Welcome thread-tell us about you.

this sight is a little overwhelming at first. so much info to sift through. ok, here is the reason i dont post......i know nothing! i do know i have 14" logan i am hell bent on retrofiting. i also know its not going to happen anytime soon. so, i am just trying to soak up as much general info as i can for now. besides every question i ask and get answered just leads to two more things i never even thought of before and results in more questions. a vicious cycle no doubt.

i do see alot of retrofited mill/drills and homade routers here, but not too much going on with lathes, unless they are micros or minis. i would love to brain-pick someone with experience in converting larger American lathes. as far as the mechanical part of a projectlike this, it doesnt seem too rough, but the electronics half leaves me lost in the sauce.

Hi,
This is a great site. I have been lurking around for some
time now, and decided to register. I run a small job
shop in southern kalifornia. I am facinated with building
cnc machines. Never relized how much work goes into
building these cnc's.

I just found this site today and along with practicalmachinist I don't think there's any question I have that couldn't be answered! I've been doing engineering work at a company for the last 3 years and before that spent some time in a medium size CNC shop as well as 7 years as a patternmaker (patternmaking the old fashioned way mostly). Great site.

Jason

ok!!!!! here is my post
help
in the past few months i have built some sort of a universal machine that can cut dove tails ,mortise and tenons ,and can be used as a copy mill
The all system runs on linear bearings (not shaft)
i am now tinking to make it cnc controlled. the only poblem is that i know absolutely nothing about this kind of stuf.looking on the net i saw people using printer motors to make small engraving machines
my question is this:i can see the way i could use my old large format dot matrix printer for the x axis but how would i control the y axis????
for experiment sake i would built a much smaller machine becouse the present one is too big to be moved by a printer motor

Hello, New guy here. I am a cnc machinist, vmcs mostly. I do some programing, trouble shoot new programs, ect. I am always looking for useful knowledge, and hope I find some here, looks promising

I like to say hi to all of you.
I am cnc programmer.Working for mold shop using cimatron.
I started a new job and progamming Heidenhain 430 control.
Post do not work so well and this control is a new for me.
I will need some helpwith the posts.
thanks

Howdy all.

I'm just joined up recently. I seem to be getting my feet wet in a few areas.....not excluding making myself look a bit silly (proof at http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showth...&threadid=4776 )

LoL, DAB! :cheers:

Hello, my name is Patrick and I'm a carpenter working in NYC. I've been a lurker for about 3 months and started posting about 2 months ago.

This is a really great site. I first saw a cnc machine (hobbyist version) about 3 years at a woodworkers show in NJ. It was the shopbot. In January of this year, I saw the shopbot again at the same trade show and this time the machine was cutting out a sign. It was the coolest thing. He had on display several items that the machine cut out and I wanted to buy my own machine. Well the $5000 price tag sort of cooled that desire. Well, over the next few weeks, I started thinking about CNC machines and then finally I started checking out the internet. I found cranky's site and started reading up on hobbiest machines. About 2 weeks later, I found this site and that was it. I learned a ton of stuff about the different disciplines involved in building and using a CNC router.

At this point, I'm building my own machine and I hope to be finished with it in about two months. I want to thank all of you for your help and insight on this wonderful hobby.

you can check my progress here

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showth...&threadid=4752

Greetings, I'm Max.

I've been lurking around for a few days.

You guys are quite a creative bunch.

I've been wanting to build my own router for some time now.
You guys are not making it any easier. To many choices;)

For some background on myself,
I own a small business that produces decorative products(vases, candleholders, furniture & etc.)
I have a few machine tools, two of which I retrofited with CNC(Lathe, mill). They both have AHHA drives, drivin by flashcut. My best tool is a 97 Haas hl-2. (I do need programing advice from you Haas guys.)
To add to the fun, all of these tools are in my garage. Yes, I do live in a homeowner's association.
Nobody has complained, so far.

That's it for now.

Talk Soon,
Max

machine ed - re linear bearings of UHMWPE and Delrin(r)
Like all good engineering plastics, these 2 enjoy EMBEDABILITY, so they can swallow harsh particles that would otherwise harm the guide rod/bar. However they have a low elastic modulus (that's French for they deflect under load) and their linear coefficient of thermal expansion is rather high -maybe 6 to 10 times that of metals. If you factor in those characteristics, you can do well with them. I'd suggest UHMWPE is the silent winner here, as you can purchase it skived (peeled) in ultra-precise thin tape, to use as a scarf-joint gapped bushing liner, or a thin adherent strip on a way. But don;t get carried away with high rotation speed bushings, where the low thermal conductivity will refuse heat dissipation. Low speed, high pressure is their area of dominance. UHMWPE (how high is high when it comes to molecular weight of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene? Maybe a couple million and up...) has abrasion resistance to die for, plus particle embedability, plus low surface energy that allows beautifully regular, thin, skived tape. Delrin has a high modulus of elasticity and can be precision machined like brass (even to responding to the same tooling angles for rake and clearance). Keep them thin for controlled deformation and higher conduction, confine them to low bearing velocities, remember they ain't metals, they are cute partners to metals - enjoy. Regards, Terrence

Hello all!!!
Just wanted to chime in and say that I really enjoy this forum and have learned alot by "lurking" in the background!! This is only my second post and I know I have alot to learn...If you see my first post, you will see that I have already "learned" how to spell "learned"!!!
Have A Great Day!! :cheers:
rt..

