Greeting gurus of all things CNC...

Okay, so I've been dreaming of this for what seems to be over a decade.. Started drooling over a TorchMate kit way back.. And was there, that I first heard of the whole 3rd axis/router capability thing... This realization made things worse on me, of course...

So, I'm taking the plunge.. full steam ahead... The construction industry has completely died here in rural NorCal, and I'm earning way below the poverty line now, with my credit destroyed.. I'm getting too old for that line of work, and pretty much hate it anyways, so this is as good an opportunity to go in a new direction as any...

My goal is to eventually build a Heavy duty CNC Router table in it's own (very) little building, and also a CNC plasma table in it's own (very) little building...

Seeing as I have need for a router table 'now'.. but a plasma table requires less 'oomph' and mass.. I've decided to first build a dual use table (I know, total PITA regarding dust management and sparks), that will eventually become a plasma table after I build a Monster High HorsePower Router Table later..(Thinking MechMate)

So this table will start out as a router table, then be modded to be dual use, then later become plasma only...

This one is a 4'x8' 3 axis Rack and Pinion system, mostly using cncrouterparts.com mechanics...

I have purchased the 80/20 for all three axis, the cold rolled steel for the X and Y axis, and the cold rolled steel for the z axis should be in this monday..

I have cut the x and y axis rails, and marked and center punched them to be drilled, soon as the weather gives me a break (I need to do it outdoors)... In the below pictures, I have the X rail bearing carriages held in place with clamps, and the 3060 gantry beam just sitting on top of them... They were taken last weekend..

Since then, I have built a wooden 'assembly table' to be used temporarily while I build the top end and work out all the dimensions.. Once the thing is 'operating' and I have my dimensions nailed down, I will build a heavy duty base table from welded steel...

I'm hoping I can make this wooden table rigid enough to perhaps use to mill my gantry end plate towers, and to also make my router motor mount and dust collection head... Maybe if I cut 'real slow'.... If not, I'll have to pay someone to make them I guess...

I have built the basic wooden table base, and will post pictures of that later today....





At this time, I am planning on 12" of Z travel, and NEMA 23 motors (4 motors, 3 axis)... Between now, and when I buy the motors, I'm hoping some of you can make me feel good about the choices I've made...

I ordered a used PC (2.3Ghz intel duo with XP pro), that I am picking up tomorrow, and all the bearing carriages, plates, acme screw, nuts, thrust washers, etc. for the Z axis should be here in the next few days...

I like Ahrens system, because it is easy to assemble, and can easily be upgraded from NEMA 23 to NEMA 34, which is what I plan to use on the final router table machine...

I am interested in Vectrics Cut 3D, Cut 2D, and PhotoVcarve bundle.... I have Cinema 4D studio for creating 3D files, and also illustrator and photoshop for the 2D stuff... albeit all older versions... I can upgrade to a dedicated design software later (maybe Vcarve pro)... but I'd like to hear about the pros/cons of the various software options available to me...

I'm hoping to have the top end operational by May1st, and the base table complete by June 1st.. and then the rest of the summer to work out the kinks...

Looking forward to getting input from those who have traveled this road before me, so that I hopefully don't stumble too much or stray off the path...
:cheers: