[CptanPanic]

I am a hobbiest woodworker and just found this site, and think it is great. From what I have read so far has made want to learn all there is to know about building and using a CNC router. Are there any books or tutorials online that can get me started?
Thanks,
CP

[Jason Marsha]

Read read read the threads in this section. There a lots of persons who have built the JGRO and other machines. Joes's new project build in the cnc projects section is also good to read.

Jason

[joecnc2006]

Just wanted to say welcome, and take your time and have fun, this has been a fun hobby for me and i'm trying to bring a good machine to others to start out with and learn from there. Use Mach 2/3 website for nice reading on controllor software, and use pminmo site with links and information.

http://www.machsupport.com/artsoft/index/index.htm

http://pminmo.com/

Joe

[js11110]

Like everyone is saying, just read, read, and then read some more. Any question that I have thought of since I've been building mine has been answered by doing a search in this forum. Good luck, and keep us informed on how things are going!

Jason

[andy_ck87028]

Getting started is when you go to the shops and get out your credit card!

I started building then I threw away then I started then I modified then I locked in then I thought about it then I refined then I settled down ......

I'm still doing that but I can now also look back and say I'm happy with that and that and that. I can now also say that I am on the road to completion. (still a long way to go though )

Welcome to the obsession!

Andy

[randyf1965]

Looking back I would have started small as a proof of concept then scaled up. I started with a 56"x30" cutting area that is just in the infant stages of moving.

Are you ready to walk thru any hardware store and almost everything you see wonder how that would work on your router?

[wizard]

Getting started physically costs money and frankly that is a big hold up for me. So I keep an eye out looking for to good to be true bargains in equipment and supplies. If you go the cash route do expect to be a few thou poorer if you buy everything new. You don't have to do that and frankly that is what this web site is good for. That is the alternative to getting you started. If you get hooked espect to go through a couple of machines until you are happy.

As has been already stated READ Read read. Here is a good start but that has already been made obvious. Try also www.linuxcnc.org for very interesting reading. Even if you don't go the EMC route linuxcnc has a wealth of information. I fo reccomend EMC by the way for its cost and openess. Check out the realted yahoo groups.

Though this is the wrong group, the Gingery series of books about building you own machine tools are worth a look. Nothing CNC at all here, but it does show you how to boot strap a shop of tools out of nothing. Some here may think nothing is applicable to CNC but I disagree as what is need is a willingness to be inventive and apply old techniques to new problems.

Solving problems is about 90% of the task in building your own machine. Very few here build machines with absolutely new technology, rather they select the technology that best solves the problem of building a machine to produce their desired stuff. Atleast for those that want to produce stuff, I do believe that some here as very into producing machines rather than stuff. Good in a way as we all benefit from the new ideas.

So simple stay tuned and assorbe what you can. Eventually a light bulb will turn on saying this is what I need for my interests. Believe me there are many many options to consider.

Thanks
Dave

[ViperTX]

Welcome.....I would try to determine what my usage would be and then chase that rabbit-of-knowledge....

Some useful sites:
5bears.com
Makeitsimple.com
Buildyouridea.com