[cncgabe]

So after carefull searching, and shopping for a cnc mill i decided to build my own. I have been designing the components since October in Solid Works. I converted two machines to cnc before, and i feel with my machining experience i can construct a Mill more precise, and rigid for less than $5000.00. I will be documenting every part of the build with Hd photos and videos.

I work for my dad, and our shop shuts down for over a week during these holidays. I will have complete axis to our Hardinge Vmc, and Harding Cobra Cnc Lathe. So i am on a short time frame to construct this, other wise i'll be staying after everyday... tearing a job out, setting up my mill parts, working a couple hours, then setting the job back up before the next working day(pain in the ass).

What i have so far
8-22" nsk linear guides
3-6"W x 24"H x1"D precision ground 1018 steel plates
2-4"W x 24"H x 1"D Precision ground 1018 steel plates
6-6"W x 6"H x 2"D Mill finish 1018 square blocks
1-Sherline spindle(Just will be temporary use until i can build my own atc spindle) all the grinding work involved won't be a project i can complete in 2 weeks).
3- Rolled ball screws, and mounts
1- Dmm tech 900w 3 axis servo kit(this bumped the budget up a little but i figure it will be worth it in the long run)
1- 1hp Dc brushless motor(assuming my dad bought it for me for Christmas)
plus
all the appropriate screws, drill, and taps

Total so far about $3100.00(if i designed it right and im careful this should be all my expenses with exception to the spindle i haven't designed yet, and enclosure.)

The idea behind my design is as little machining as possible, mainly drill and tapping. the only milling required is for the x, y, z, table carriage.

Also everything is modular and can be unbolted and arranged in different configuration. Like rotating the head and using it as a gang style lathe,

or removing the Y axis bolting on just a vise, or a rotary table.

eventually this will be a 5 axis mill, just with the budget i have now i can't accomplish this.

here is a picture of the above items(except the servo kit it is supposed to ship tomorrow Fingers crossed)

All i have now are the attached folder and this quick solid works video of my design. I haven't put the counterweight pulley on or the spindle pulley but you get the idea of what im going for. The steel carriage's actually ride on gibs on the precision ground base along with the linear guides, this should help rigidity and vibration. everything will be surface ground and once fitted dowel pinned to allow me to disassemble and assemble without a mass amount of indicating.

the counter weight is using your standard "weight lifting plates" i did this because i will be adding more weight, and didn't like the idea of shocks of any kind i would rather have a little less weight ridding on a linear rail to insure there will be no spring or shock failure. 2 cables will attach to the weight block run over two pulleys on top of the column and allow for about 10 to 15 lbs of down weight on the z axis(for backlash if any) All items on the mill are steel.

[cncgabe]

okay spend majority of after work today surface grinding my new vise square, but i did manage to mount the base in the vmc and run a spot drill with a sharpy to check hole placement. Unfortunatly our vmc only has a working envolope of 23.62 on the x axis, the plate is 24.0" so i have to do it in to operations.

here is some photo's and a video of the spot sharpy!

[will gilmore]

Awesome. Looking forward to this build. You did an amazing amount of planning and pre purchasing. Good luck!

[cncgabe]

DMM servo's came in today, they look great and lets just say will over power this mill for sure(better over than under). Also got a box of goodies consisting of t-slot cutter, and some carbide tin coated end mills. Will post pictures later. Camming up the center drill, drill, tap. Should be done in about 1 hour. Thanks for the reply i at leaste now know im not preaching to deaf choir.

Gabe

[thewho]

Looks like a great build :P

But the base looks a bit weak?

[cncgabe]

Its 1 inch thick steel plate but it gets bolted to a Heavy Duty machine table.

[cncgabe]

all the holes for the rails, and ball screw mount are drilled and tapped. right side is milled, all thats left is the 1/2x13 holes that mount the plate to the 3/16 thick 10,000 pound capacity machine table. seen below with the dmm servo's on it! a very progressive build how often do you get to see a mill built in one week?

Gabe

[hesham morsy]

hi cncgabe
the base looks a bit narrow the table well vibrate look at the Hardinge Vmc base


http://www.cnczone.com/forums/vertic...wn_design.html
http://www.5bears.com/cnc.htm

Good luck

[thewho]

Ah, I see
Keep the pictures (and videos) coming

[giz]

thanks for posting the progress so far! this is the first time I've seen a photo of the DMM servos that allowed me to judge the size - they're larger than I imagined.

[cncgabe]

giz, i agree, they are much larger than expected but feel as if they are constructed well and turn easily.

Today we completely finished the milling on the bottom base plate. I have a buddy helping me, he sets the part in the machine and the tools. I work on the cam. Its a great system.

here are some videos and pictures enjoy.

hesham, the table weighs 200 pounds and has 3/16 thick steel frame all the way around with a steel support beam in the middle. Im sure it will vibrate but all machines vibrate. i realize the Hardinge mill has a bigger sturdier base. that's why it was $70,000 dollars. i have no clue how my mill will preform and its a gamble im going to take. i can always make a bigger base. or run two 4 inch thick steel 12" long rectangle bar horizontal under the base.

[godbk]

Here are the pictures from today.

[Norvil l]

Its refreshing to see a project that is moving forward instead of another one of those Cad-Cam drawings followed by endless months of pretentious engineering calculations.

[cncgabe]

Its refreshing to see a project that is moving forward instead of another one of those Cad-Cam drawings followed by endless months of pretentious engineering calculations.

My endless months of cad-cam calculations where done over the last three months. I decided not to share the build untill i actually started it.

I will not be working on this today, but work will continue hastily through the next 7 days.

Gabe

[hesham morsy]

happy holidays at the workshop :wave:

[aarggh]

Neat build Gabe, look forward to seeing the progress!

cheers,
Ian

[cncgabe]

Neat build Gabe, look forward to seeing the progress!

cheers,
Ian

thanks, i hope i see progress also

Well i hope everyone had a great christmas, it will be a 15 hour day in here trying to continue this project. I got my spindle motor for christmas, along with a breville epsresso machine both will come in handy for this build lol. My wife who is a photographer is coming in today to take some pictures with her camera of progress and components. the quality will be far better than the cell phone pictures we have been taking here. Waiting for my buddy to show up.

Gabe

[cncgabe]

Well progress is slow but study, it seems like everything goes wrong when your trying to get something done in a timely fashion. the coolant pump decided to lose its prime this morning, along with a little solid works assembly mistake(easily corrected). but whats really slowing me down is the fact that i don't have the luxury of scraping one out since each precision ground plate runs a hefty $150.00 each. may not be alot in the sceme of the build but it all ads up. I don't really have much room left in the budget for more parts.

And rigid tapping is nerve racking as hell i don't care who you are.

Thats all for now
Pictures to come later.

Gabe

[giz]

Its refreshing to see a project that is moving forward instead of another one of those Cad-Cam drawings followed by endless months of pretentious engineering calculations.

My endless months of cad-cam calculations where done over the last three months. I decided not to share the build untill i actually started it.

Zing!

And I'm not sure which threads you are reading Norvil, but the amount of actual "engineering calculations" found here is... minimal. Even rarer is someone actually using their calculations to make design decisions. I for one, wish there was more of it, but then again the majority of the forum-goers are not engineers so it's a lot to ask of them.

[godbk]

Updated pics from today. Showing a quick mockup to display how it will look, when the sides are finished. Making progress.