584,858 active members*
4,307 visitors online*
Register for free
Login
IndustryArena Forum > MetalWorking Machines > Uncategorised MetalWorking Machines > Vertical Mill, Lathe Project Log > 2nd Build - Steel Tube, Moving Gantry Style, Mill / Router
Page 1 of 4 123
Results 1 to 20 of 74
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    299

    2nd Build - Steel Tube, Moving Gantry Style, Mill / Router

    Several years ago I built my first cnc router. It started as a plasma machine and evolved into a plasma/router/light duty mill. It never really was built to mill metals but, milling metals is mostly what I need it to do.

    So, I decided it was time to build a new machine. This one will be much heavier then the first one. Hopefully it will mill aluminum and steel without too many problems.

    The drive system will be AC servos run through a 1856 Galil card and Mach3. As far as speed goes, the goal is 600+ IPM on rapids.

    Pictured is the raw materials for the build. 6x8 tube, 1018cr steel for mounting the linear rails. Also pictured is the gantry partially welded. 6x8" steel tubing, 1/2" thick wall, 70" long. Weighs about 300# with the flat bars welded on. Add the z axis and a spindle and the "mass in motion" will be over 500#!!

    Some more specs:
    travels: x 59", y 33", z about 15"
    3/4" precision acme screw 2 turns per inch direct driven 1:1 by 1100w ac servos
    Full flood coolant system
    BT30 spindle rated 15000rpm (I know it will be grossly underpowered, but I want to try driving the spindle with a 1kw Automation direct servo through Machs spindle control)
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails DSC_3809.jpg   gantry2.jpg   gantry144534.jpg  

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    392
    Looking forward to see this one come together

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    299
    Some pics of the first router I built several years ago.

    Build thread here First Build


    Gantry style with about 38" x 38" travels and 12" z travel. I should have made the x axis 48"+ so a sheet of material would fit into it. I used THK RSR 15 W rails brand new off ebay. They work very well. However, one problem with the rails on this machine is the y rails are too low and are always covered in swarf. it would have been better to raise them up to the level of the gantry. The other shortcovering of this machine is the spindle. I never had a proper spindle on the machine for metal work. These issues are addressed in the design of the new machine. After I get the new machine up and running I plan to use the rails, motors, leadscrews etc. from the old machine and make a cnc lathe.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails DSC_3939.jpg   DSC_3940.jpg   DSC_3941.jpg  

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    922
    wow that is a awesome setup with the dual pulleys

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    299

    Some Progress...

    Made a little headway on the mill project this week.

    Nearly completed welding the base of the mill together.

    The gantry is welded together and on it's way to the machine shop. I'll have them surface the faces where the linear rails will mount.

    Pictured is the base (upside down) as I was welding the underside.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails DSC_3946.jpg  

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    299

    Mock up...

    Picture of the gantry sitting on top of the base. So far the machine weights about 1200lbs. Gantry is 8"x6"x1/2" thick wall steel with 1" x 3" flats welded to the face. Base is made of 3/8" plate and 1"x2.5" flat bar.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails DSC_3948.jpg   DSC_3949.jpg   small copy-3948.jpg  

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    390

    IT'S HUGE!

    That thing is going to move?!?!

    Best wishes, I can't wait to see how you are going to build this juggernaut of a machine!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    392
    Sweet jebus that thing is beefy!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    20
    I like your design. I'm building a big one too.
    How about the spindle? any thoughts yet?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    299
    Quote Originally Posted by lcarrudajr View Post
    I like your design. I'm building a big one too.
    How about the spindle? any thoughts yet?
    Thanks, lcarrudajr. i have a rebuilt cartridge style spindle from a kitimara mycenter 0, it's bt30 and rated 15000 rpm. Not sure what motor/drive I'm going to spin it with though.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    299
    I picked up the gantry today from the machine shop. They cut the surfaces for the linear rails and squared up the mounting feet. I dropped off the base and they think it may be done next week
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails small copy-0134.jpg   small copy-0136.jpg  

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    299
    Here's a better picture. I don't know why the last 2 pics I loaded won't enlarge when I click on them.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 100_0134.jpg  

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    390

    So this is Really Going to Happen!

    WOW. This is really looking good so far. Can't wait to see the rest.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    299
    Made some more progress. I got the base and y axis bearing mounts back from the machine shop.

    Even though the machine work was ALOT more then I expected to pay, I really think it was worth it. I expect to have a machine that cuts square and has much more precision then the first design. Having all the bearing mounts trued up on a machine that's holds tolerance withing 5 microns gives me a sense of reassurance that i should be able to hold good tolerance on this machine.

    Welded up a stand, primed, painted and mounted the base.

