This is my newly finished Hardware store CNC machine. Let me know what you think!
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki6YhrPeuQM]Home made CNC with hardware store parts - YouTube[/ame]
This is my newly finished Hardware store CNC machine. Let me know what you think!
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki6YhrPeuQM]Home made CNC with hardware store parts - YouTube[/ame]
Here are some pictures:
You have done an excellent job. It seems to work very smoothly. A great machine to get into Cnc.
Judleroy
Thank you!
I have a lot to learn, but I'm certainly addicted. I have been working on my code writing, in the video I have a lot of unnecessary and redundant machine moves. I have reduced my cut time dramatically just from experimenting.
I think I have less than $200 into the machine....including electronics. I also designed and built it rather quickly...less than 2 weeks, after work.
I have the TB6560 driver ($22), a 12v power supply ($12) off ebay and small 5.3v/ .75A stepper motors ($10).
For the computer running the whole deal, I used a HP Pavillion 503n I had laying around.
How do you guys wire up everything? I want sockets on the cpu case that I can plug the steppers into, so I don't have to drill holes and use grommets. As you see from the pictures below, I need to clean up the wiring.
I think most people have an external box for the stepper driver and breakout board and then the parallel cable connects it to the computer. Since you have the stepper driver in the computer itself you could use something like this.
Two Serial (DB9, RS232, COM1) Ports Bracket with Cable | eBay
Then get some DB9 connectors (even from the local Radio Shack) and put those on your stepper motors. A few other stepper drivers like the Geckodrive G540 use the DB9 connector as well so if you wired things up the same way you could transition to a G540 down the road if you wanted.
Nice build! That's a good arrangement for getting reliable motion from drawer slides.
One weak point looks to be the use of a single narrow rail for the Z axis, that's a lot of side leverage there on that narrow rail. I would be tempted to screw a flate plate of wood to the Z structure, then use 2 drawer slides for Z or 2 rails/rods of some type.
And maybe lower Z a little bit, to give you a bit more rigidity to cut out flat stock as being "addicted" I'm guessing you will use this machine to make parts for the next one...
Thank you!
I was thinking the same thing about the Z, but turns out, it's the strongest axis! The part I need to make is the router mount itself, as you can see I have a pipe clamp and some wire holding it on.
And yes, It's already cutting parts for the next machine....
I love it!!! Well done and don't worry about cleaning up the wires....:cheers:
Take a look at this for a cheap $29.99 spindle choice;
http://www.harborfreight.com/electri...aft-44141.html
That will be easier to mount than the Dremel and a much better functioning spindle.
You really think it will be a better spindle? I can see it being easier to mount. I just used the dremel because I had it but it seems to have some run-out. Does anyone use the Harbor Freight spindle? I'd be interested to see how those bearings are compared to the dremel.
Wow.. Great idea for a CNC machine...
I like it!
Most of it appears very simple...cut and dry!
What did you use to drive the steppers and where did you obtain them?
Hi all,
I have built many cnc desktop routers using drawer slides.Drawer slides are good alternative to linear slides.A repeat accuracy of 0.1 mm is achievable
Here are some machines i have build and sold .I used drawer slides on all axis.
thanks.
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It's a die grinder so it should have better bearings. As for tuning that's questionable. If it were me I'd save up for a Bosch colt or similar small router. Dremal tools do not have good bearings and are not very rigid although it is a good starter spindle.
Judleroy
Sorry instead of "tuning" it should say runout. These iPads auto correct spelling even when you don't want them to.
Judleroy
That die grinder's manual says it's 14 inches overall length and weighs a little over 4 pounds, 500 watt, 25k rpm. It is considerably more power than a Dremel, and far more rigid where it counts.
The big question is what is the typical run-out of these things. I doubt it is as good as most routers considering the intended uses of a die grinder.
CarveOne
CarveOne
http://www.carveonecncwoodcraft.com
Yeah it definitely has MUCH better bearing support in the cast metal "neck" then a Dremel has in it's flimsy plastic neck... Although sorry to the OP, I didn't realise they were over 4 pounds!
CarveOne- usually die-grinding is an application where the runout needs to be pretty small, most air die grinders for instance are pretty good. But these are all probably made in the far east by some factory contracted to the lowest dollar bid... So runout is anyone's guess. I'm still using a cheap brand router with good runout but I hand picked it in the store and it was the third one tested. The other 2 were nasty. And a lot of that is the collets too I think.