:cheers: Hello there. I am from Brazil and i am about to start to build my first CNC. I am just an inventor adicted an found this group. Amazing! I never though to have my own CNC. I think i will have success. Every help is welcome.

Thanks and sorry about my english.

Hello CNC goers,
I'm pretty new I guess, I think I'm about ready to start buying stuff for my first CNC, so maybe I'll get a project log up 'n goin' sometime soon. I do have questions though, but I'll start them in another thread
----------------
Personal quote goes here

Hi, I haven't posted yet because I am not really even into CNC yet. I have been trying to build a CNC mill for various projects I feel that could benefit from the use of one, but the problem I am encountering at the moment is I am trying to lower the quill of a drill press for the Z axis, but I am not sure how to do it. there is only a short threaded bar exposed on one side and the 3 arms on the other. was going to hook up a gear to the threaded section but not sure how to hold it in place. the threaded bar also has a slit in it that a flat pin could fit through, or something...

but apparently I wasn't one of the lurkers you were counting because I didn't even have an account here yet. which is fitting because I dont have a CNC mill yet. hopefully soon I will have some time to spend on it though.

NICK

Hey everyone, I just found this forum so I thought pop in and say HI.
I am Tim from Centerline, MI. I am a WIRE EDM guy, and have background in other methods of CNC machining. So, just wanted to intro myself and check out the board, it looks like a pretty active place which is kewl...

:cheers:
TC

Welcome to the site!

Hello all,
my name is jeff and i am a machine aholic just like everyone else on the site, ive been lurking around for a while now and really enjoy the site. I work at a Ford dealer in
Orlando Fl fixing blue ovals all day, and usually spend most of my off time thinking of
something to machine. i havent really posted too much because every question ive had is usually answered very thoroughly by others. I have a maxnc 10 and a minitech
mini mil2. i use bobcad v19 and mach 1 primarily to program. thanks again for the great site.

Well I guess I had better get my first post done too. I am new to this all and have been lurking for about a week now trying to learn both the CNC thingy and the site's layout. Boy what a wealth of information to take in.

I live in Enterprise, Alabama and am an aircraft mechanic here at Fort Rucker, the home of Army Aviation. I am retired from the US Army where I learned to work on helicopters. I am a R/C hobbiest and fly both airplanes and helicopters.

I am also trying to learn CAD. I have downloaded the freely availible TurboCAD Learning Edition (4.something) but I fear that I will not be able to learn on it since the tutorial didn't come with the download version. Guess I will have to break down and try to buy a copy.

I want to get invovled by building my first CNC machine to cut out parts for building airplanes using balsa and ply up to 1/4 inch. I also want to build a CNC foam cutter to do wing panels with.

I have been dreaming of flying a B-25 for a long time and have the plans for the 101 inch wingspan Nick Zirolli B-25. I think it would be just grand if I learned to scan in the plan parts, trace in CAD, then cut them all out on a CNC router machine. Yea, I know, I could just buy then for a few hundred dollars but I think if I did it this route I would have something else besides an airplane to show for my work and money.

Hi
My name is Mark. I work as a CNC programmer using MasterCam and found this site recently while taking an online course on parametric programming. I recognise a few people from the MasterCam forum.
The timing is great, I just bought a mini-mill cnc on E-Bay (haven't got it yet) and see a lot of useful information here. Will probably buy a lathe and convert it to CNC in a while. Just trying to figure out what I need, and maybe make a little money, too!

Mark

Welcome to the site!

Hi there! Welcome to the "noob" team! hehehe. I am starting this journey too and i hope we can help each other. I´m trying to build all the stuf with recicling parts, from old printers to used nylon plates. If you find a good PCB lay-out for unipolar steppers, let me know ok? I have an adress from PCBs, but i did not understood what PCB is better for me. Look for it in the "open source" seccion.

See ya!

Lurking for the last week or so. Joined a week or so ago... Can't stop reading and absorbing... I'm in southwest georgia, a packaging engineer by education, line supervisor, by trade. I'm always looking for new skills to add to my repertoire. This site is great!! Friendly help just a post away..... I'm still digesting all of the information already posted in preparation for my first cnc router table. I've never done machining of any kind, unless you count handwork to teardown the bearly functional, and build the nearly uselees, but highly amusing....

Hi all, my name's Ed and I'm in the Philippines. Have been lurking here and trying to get some ideas. I'm very interested in CNC routers as I've only seen them in big operation cabinet and door shops. There are quite a few number of small-scale door and cabinet shops here and I plan to be able to supply them with CNC Routers that has 24" x 36" and 36" x 60" capacity. Am also checking out 12"x36" 4-axis capability for balluster shops. Bedroom and kitchen renovations have been picking up and owners of these mom & pop cabinet shops that I've talked to listened intently but expressed concern for training and technical support.

