[hamthis]

This is my very first build!!!

I wanted to build this thing to be strong and last a long time. Cutting surface is 30"x 48" plus a 3" over hang cut for an end vise.

The complete frame is welded the upper is tube steel I used 2"x6" 3/16" wall for the ends and 3"x3" 1/4" wall. The bottom frame is just some 2x2 angle I had laying around. The reason I made this stuff so heavy is because the material was free and my thoughts were if I build it strong and build it big enough it should last for a long time. I always see people build there first to build the second. The gantry system is made out out 1/2 x 8" plate steel. The backer for the gantry is 1/2" aluminum. I am going to build a front mount vise to clamp material vertical. The frame and all material is my best guess around 500 lbs. This is not a light aluminum screw together cnc.

The linear rails are from ebay linearmotion they are pretty good I have one bearing that makes a funny clicking sound. I will be emailing him for a replacement. The one ball screw for the gantry is also from him. The z axis is another ebay find great deal. The long 1" x 5'6" ball screw is from a local junk yard $20 (he did not know what he had) that thing is supper sturdy.

The drives came from cncrouterparts.com I went with the 3 axis Kit with 320 oz drives and a gecko G540. This was the most expensive part of the build. The 320oz drives are pushing the gantry with no problems (The gantry is about 120lbs)

I am putting the keyboard in the drawer. I was wondering what your thoughts are on putting the monitor in the drawer. I know when people are running the machines they like to see the monitor. I might mount the monitor to the wall on an articulating arm so it is out and about.

I am planning on using this black material for my top. I have a couple of questions. I am not sure what kind of material this is, it is black, the guy I got it from said it came from a non magnetic table?? I taped it and it holds screws great. I was planning on flattening it and tapping holes in a grid for hold downs any thoughts on the hole spacing I was thinking 6"x6" staggered layout.I am not going to use this for a spoil board just for holding the spoil/sacrificial board Flattening the material might be harder than I thought. This stuff is very very hard. The skill saw blade lost all of the carbide teeth when I tried to cut it. It cut nicely with the the normal blade until the carbide fell off. The blade I ended up using was a carbon cut off blade in the skill saw. Then it cut nicely. Any thoughts on what it really is?

[jckstrthmghty]

Nice build

320oz and not 380oz steppers? Nothing wrong with those light aluminum bolt together tables.

Can't figure out how your Z works from the pictures. The weight should cut down on vibration.

Thanks for sharing

[awerby]

It looks good so far. I wonder if those little motors are really going to be strong enough to push that heavy gantry around reliably, though. I have no idea what that gray material is (slate?), but are you sure you want to use it? Usually a spoilboard is made from something soft, so you can easily hold things down to it, or re-surface it as need be, since it's important that things lie flat. That stuff doesn't look flat to me, and I'm not sure how you'd get it that way if it's so hard to cut.

Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com ? Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software

[007CNC]

Looks good!
What do you intend to cut with it?
I guarantee you soon enough you will have reasons to upgrade or make it even better.
I haven't updated my build in a while, but I have gone through several iterations of changes to make my build stronger, better, more rigid, as I learn from doing and from watching other more experienced people here, yet I still see room for improvement as I push its limits. I guess that's what happens when you get bitten by the cnc bug.
If you intend to cut metal often, I can see the 1/2" gantry wall and spindle plates being prone to vibration and affecting finish.
The single drive on your long axis could also be an issue with high cutting forces.
What kind of liner system are you using for your Z? its hard to make out from the pictures.
This is a fantastic first build. Congrats!

[SixOfOne]

is it Corian (name brand I think) counter-top material?

[hamthis]

It is not corian. It might be a type of slate I my thinking. I tried to drill it and tap it. The drill bit did not like it. Thoughts of my router bit exploding would not be good. So it is going to be sidelined.

I am thinking of using corian if I can find it in 3/4" for super cheap. I hear that it machines really well. (most likely not going to happen, maybe an old counter off craigslist.)

I am thinking of going with 1" MDF. (This is not going to be the spoil board) I want this piece to be able to be machined dead flat then I can place a spoil board on top for my general work. and I can screw to the spoil board. Does anyone have any great ideas for a base board. I am not really sure what the name for the piece is in the cnc world

The Z axis is a THK linear actuator. It is similar to the THK KR45, a Nema 23 stepper motor mounts right on top. The blue band is just tape. for now. The white tombstone shape thing is where the router holder is going to mount. I am going to make it out of wood to start and then make it out of some dense machinable plastic I have laying around.

