The frame is 50x50 3mm wall steel tube, the uprights are 2mm laser cut mild steel and the ballnut mounts are 2mm MS laminated laser cut items.

the ballscrews for X and Y are 32mm 10mm lead ground items and the Z is a 16mm 5mm lead unit.

It will be a stepper driven machine with 2 motors on the long axis.

The spacers on the uprights are 3/4" with a 1/4" hole, the bearing carriers are MS 47x50mm and 270mm long.

The ballscrew bearings are 35x15x11mm and not AC type.

Tomorrow I scrounge some materials to make the Z axis.

Kipper,
That first machine was/is PRETTY! Furthermore, your second machine ain't no slouch by any means. Very nice build.
What do you plan on using your new machine for?

Keep up the great work. I'll be following your progress intently.

Randy,

Hi Randy, Thanks for the kind words!

The new machine is intended solely to drill/machine Aluminium sheet items 1.1 meters long with around 200 holes in each piece....hopefully accurately :)

Z axis travel will be around 75mm as it's mostly sheet materials I need to process.

neat to see a build using sheet metal as you have. well done.

Well....the Z has made very slow progress........

Kipper, could you explain the gantry motion of your first machine? I see a drive screw and a belt mechanism; does the belt transfer power to the other side of the gantry motion?
Cheers!

Exactly right Paul....It transferred across with a shaft and a matching belt at the other side