[grigorios]

Hello everybody,
I am wondering if any of you have seen the aluminum profile of the attachments, in the market.
I believe this is the ideal solution, because in this profile can be enclosed all mechanism of motion (screw leads, rollers ect) avoiding dust and other materials which can cause problems in motion.
This profile is used in Stepcraft cnc.
Actually, are two profiles which work as couple to protect the rollers-lead screw and at the same time is working as guide for rollers.
Down below is the video:
Stepcraft V1 Build Tips - YouTube

Any help is welcome..!!!!

[Louis_Cannell]

It another type of C section but I disagree with your thoughts on protection of screws from dust and chips etc, as this is not the case dust and chips get in without a full bellows type cover in my opinion its worse trapping and hiding contaminants internally, these companies selling overpriced toys are probably having custom extrusions produced.

[A_Camera]

It another type of C section but I disagree with your thoughts on protection of screws from dust and chips etc, as this is not the case dust and chips get in without a full bellows type cover in my opinion its worse trapping and hiding contaminants internally, these companies selling overpriced toys are probably having custom extrusions produced.

I agree. I wouldn't like to build in my ball screws this way. Lubrication must also be very difficult, basically you have to disassemble everything to clean it and to lubricate. Besides, if one is interested in this type of design one can use standard extrusions as well, just need a top plate and it is as covered as this one, but much more rigid.

[grigorios]

Thank you Louis for your reply,
Yes, finally I agree with you about the custom profile because I have spent days in seeking on google without any outcome. Indeed, the Stepcraft is too smal (I will not comment the price) but if I could find the same shape of profile but wider I still believe is a good idea. Because there are black silicon protective strings on the very top of aluninum and the outer aluminum cover can opened very easily with 2 screws. Also, in the case of problems you may have, this can stay opened. Now about the stability of the machine, I have no idea which is the best way, so your experience will help me...

[grigorios]

Hello A_Camera, I would like to thank you for your comment!
Do you believe the 8020 profile is the best way to build the cnc?
Look also my previews reply to Louis, about the cover ect.

[Louis_Cannell]

If its not air tight it cannot stop infiltration of dust etc, access is limited even when open to clean etc, if you want to try something similar look at V slot C section a plate on side with brushes would serve same purpose with same problems.

My advice is you need something more substantial than these toys for cutting anything but foam and softwood, even if thats your initial intention it soon becomes a limit you won't live with, like many i've been there done it and learnt the hard way so latest build is solid side beams are 6"x2"x1/4" box section mounted on cast iron table top, still not as solid as I would like but other limitations dictate that.

[A_Camera]

Hello A_Camera, I would like to thank you for your comment!
Do you believe the 8020 profile is the best way to build the cnc?
Look also my previews reply to Louis, about the cover ect.

I think 8020 is a bit too weak, but still better than those custom made profile. My CNC is built out of 9045 and 6030, apart from the table which is 10mm massive plate and 6015 profile sandwiched on top of that. On the other hand, the total weight is about 80kg now, it is not a table top version but has it's own stand. Myne is a moving table type, I think that gives better rigidity.

Regarding the side cover, I don't like that solution. It is a dust trap, in my opinion it does not provide any protection, just a better looking machine. If you want protection you should build a wall around the table area, the sides can be as high as the gantry beam allows, so that you sill have free gantry movement, the front and back can be as high as you want. It is important that at least one side is easily removable to allow easy handling, tool setting, work piece placement, wise fixing and so on. The walls can be made out of acrylic glass, easy to work with and is very cheap. There is another purpose of that, beside dust protection of ball screws and sliders, that is personal safety. If you accidentally break the end mill because you drive it too fast or too deep or some other reason, the broken piece may fly away in any direction like a projectile. If a person or an animal is in that trajectory he/she may get injured or even lose an eye. I have mine covered with side walls, especially since I often use very small end mills and it have actually happened more than once that the broken end mill hit one of the walls, preventing the piece to fly out in the room where I am sitting. I think personal safety is more important than dust protection, but of course, the side effect of dust protection is also very good and efficient. Don't forget that protecting the lead screws from dust is one thing, but a CNC generates a lot of dust and chips so with the protection in your picture, even if the screws would be protected enough (which they are not) the room around the machine would be not and the chips/dust flying around would demand a lot of work to clean every time you'd use that machine. Yes, there are other ways to deal with flying chips and dust also, and if you would have a very efficient dust extractor than you might not need any of the walls for that, but I would still use sides as a personal safety measure.