    I chose silver grey because it was leftover from another project so it was a freebie.

    Hope to get some time tomorrow to set the y axis.


    I know it's a long way off but I can't wait to see this thing move!!!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails small copy-41461.jpg  

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    299
    Some more progress....

    tonight I finished drilling and tapping some misc. holes in the 46" long carriers that support the y axis. Then I sprayed Boesheid T9 on all the bare metal machined surfaces and mounted the carriers to the towers. There are four 3/8" bolts that are accessible from inside the towers that hold the y axis carriers to the top of the towers.

    Also got the the Rexroth 25 linear bearings for the y axis cut to length and mounted them to the carriers.

    I intentionally had the slot cut into the carriers so I could use these toe clamps to wedge the rail against the reference edge as I tightened the mounting bolts.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails small copy-4259.jpg   small copy-4257.jpg   small copy-4266.jpg  

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    299
    Well, it's been a while but I finally got some more work done on the mill. I had been thinking of using ball screws instead of the acme thread and delrin nut, but the cost was too high. So I used what I had. After the machine is running and depending how good or bad the acme and delrin holds up I'll consider changing it over to ball screws. Should be easy to do.

    Anyway, here it is...

    Very similar to my first router. Machined the end mounts that hold the bearings, machined the screw ends and mounted them into 1" shafting stubs that fit into the bearings. These bearings are deep groove type and although very inexpensive, they have almost no play. In the double configuration with light preload between them there is less then .001 backlash. Also the flange type bearings allow easy alignment of the screw in relation to the linear bearing. The screws turn silky smooth.

    Next step is to set the gantry onto the y axis platforms and mark the bolt holes. Then I can mount the gantry and start working on the x axis. Also need to make a beam that spans the y axis rails and mount the pulleys and motor. Lot's to do!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails small copy-4390.jpg   small copy-4389.jpg   small copy-4381.jpg  

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    299
    It's starting to look like something.

    While i'm still waiting for the pulleys to connect the two y axis screws to the servo, I got the gantry set up onto the y axis rails and mounted the x axis linear bearings. Everything is fitting together really well. Having all the critical parts machined is making assembly really easy. I should get the pulleys and timing belts this week from SDP-SI so I can get the y axis finished.

    Getting itchy to see this thing move under cnc control!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails small copy-4412.jpg   small copy-4414.jpg  

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    299
    OK, finaly got the y axis drive done. Machined the 44t Gt2 5M pulleys from pulley stock I got from Sdpi. Used Fener Drives tapered bushings for attaching the pulleys to the screws. I made the pulleys 1" wide in case I needed to upgrade the 15mm belts that are now in the machine. Turns out that 1100w servo motor can really stretch those belts and i will have to get the wider belts.

    I may make flanges for the screw pulleys, can't imagine the damage that would happen if one of the belts came off in the middle of a G00 move at 600IPM!!


    video of the y axis doing some moves.
    [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OORg43YlVoE"]YouTube - CNC Machine first test Y axis[/nomedia]
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails small copy-4566.jpg   small copy-4565.jpg   small copy-4553.jpg   small copy-4552.jpg  


  19. #19
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    8
    Very goood looking machine Can you estimate the cost of it?

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    299
    Quote Originally Posted by berzer View Post
    Very goood looking machine Can you estimate the cost of it?
    Well, i haven't really been keeping track of it. Some of the costs as as I remember:

    Steel tubing and plate cut and bent as speced $800
    Servo drives from ebay $1200
    Machine work was about $2000
    Misc parts $1000 ??
    So about $5000 so far.

    The first router I built cost me about $3500 and it's no where near as nice as this one. So I guess 5k isn't too bad.

Page 1 of 4 123

Similar Threads

  1. Will Build a Moving Gantry ROUTER-comments appreciated.
    By CNCfun&games in forum CNC Wood Router Project Log
    Replies: 36
    Last Post: 12-25-2016, 01:06 AM
  2. Moving Table, or Moving Gantry? (For Router)
    By Cryptonic26 in forum DIY CNC Router Table Machines
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 04-20-2011, 08:38 AM
  3. First build! 3-Axis Gantry-style CNC
    By TheBakachan in forum DIY CNC Router Table Machines
    Replies: 25
    Last Post: 04-18-2009, 02:10 AM
  4. New build! Gantry style based on Ahren's parts and 80/20 extrusion
    By groomden in forum DIY CNC Router Table Machines
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 04-03-2009, 04:40 AM
  5. Moving Table vs Moving Gantry; Dremel vs Router
    By chuckknigh in forum DIY CNC Router Table Machines
    Replies: 32
    Last Post: 03-28-2007, 02:48 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •