[fredd3039]

Anyone ever build a 4 AXIS Rotary CNC Router?????? I need a dedicated 4 axis rotary machine for making rifle stocks.
I am a hobbyist so purchasing a custom made Laguna is out of the question. If anyone has build knowledge, is willing to build and sell me one, or point me in the direction of an affordable used one, please let me know. I am ready to get this project started immediately.

[Jim Dawson]

If I were going to build a 4 axis machine to build rifle stocks I would start with about a 14x40, maybe a 15x50 metal lathe, add CNC with a Y axis. That would make an incredibly solid base. Use a Porter-Cable 7518 router motor, or any good Chinese spindle. Could even add a shaper head for roughing out the stock.

From your other posts I know you are a machinist and have machine tools. So modifying a lathe should be no problem for you.

[ger21]

Use a Porter-Cable 7518 router motor

Good luck with that.... They stopped making them, and they are impossible to find. Milwaukee makes the only comparable router, and they have been back ordered for months.


I've heard from some knowledgeable people that do work like this, that you'll likely run into issues with the stock vibrating when only supported at the two ends, causing poor finish at best, and potentially much bigger issues.
You might consider making some type of support fixtures and run the parts as multi sided indexed parts rather than full rotary.

[islaww]

Yes, was built on a large lathe bed and had an identical synchronized chuck on the tailstock end to reduce material flex as Gerry refers to above. Notice I said reduce, not eliminate.

+1 to the router comments. At todays prices anyone that chooses a handheld router over a a 3 phase spindle (even chinese) has been misinformed.

[awerby]

We built one using automation actuators and a welded steel frame. We wanted to handle large-diameter parts, or a lathe frame might have worked. The actuator machine used a big old Walter rotary table that accepts a standard lathe chuck, but I've also modified a 3-axis router to have an extension for a 4th axis. That one uses an 8" Parker-Daedal rotary table that we put a tapered dovetail fitting made from aluminum on to hold the stock using screws, and has a standard lathe tailstock on the other end. That rotary table is very smooth-operating. There is a little waver in the stock when holding onto it from the ends while roughing, particularly if one or both ends are long and skinny, but I typically use a finishing pass that takes off very little material and doesn't noticeably shake the wood during that process.