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IndustryArena Forum > WoodWorking Machines > DIY CNC Router Table Machines > new to DIY CNC. want to build. have question about best design.
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
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    0

    new to DIY CNC. want to build. have question about best design.

    Hey everyone. I just stumbled across this forum last night and did some reading... it seems I have stumbled across another hobby that will take years to understand the lingo. Oh well.

    I want to build/buy a CNC machine for a pretty specific purpose. I want to make a small box. Nothing fancy, just 90 degree angles and rough dimensions of 12x8 x 3 inches tall. This will be out of a metal, not sure what kind yet though.

    THE QUESTION: I was hoping to create this box by either CNC-ing it out of a solid block or having a third party cast me a close-enough shape and then I would tidy it up on my CNC machine. Considering the vertical nature of the walls and the the drill bit chuck, will I be able to drill out/touch up the bottoms of the 3" vertical walls? I am concerned that the drill bits wont reach that far down before hitting the top edge of the box. I hope this makes sense. Thank everyone!

    Also, anyone recommend a good kit for this type of project? Don't want to spend too much over a thousand... perhaps 1500 tops.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    409
    You wont find a diy machine for under $1500 that will mill metal. You would be better off buying a small or used Metalworking Mill and convert it to CNC, but even there you will be spending at least $2000 not including software and tooling. Really, to get into the hobby you may spend $3000+

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    485
    Unless you can live with a radius in your inside corners of the box a mill won't make it.
    How many of these boxes will you need? If only one, your better off finding some one to make it for you.

  4. #4
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    Feb 2011
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    0
    I don't mind a minor radius in the inside corners but I was hoping to have clean corners on the outside of the box. I am going to try and make about ten of these boxes, so it's worth my time and money to make them myself. Thanks for the replies so far. I think I am going to end up doing endless hours of research and building my own CNC. This forum is a goldmine of good info.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    435
    Quote Originally Posted by mkyle;895709
    I want to make a small box. Nothing fancy, just 90 degree angles and rough dimensions of[B
    12x8 x 3 inches tall[/B]. This will be out of a metal, not sure what kind yet though.
    Sounds like you need a mill. There are a few who have cut aluminum on here, maybe 1/16" - 1/8" deep, cutting .010"-.020" at a time.
    FLA100 LINK

    I've seen commercial routers cut up to 1/2" thick stuff, but not a DIY build.

    For example:
    [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt7SnKTU0OY"]YouTube - AXYZ CNC Router Cutting Aluminum[/nomedia]

    [nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjvTUJ1lSPY"]YouTube - CAMaster CNC Router Aluminum Plate Cutting[/nomedia]


    Who knows, it might work if you made a small one maybe 12" x 16" using beefy 3030 or 3045 80/20 extrusion.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    723
    Did you see th size of those spindles they are using? That's the key to cutting aluminum like that! Powerful spindles spinning at a slower speed.
    http://www.glenspeymillworks.com Techno LC4896 - 2.2Kw Water Cooled Spindle | Moving Table Mill from Omis 3 CMM, 500Lb granite base | Epilog Legend 32 Laser Engraver

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
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    0
    thanks for the information Lurker. So it seems that unless I get some commercial equipment, making billet boxes out of steel is probably not going to work for a DIY CNC. Hmmm... so how much $$ are we talking to make a DIY CNC that can handle a billet steel box about the size of a large textbook? How much $$ are we talking for a commercial piece of equipment that could make that? I am prepared to fork over a few grand but I need some reassurance that what I could build would get the job done and still be cheaper than just buying something.

    Thanks... keep the replies coming.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    724
    It sounds more in the realm of a vertical mill rather than a router table
    such as an RF45 or Bridgeport, especially since we are talking steel here
    Check your local craigslist as they come up used quite often, where are you located?

    You need to check out the Benchtop Machines - CNCzone.com-The Largest Machinist Community on the net! these machines are much more capable in the steel dept and the travels and capabilities of the "45" series of mill are right up your alley with the dimensions of the "box" you are trying to make, there are several "45" builds going on right now and lots of great support

    JTCUSTOMS

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    385
    Check out the benchtop mill forum. For about 3500 you could build a cnc mill. I'm just starting out here myself and am building a cnc G0704 and getting a G0602 metal lathe. I'm looking at about 5K with tooling and mach using some free programs and cheap CAD programs. Its easy to spend 3K just in the software to run the cnc.