[grigorios]

Definitely, safety first.
The wall of plexiglass should taking in to account very seriously.
I am so confused about the cnc projects, I studied many designs with each one have its benefits and drawbacks and I really I don't know what to choose... and how to begin.
Because I am new on this website and I don't know the "best seller" of cnc builds on this area, do you know any, which is reliable, tested and works without problems? or deemed from the experts of this website as the best solution?
I intend to spend on this project up to 2000€ without PC and software.
I believe the working surface 1000mm X 1500mm is enough for me, also I want to work for artistic projects, mainly on wood and secondly on aluminum and plexiglass.
Thanks for any advice!!!
Greg.

[A_Camera]

In my opinion that is not possible. 2000 EUR is not enough for such large machine. Also, defining what is "best" is not possible. Best seller is not always the best. What I think is the best is to start with something smaller so you get the idea and understand the problems. Making a mistake in such large machine might be expensive.

My CNC is my own design, it is a moving table, fixed gantry type. I think that is easiest and gives best accuracy and is fairly easy to make. I can't really recommend anything since I don't have experience in any readily made design, or any working drawing. I think you have to start with a design on your own, considering what you want to do with it and so on. Price depends a lot on the quality you want in the end. My CNC has a work area of about 400x300 mm, so it is considerably smaller, yet it cost me more than 2000€ already, even if I disregard parts which I had to remake because of a mistake or because of the upgrade I am doing now. I buy parts from all over the world, including locally in my village. A lot of what I buy comes from Europe, so the cost may not be optimized, but I believe the quality is very good, so I am ready to pay the extra.

I think a lot of the work must be done by you, on your own, through searching this site and other CNC sites, for example this site:

DIY Router Build Logs

Have a look around and make up a plan to work after. It is very difficult to give exact direction, and honest, I won't do that because it comes with certain responsibility if I would do so. It may sound harsh but I think you have to do your own home work. The only thing I can say that regardless of where you get your material, 2000€ is a bit low for such large machine, but I may be wrong.

[hanermo]

A_camera is right.

1000 x 1500 mm will cost approx 3-4000€ for a hobby level ok machine.
6000-7000 € for an excellent machine.
8-9000 € for industrial quality.

My machine has 1600x800 (to 1500) mm work area.
Its very good industrial quality, and parts cost == 20.000€, wholesale.
But its a VMC, for steel, so its different.
2000 kg+, in steel.

My resolution (theory) is 0.3 microns, industrial ac brushless servos, 32 mm ballscrews, 35 mm linear guides, 50 metric tons rated capacity on trucks (z).
A similar commercial machine == 80.000 € (Haas VF6).

[Louis_Cannell]

Totally agreewith A-Camera, find the type of machine you want, design and construct even though my machine is far smaller (approx 750x450 work area 1/4 of the size you intend), Frame, Rails and Screws come in at £1000 or 1300euro (with out Base that would cost at least £400 if not available to me already) then Controllers, Drivers, Stepper Motors, Spindle and VFD.

[Jon.N.CNC]

In my opinion that is not possible. 2000 EUR is not enough for such large machine. Also, defining what is "best" is not possible. Best seller is not always the best. What I think is the best is to start with something smaller so you get the idea and understand the problems. Making a mistake in such large machine might be expensive.

My CNC is my own design, it is a moving table, fixed gantry type. I think that is easiest and gives best accuracy and is fairly easy to make. I can't really recommend anything since I don't have experience in any readily made design, or any working drawing. I think you have to start with a design on your own, considering what you want to do with it and so on. Price depends a lot on the quality you want in the end. My CNC has a work area of about 400x300 mm, so it is considerably smaller, yet it cost me more than 2000€ already, even if I disregard parts which I had to remake because of a mistake or because of the upgrade I am doing now. I buy parts from all over the world, including locally in my village. A lot of what I buy comes from Europe, so the cost may not be optimized, but I believe the quality is very good, so I am ready to pay the extra.

I think a lot of the work must be done by you, on your own, through searching this site and other CNC sites, for example this site:

DIY Router Build Logs

Have a look around and make up a plan to work after. It is very difficult to give exact direction, and honest, I won't do that because it comes with certain responsibility if I would do so. It may sound harsh but I think you have to do your own home work. The only thing I can say that regardless of where you get your material, 2000€ is a bit low for such large machine, but I may be wrong.

With just £2000 and your looking for a kit you will likely end up with a cheap 8020 kit like a Robocutter. And these really aren't up to much more than cutting foam.

If I were given the challenge of building a machine within this budget I really don't think there would be much debate and it would be a plywood machine with supported round rail with cheap Chinese ballscrews. The budget would still be very stretched but done well it would certainly cut wood better than any similar priced 8020 kit available in that size. Not sure it would be up to much aluminium work but nothing that size and money will be afraid to say.

Oops wrong quote there.