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Minor update: I've added a bus bar for all the earth connection points, changed the spindle wiring to proper flexible CNC rated cable, earthed the spindle, earthed the machine frame, and tidied up...

Cut my first aluminium component with the router this weekend:

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First successful CNC project, it's an open source board game called iso-path, really fun to play

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There is a single threaded ground on the machine attached with a star washer, I just haven't included a picture on the forum because it's not particularly interesting. There is only one 240v...

I'm not an electrician so I'm sure this is not the proper way to do it, but everything metal is connected to the house earth through the plug. Australian plugs have an earth connection, and this is...

Hi Randy, a very reasonable question! Generally having the table set up this way, all else being equal, is much more rigid than having a moving gantry. You also don't have a stack up of the play in...

This weekend I made the outboard ballscrew supports for the X and Y axes.

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First cuts! I flattened the 19mm MDF table top, one corner was ~2mm lower than the rest, probably a bow in the MDF which is annoying, but a good test of the machine.
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Haha thanks mate, lots of mozzies around my area so the bug zapper is an unfortunately necessity.

I did a bit more on the CNC over the weekend, I plumbed up the coolant system and mounted the...

It moves!

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Always a big thrill when a machine takes its first steps. I also fired up the spindle with the VFD and that seems to...

I decided to go with the legs directly under the gantry, I believe it will be less likely to bow in the middle set up like this

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Had some time yesterday afternoon to start adding legs to the CNC machine.

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I was always planning on building a table to put the...

Tightened up the Y axis stepper motor stuff and cut 4 legs for the stand.

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Then I realised I didn't have any steel to make the...

Steppers installed with longer bolts and adapters for the (too big) ballscrews, now onto wiring!

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Y axis ballscrew and stepper mount almost completed

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The threaded plates were welded to the main frame
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A little more progress on the CNC, I've finished the X axis ballscrew mount and welded the Y axis slider mounts to the table



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Hi Ardenum, all MIG so far. I wanted to use my TIG for the table but it recently blew up :tired:

Thanks Pete! Just don't look too closely at the car yet :D

Another small update - I've fully welded the table structure and sat it on the rails with the rail mounting blocks.
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Thanks Luke, it must be one of the slowest builds on cnczone but I'm making more progress now that I have the garage set up and work on my car should ease up a bit now it's (hopefully) reliable.
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Well 6 months ago I bought a house and now have a small double garage to continue working on the CNC router.

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Well the ballscrews have been machined to suit the flange mount bearings and I'll be mounting the Y axis ballscrew to the gantry next.
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Instead of mounting the Z axis rails to the Y axis plate, mount the rails to the Z axis/spindle plate and put the bearing blocks on the Y axis plate.

The way you have drawn it will always have low...

Hey mate, that first video is extremely impressive, well done!

Well I've got my Z axis finally assembled, shimmed, and seemingly operating perfectly, although with a little more friction than I'd like... it will work until I can use the machine to make a new one...

Wow, that looks incredibly useful. Nice find!

Thanks nejckovka. I've been doing little bits on the CNC over the last few months but haven't made any real progress. My living situation will hopefully be changing in the next few months and I can...

You should flip around your Z axis so the linear slide carriages are on the X (?) axis plate, and the rails are on the moving part of the Z axis. A small change that will improve rigidity

I'm still plugging away on the build!

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Above is the X axis plate with 4 of the 20mm spacers I made, as well as the 6mm side...

Not a big update but I've made 8 x 20mm thick spacers required to get the correct ballscrew/linear slides spacing for the machine.

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