I've contacted a company that makes CNC Routers btu they're not interested in opening an overseas branch. So, I guess I have to learn to build it and open a shop myself.

Great site!

I'm like Machine Ed, a newbie. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but I love learning new things. Kraig

Howdy,

I'm also new to the site and CNC. I'm in the design stage of my CNC dremel. I have the stepper controller built (HobbyCNC kit) so I've got money in this thing now, better acctually build a machine! The machine will be used to make foam and/or wood patterns for my aluminum foundry. I'm a mechanical engineer, so the electric part is not nearly as much fun for me. IC's don't react well to my BFH!

Great site, keep posting so I can keep absorbing all the good ideas!

Do your machines, but try to automatize old machines, manual drillers, etc... that´s the start.

Good luck and let´s project together! I´m from Brazil and have not many helpers heare too. Lucky me to have this site, great frienda, great professionals, great teachers.

See you arround!

Ito-BRAZIL! :cheers:

Hello Kenbeth,
Where might you be picking up your diamond burrs?? I've been using a cheapy set from H.F. . There ok, but I've seen better. What info have you.
Thanks
Neil

Hello All,

I have been a lurker since May looking for the right machine to build. In June Patrick2by4 came up with that great aluminum tube Gantry header and I was on my way. Joined in July. I am now 90% finished with a 24" x 48" milling area. The HobbyCNC chopper board is assembled and wiring has started. At present I have about $2000 invested in my new hobby. Wish to thank all that have taken the time to write this forum with their ideas and plans it has been a great help to this newby.

Thanks,
Dan

Well, my projects are more "poor" in money, because i am trying to construct from trash, or better: my machines will be constructed from recicling parts, as i could. Of course the PCBs i will not fint there on trash. I still have no diamond burrs, my first projects are to make wood, aluminum and copper millings.
If you have some good PCBs that can get 3.1A let me knoe, ok? And if you know how to use the Computer POWER to the motors, please tell me.
ITO-BRAZIL!

I'm thinking of starting a part time home based cnc machine shop using a 3 axis retro (centroid) bridegport mill and a saw, investing the $4500 annual fee for mfg quote.com. Is there any body out there that can give me some input on mfg quote.com? Have you used it? Is it a rip off? Are we competing with slave labor quotes?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Schulze

just a programming student now. Absorbing info when I can understand it.

---

Have you ran machines in the past?

there a is a forum around here about quote.com about a month ago. Every reply said they didnt make money off it :P I think of another way :)

*edit

http://cnczone.com/forums/showthread...ight=quote.com

here the posts :)

also like to addon that i have never used it.So It still might be good but havnt seen many good things about it. But maybe that is the problem? :idea: if anyone says somthing good,that means more join and less money they make haha :nono: maybe you can talk them into giving you a month for free? if they dont even do that then they must just suck.

John
Another new member just starting out, I'm from Newcastle NSW Australia and trying to find local suppliers for my first router.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by johngodf

John
Another new member just starting out, I'm from Newcastle NSW Australia and trying to find local suppliers for my first router.

---

Welcome to the zone and try here- http://www.cnczone.com/modules.php?n...ategory&cid=17

howdy all. i am an employed aerospace machinist in phx az.
now for my next trick, stay that way. i enjoy forums, and some correct
answers now and then..hehe.....

Name is Greg I also answer to any other 4 letter word too. Live in West Texas ( armpit of the southwest) Auto mechanic by trade, Build race car chassis at night for fun. Long time lurker (sorry) 3rd post for me. Wanted to build a CNC plasma cutter to make parts for the chassis I build. A Newbie section would be nice as this site has way too much good info and can be intimidating for a Newbie. A newbie section would let them get there feet wet. At work when I am training a new pup (newbie) I can look over and see the lost look in there eyes , but in and beak the ice. The site needs as most do, an "ice breaker" to get them to post that first one and get them pointed in the right direction. One more thing "The only dum question is the one never asked" (unless you ask a mechanic how to speel) ;-)

Nice site
Thanks

Hi guys i am some steps aheaad from you. I am about to finish my first driver.
To start to imagine a machine, you guys must viit the PHOTO Gallerys and then go there:
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showth...90&page=1&pp=5

Good luck and i hope see your macinhes soon! :cheers:

this is my third post as well.

as many of us have found, the amount of information out there is very overwhelming, so i posted a question trying to figure it all out, and after 4 days of waiting and no answers, i just kinda gave up on posting. i see a LOT of question threads with 0 answers. the information about this hobby is just SO disperse and hard to figure out. so, im just working on a few pages on my website that i will devote to explaining it all.

oh, and as far as an introduction, im a student but i also work full time as an audio/home theater salesman for a high end store. i do DIY audio projects as a hobby. im looking into doing a CNC machine to do more precise cases for my audio projects, and not have to outsource as much. here is some of the stuff ive done so far.

http://www.cowanrg.mesanetworks.net/projects/

Wow, cowanrg ! Nice job! You ar an artist!
Well, as you know i am new with this hobby too, but i am some steps ahead. What is your needs? My first ressearch finished, so i can help you with your first steps.