[pilotarix]

Hello all!

I try to reactivate my dream of a CNC Router.
I surfed the Inet the whole weekend and couldn't find CNC router below 6000$ that I really like. There are some companys in Europe with interesting machines, but they are way above my budget. So I am going back to my thoughts about "self made" CNC router.

The machine will be used for making parts of radio controlled airplanes helicopters and other hobby stuff. Therefore the machine should be able to cut balsa and plywood, carbon fiber and and other plastic as well as non ferrous metals. Cutting area should be around 1000mm x 600 mm x 180 mm. For the linear motion I wanna use ball bearings on 20mm as well as 15 mm rails and in X direction either two times 16 mm ball screws (one on each side, each has his own motor) or one time 20 mm ball screw.
Due to the fact that I have only an mini lathe and and small mill, I will not be able to make my own parts or preparing the ends of the ball screws. I think that the only work I can do with enough precision with my equipment, is boring holes and cutting threads.

More than a year ago I started with some drawings, first I used T-sloted aluminum for the frame and 20 mm aluminum plate for the gantry.

I was told that this will be never sturdy enough. Therefore I changed the gantry sides and made them like a box (sorry don't know the correct technical term) using 10mm aluminum plate and additionally I put some aluminium plate on the top of the gantry to stiffen the whole construction.
Finally I ended up with more and more massiv aluminum parts and hunderts of screws, which seems to be a kind of overkill for cutting some balsa and plywood.

I wanna start over with this project and go back to the T-slot aluminum parts for the frame. For a new construction I need some information where to buy all the linear motion equipment for a reasonabel price so I can choose what I need and get the measurments for the new drawings.

Thanks,
Chris

[pilotarix]

Hello all,
I have finalized the drawings for my CNC router and awaiting a quote for the linear motion equipment as well as the aluminum parts.
The frame is made from 90x90 mm and 90x45mm aluminum extrusions. The front and the back of the frame is 20mm aluminum plate as well as the gantry sides.
Initially my plan was to use MISUMI extrusions, because they cut them to the exact lenght and they have a nice heavy and high rigidity profile in their programm. Unfortunately I did not really check for the price. When I finally ordered them on the MISUMI web side the price was almost 200$ each (90x90x1270mm), with the other profiles and shipping more than 600$, too much. So I am still looking for alternatives, but they are hard to find. Minitec gave me a similar price and it wasn't even such a heavy profile.
Anyhow, linear motion will be from HIWIN, 25 on X (4blocks) and Y (2 blocks) 20 on Z (2 blocks) and "T-rails". 16-5 ballscrews on all axis.
The gantry beam will be a square tube, made from screwed aluminum plates (30 and 20mm).
Electronic is not decided yet, either Gecko or Triple Beast.

Thanks,
Chris