    What you are asking can easily be done on a manual mill. In which case you could get a RF45 mill which are big desktop mills and over time get the pieces to convert it over. This hobby is an adiction. I plan on building a cnc RF45 down the road using the G0704 to make the necessary modifications to do a very nice RF45 build. I want to build a few pistol frames and rc parts so I need something a little faster to build than a 45 now. Also a X3 can be done very fast with a cncfusion kit. Probably less than a week have it converted and running. You would be looking at 3K for that plus software. You can do a lot of your own stuff like ball screws if you also got a lathe.

    Sent from my Droid
    Jeremiah
    PM45 CNC Build in Progress

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    724
    Beat you by a minute Maglin but good advice none the less
    How is that lathe conversion coming? Working on one myself right now

    JTCUSTOMS

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    385
    LoL. Funny. I was using my phone. I'm not going to do that lathe for a while. Once I do decide to cnc the lathe I'm going to hit it hard and heavy, but I don't see needing it CNC anytime in the near future. Unless I want to start building Pistol barrels in which case I'll dive in it. I'm hoping to get a RF45 this year after the 704 is running smoothly and bringing in come spare change.

  12. #12
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    Feb 2011
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    0
    Hmmm okay well I will be doing some more research on bench top mills. I am absolutely unfamiliar with most metal working tools, I am a woodworker by nature. Thanks for the help.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    37
    My best answer is if you can provide a budget for this machine. you could get much more of a direct answer.

  14. #14
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    Feb 2011
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    0
    Budget is 4-5k.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    385
    Oh you should be good then for whatever mill you decide to go with. X2, X3, BF-20/25/30, RF45. Crevicereamer's page has some very good info you might be interested in. I think if you want something like ASAP up and running a X3 with CNCFusion kit and Gecko 540 controller with correct steppers for the 540. You could be up and running in a week or less once you have all the parts. Don't forget about a control computer and either Mach3 or EMC2. Their are free CAD and CAM programs out their that might work for you in the beginning.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Posts
    5728

    This doesn't sound too feasible

    Especially for the budget you're talking about. You'd need to be able to run some large tooling (like 1/2" diameter or better) to get the cut depth you're talking about without a whole lot of tool deflection. You'd want to run it in a large heavy mill, not a DIY router.

    The idea of casting these boxes makes a lot more sense than carving them out of solid blocks of metal. A good casting house will be able to produce pretty good interior surfaces, especially if they're using a die-casting process. If this is the only thing you need a mill for, using the money to tool up for the casting process makes more sense than trying to purchase a mill to do this. If you get your boxes cast and they still aren't up to your standards, then you might be able to find someone who will finish them for you on their mill, but this probably won't be necessary.

    Andrew Werby
    ComputerSculpture.com — Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software


    Quote Originally Posted by mkyle View Post
    Hey everyone. I just stumbled across this forum last night and did some reading... it seems I have stumbled across another hobby that will take years to understand the lingo. Oh well.

    I want to build/buy a CNC machine for a pretty specific purpose. I want to make a small box. Nothing fancy, just 90 degree angles and rough dimensions of 12x8 x 3 inches tall. This will be out of a metal, not sure what kind yet though.

    THE QUESTION: I was hoping to create this box by either CNC-ing it out of a solid block or having a third party cast me a close-enough shape and then I would tidy it up on my CNC machine. Considering the vertical nature of the walls and the the drill bit chuck, will I be able to drill out/touch up the bottoms of the 3" vertical walls? I am concerned that the drill bits wont reach that far down before hitting the top edge of the box. I hope this makes sense. Thank everyone!

    Also, anyone recommend a good kit for this type of project? Don't want to spend too much over a thousand... perhaps 1500 tops.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Posts
    2392
    There's a ton of tried and proven technology for making steel boxes, either as light weight enclosures for electronics right through to sold pressure vessels and security safes.

    Generally it involves cutting and bending sheet steel to shape, possibly some welding, with thick walled boxes usually just welded and not bent. Anyway it's a common industry and there should be plenty of metalwork manufacturers that can make them to order for you.

    Machining boxes out of huge solid steel blocks sounds about the worst possible way to go about it if you ask me.

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