[Dylwad]

Good luck on cheap 3/4" corian MDF with 1/4-20 thread inserts would work good, I use 2 layers (1- 1/2" thick) with threaded inserts and t slot tracks on my machine, but the table is bigger than my machinable area (1/16" gaps between the base and gantry sides to keep dust and swarf on the table as much as possible) so I use intermediate spoil boards clamped or screwed to the mdf base, which gets machined flat.

Good idea to seal the mdf base too.

Sent from tapatalk

[Dylwad]

Also your z actuator might be more rigid if you turned it around and mounted the spindle to the other side. The stepper would move up and down with it but that shouldn't be a problem.

Sent from tapatalk

[hamthis]

I have checked locally and they do not carry a Corian material in anything thicker than 1/2" and the width of 30" I am going to try a couple more countertop places to see it I can score some material. My thoughts are to run 1/2" baltic birch ply then 1/2" of corrian on top. I will use T nuts on the bottom of the ply to secure the spoil board. If worse comes to worse than I an going to have to use 1" MDF. (uggg)

I have the mount for the router roughed out of some walnut. hopefully it will work until I can make one out of plastic. I am coming into the final days till it is operational. I will post more pictures soon.

[hamthis]

My first cnc cutting.

[Marti]

That's really a good lucking machine What size screw and slides did you use on your Z and the travel length? I've got a 9" acme screw, but I'm not sure it is long enough.


Has anybody used 48 x 96 particle board for a spoil board? If it's sealed and finished, it shouldn't warp. I was going to use the 3/4 MDF, but was just wondering about the particle board

[Pplug]

That's really a good lucking machine What size screw and slides did you use on your Z and the travel length? I've got a 9" acme screw, but I'm not sure it is long enough.

Has anybody used 48 x 96 particle board for a spoil board? If it's sealed and finished, it shouldn't warp. I was going to use the 3/4 MDF, but was just wondering about the particle board

Particle board is bad because it does not have the same particle consistency throught the material. The surfaces are hard and dense but when you surface the board the insides will flake and chip easier. It also likes to warp easily with humidity. I had a 1" thick piece on my small router and it warped pretty bad.

[thatotherguy]

You shouldn't put the computer down low, shavings and dust can get into your keyboard etc.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk 2

[Marti]

Particle board is bad because it does not have the same particle consistency throught the material. The surfaces are hard and dense but when you surface the board the insides will flake and chip easier. It also likes to warp easily with humidity. I had a 1" thick piece on my small router and it warped pretty bad.

thanks .. I was wondering about that. 3/4 MDF should hold up okay if it's sealed though, shouldn't it? I have found 1" MDF here, just 1/2 and 3/4

[slowlearner]

Hanthis, I am late joining this conversation but can you tell me what happened when you tried to drill the black material? Did it by chance smoke,stink and when you removed the drillbit it was like it had pressure behind it and shavings blew out of the hole. If so its epoxy.

[hamthis]

I have made my first cuts with the machine. It did not go very well. I was trying to cut my router holder out of some 2” plastic currently my router hold is made out of wood that I made on the band saw. The first inch in depth was going pretty good and then the x axis lost a few steps and it went crazy . Needless to say things went sown hill quickly after that. The THK actuator was very loose and I thought that I broke it. The vibration of the cutting cased some of the mounting screws to come loose. I took the THK apart and I was surprised at how simple these things are to work on. The ball screw mounts directly to the linear slide. I got it all tightened back up and saved my own day.
Attachment 185580(sorry about the sideways picture, rotate 90 clockwise)

Slowlearner. I did try to drill it and there was a funky smell and light dust that came from the stuff. It might be some sort of epoxy. It is supper freaking hard. My dreams of using it for the top of the cnc went down the drains. I have fears of bits accidentally hitting it and shattering. I used some of it next to my welding table and it does not mind high heat from splatter so there is still hope for the material.

[hamthis]

More progress. I just made my first cad to cam to product piece. It was the holder for the router. I made a temporary holder out of walnut wood it broke the first cut. I rigged the holder just long enough to make this holder out of 2" thick plastic. I am not totally sure what kind of plastic it is. But it is hard stuff and it machine great if I went slow enough.


I have a question about the Z axis. What is the preference for the geometry for the CAD to you set the zero on the top of your piece or do most of you set the zero to the base. I am all very new to the world of cnc.

The next piece to cut is the vacuum tube holder so I can start cutting wood without all the crazy dust.

[pippin88]

I always set z0 to top of the work piece

[Dylwad]

Z0 to the top of the part, cutting moves are negative values, rapid moves are positive.

Sent from tapatalk