I spend way too much time, and take pilgrim steps quite often. So my first CNC router for furniture making with particle boards is supposedly some kind of a stiff Shapeoko.
Size: I dimension my stuff by pallet fractions. The final router shall not be bigger than 1200x800mm (as a German I am metric). I want to clamp pieces with a size of a quarter pallet == 600x400mm. This is the first iteration, I want to go longer (I have 2 makerslides in the length of almost 3000mm that I will save until I decide on my biggest furniture piece.)
I have access to a metal workshop with skilled welders; I just learned how to program the Heidenhain 145-controlled CNC mill with CamBam (500x500mx300mm milling space, 2500 RPM (old machine)).
I have "purchase power" there, including a reasonably priced laser-cut supplier.
Software, not craftsmanship is my forte.
So here is my first draft of a table-top frame (vocabulary?) with the following design consideration:
- I can always make another one
- the "long-axis" is the support for the makerslide. Reduction of welding seams as much as possible.
- To not have to draw milling paths for future CNC-router dimensions again this frame "already" consists of 80x80 tube, thickness tbd -- but why not 5mm... Gives me material to mill a support for the makerslide into. I somehow HOPE that I can clamp the frame to said CNC mill to "plane" and level the frame with this groove -- IF the frame is twisted (I should be able to check it on one of those "precision welder tables")
- holes drilled into the "long-axis-tube" give access to the makerslide v-nut profile to screw makerslide and tube together
- I have 3 Pololu stepper motor drivers and a FabScan shield The Media Computing Group : FabScan Arduino Shield . But am willing to invest later.
- three Nema17 stepper motors are also at hand
- an Arduino with grbl is what I want to start with
- to start with the Shapeoko belt drive seems easy to set up.
Because I only have access to said workshop on weekends I can only "sketch up" my thoughts for now. On the workshop SpaceClaim, BricsCAD and "Tenado Metall" is used.
I really only want to get going with all this. I will worry about speed later. To only use the router for 80% foam models and 20% "furniture drilling" would be sufficient for me for let's say one year. I rather want end switches and a tool length "database" than nicer software. As an endurance sports buff I think long-term: In three or four years I want to build a weekend retreat (am otherwise nomadic in my professional life). I want to educate myself to be capable of doing all interieur work (additionally to the domotics stuff that I am _really_ looking forward to).