[ezland00]

Hello all,
I am planning to build a CNC Router. I need some information, and plan(s) to help me get started. If you have any drawings and would like to share it with me, please send the file(s) Here.


Edit: Please list the parts that i need.

Thank you
EZ

[ToyMaker]

EZ:
I'm sure there are any number of people here who will be glad to help you along with your project (I know I will as much as I am able).
But, and this is a big one , I for one expect you to do at least the ground work yourself. You'll get abundant answers for specific questions.
I think Robert Heinlein said it best "TANSTAAFL" (there ain't no such thing as a free lunch).

robotic regards,

Tom
= = = = =
Bringing quotations into your life and life into your quotations.
- - Dr. Marde Grothe

[Mr.Ed]

Well, i wish you the best of luck. Sometimes you need it when building along. I'm still building myself and had to rethink a lot of parts as i proceeded. But then again, i built along without drawings or plans. Once you understand the big picture, the building plans will follow shortly. For instance, make your own.

Anyway, as we are into mentioning abreviations, maybe this one comes in handy :

RTFM (Read The Fxxxxxx Manuals)

Good luck,

Ed.

[ezland00]

Thanks for the info. Any Plan(s) that you can recommend?

[Max]

here's some links ...

http://www.machinetoolcamp.com/

http://www.campbelldesigns.com/



(your mileage may vary ....)

[E-Stop]

Another link for Plans:

www.crankorgan.com

[ninewgt]

What Size machine do you want to build ?? Have you looked at Data-Cut ??

I bought plans from DataCut and Machine Tool Camp.... then designed my own machine - a 4 X 8 machine - you can see pics on this forum.......

Good Luck !!

[chuckknigh]

We need you to narrow down some of your options. For example...do you have some type of project in mind, for which you will use the router?

If you want to cut clock gears (my purpose) then your machine will be very different in both size and design, than if you want to do micro-engraving, or if you want to cut out full sized airplane parts, or if you want to carve statues.

Yes, it makes a difference.

The type of routers we usually discuss are 3 axis routers (the router head moves up and down, only, so no undercutting is possible) made for working wood and "soft" metals like brass and aluminum.

Most of the routers shown on this forum are loosely derived from 2 designs. First is a fixed gantry design. Remember the computer plotters from years ago? Same idea -- the cutter head moves left to right, and the table itself moves front to back, just like the paper in those old plotters. Y and X axis respectively. Z is up and down.

The other kind is a moving gantry design. On this kind, the table (holding your workpiece) is stationary, and the router is moved in both the X and Y directions. This one takes up less room, but is not as inherently stiff...

Most of our routers are homebrewed devices, and very few of us have worked from plans. Of the plans I've heard about, the best seem to be from Bob Campbell, and from J.C.Kleinbauer. From memory, http://www.campbelldesigns.com and http://www.kleinbauer.com

A warning -- though I've not dealt with him personally, Kleinbauer is reputed to be somewhat "moody," but his designs are quite ingenious. Many of us have taken inspiration from his site and his designs, including me. Credit where credit is due -- he's a clever engineer.

The Kleinbauer designs focus on homebuilt units, made from hardware store parts, cobbled together in your garage. Bob Campbell's plans focus on a much higher level of accuracy, and a MUCH higher overall price due to the parts he specs, but you get a much better machine in the process. We're talking the difference between $100 and $1000, though...

Look around this site, first -- look at the photos and the movies of the units that we've built. *Understand* how they work -- they're pretty simple devices, really. *Then* look at the plans, and you'll have a better idea of what you actually want and need.

It's also possible to modify commercially available mills, at relatively minimal cost, to CNC control. The Mini and Micro mills from Harbor Freight are very popular for this purpose, and if you hit the right sale, can be had for $150-300. http://www.littlemachineshop.com (I think that's right) has complete conversion kits for these units...it would eliminate half of the fun, though...the design and building of your own mechanism.

Oh...one last hint. If you choose to build a unit, it's human nature to want to revise it in a later version -- a second or even a third machine. Just get something working for your first machine, hopefully at minimal cost, and then incorporate your improvements into version 2.

-- Chuck Knight

[anoel]

Oh...one last hint. If you choose to build a unit, it's human nature to want to revise it in a later version -- a second or even a third machine. Just get something working for your first machine, hopefully at minimal cost, and then incorporate your improvements into version 2.

Yeah, I built my first machine in January, It was fun but slow but cut decent. I built my 2nd machine in during april/may and it's much faster and much bigger and capable. but not quite as rigid as I'd like it to be. So now it's August and I'm working on getting a 3rd up and running. hopefully by the end of Sept. I'll have a super nice machine. I was able to build the first 2 machines for chump change. The lessons that I learned with the first 2 are absolutely invaluable ... money well spent I'd say.

[chuckknigh]

Well, apparently the other guy's name is now taboo on CNCZone. Sorry.

If you're interested, just email me, and I'll send you the link.

-- Chuck Knight

[ToyMaker]

His public commercial site is at www.crankorgan.com (He no longer has a public forum).

robotic regards,

Tom
= = = = =
A man is a person who will pay two dollars for a one-dollar item he wants.
A woman will pay one dollar for a two-dollar item she doesn't want.
- - Frank Tanana

[cncadmin]

Originally posted by chuckknigh
Well, apparently the other guy's name is now taboo on CNCZone. Sorry.

If you're interested, just email me, and I'll send you the link.

-- Chuck Knight

Sorry, but yes he has bad mouthed me on his site etc etc and is a Jerk to people. So my site will in no way support him, his interest is not in helping people i.e. closed his forum to the public. So I will not allow links to his site, their are far better places to do business with. Read this if their is any doubt http://www.cnczone.com/showthread.ph...light=worth+it

[HomeCNC]

Sorry to hear that Paul, but sooner or later he bad mouths everyone! Welcome to the club

[Mac Morvant]

Hi out their I hope I'am in the right place to find out about routers!! The problem I'am having is I just aquired a cnc router 20" X 18" , It has a FET3 board on it
I need some or a lot of information on how to run the software to have these motors running , or even to joge them ! Any help please keep it simple I'am new at this !! Thanks

[Mac Morvant]

Hi does any one now how to tell me how to run a router that has 3 motors ,23D-6204H 4.3 VDC 1.8 A/O
I have a FET3 board I think I have the wiers hooked up right ! I have a cherokee 150 watt swirching DC power supply, hooked up , I have the parell port hooked up to my computer !! Now hears my problem, What do I do now ! All the software that came with the router were lost about 6 years ago, I've seen the router run! but not with this setup! OK what do I do now ! THANKS