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IndustryArena Forum > Community Club House > Home Build CNC for School shop.
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    157

    Home Build CNC for School shop.

    I am starting this thread to help gain some support for my local high school Technology Program. I wish to build them a CNC machine, and thought this might be a good place to solicite help, and share some experience. Comments and ideas are welcome. I will share pictures, ideas, tips and tricks as I go. Those who donate may also be entitled to free software that I am developing as it becomes available. Here is what I am proposing...

    I have been selling plans to build my cnc mini-mill for several years now. I have decided to help out my local high school Technology Education program in building their own CNC machine. With my help and plans I will build a CNC machine for the Westerly High School Tech Ed. dept. The school does not have the money in their small budget to fund a machine so I am going to help. I am donating all profits from the sale of my plans over the next few weeks, or until all of the materials they need have been purchased. I hope to employ some new design and building techniques to help save them some money. I will post pictures and tips as we build.
    www.bigbearcnc.com

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    157
    Here is a picture of my machine:
    www.bigbearcnc.com
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 1.jpg  
    www.bigbearcnc.com

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    157
    Ordered the firsts parts today. Steel linear rails.

    ************************************************** ***********
    R212-TGP 1/2 inch Dia. C1045 Cold Drawn Round - Precision Shafting 2.0 Ft. 5 In Stock $5.20 $26.00
    Shipping
    (UPS Ground)
    (Residential/Farm Address) $15.53
    Total: $41.53
    ************************************************** ***********
    Stainless is better, but this stuff is WAY cheaper and works just as well. You just need to keep it oiled up. I can always swap out to stainless later if money affords it. Shipping was almost as much as the steel!
    www.bigbearcnc.com

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    157
    HDPE $100US with shipping.

    Hopefully parts will be here by the end of the week. I will start building as soon as the new parts arrive.

    Also working on a stepper motor driver PCB to work with the bigbearcnc driver software. Anyone who purchases plans will be eligable for free copies of bigbearcnc software when the beta version is released.
    www.bigbearcnc.com

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Posts
    727

    Cool

    Quote Originally Posted by mwalach View Post
    Shipping
    (UPS Ground)
    (Residential/Farm Address) $15.53
    Total: $41.53
    ************************************************** ***********
    Shipping was almost as much as the steel!
    Very ambitious of you mwalach. I wish you much success. :cheers:

    Regarding the 'Shipping', why don't you have the material(s) shipped to the school and save the extra charges for 'Residential/Farm Address' delivery. No need to pay extra for items you're going to donate.

    Here's another (maybe dumb) thought, why don't you have the 'local high school Technology Education Program' students make several projects that could be sold for a profit? They could use their existing equipment to help offset the cost of the CNC router? They will have helped 'earn' the CNC machine and learned to use their existing equipment better and more effectively. Several projects that can be done on equipment that they should already have include turned pens, wall/mantle clocks, spice racks, chess/checker boards, trivets, scroll sawed key chains, CD racks, laminated-turned-finished-wooden-Easter eggs, etc. By picking a few choice projects that they think they can sell (or PRE-SELL) locally costs could be minimized and the goods could be set up to be 'mass' produced. Get the Metal Shop involved by having them produce a branding iron of the school mascot/logo so that some of the projects could be spruced up with a little creative 'wood burning'!!! Material costs could be further reduced by receiving wood (or scrap hardwood - great for pen turning) donations and by purchasing materials from retailers/wholesalers that give a discount for educational institutions.

    While they're at it they can get a group from the business department to help track sales revenue, profit (or, hopefully not, loss), expenses and produce all of the accounting reports they are being taught to generate.

    Maybe that's kind of idealistic but the students would learn something beyond what most schools can, and do, teach.

    BTW, the Screen Printing Department in the High School I attended was always the most profitable and had the best equipment out of all the Industrial Arts taught there for the reasons cited above. The students designed and printed all of the T-shirts and sweatshirts for the school and its associated athletic teams. Printed items were sold throughout the school year or the sports 'season'. So the idea is 'doable' and not altogether far-fetched. For some unknown reason the other Industrial Arts departments never caught on to the idea.

    Where's charper and the rest of the CNCzoner's that hang out here in the 'Teacher's Forum'??? Maybe they can chime in...


    Just my 2 cents,
    HayTay

    Don't be the one that stands in the way of your success!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    157
    When I say we have nothing for tools or money, I mean nothing. The only tools I have in my lab are ones I purchased myself. We have no metal shop, no wood shop. We have a construction class that owns a table saw and a few small power tools purchased through a grant. I hope to be able to use the cnc to help grow my program.

    As for shipping to the school, that is a good idea. I may try that. I am keeping recipts and will claim the deduction on nexts years taxes.

    A lot of our programs survive just as you described above. We hired a new chef to teach our foods program. He cooks lunch for the staff twice a week to fund his program.

    I think once the kids, and community see what we can do with a cnc, we will be able to make it profitable.

    I have also been writting my own software to control the cnc. It does dxf to gcode and gerber to gcode. Plus will work with USB or Paralell and will wok on windows and Mac OS X. I hope to release it soon, but my time is spead thin with work, home and cnc stuff. I will post some pics once the build starts.
    www.bigbearcnc.com

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Posts
    2
    it is better to start form the simple three stepper motors controlled by the Parallel communications form the PC

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    157
    paralell is easier. I have made a parallel driver in the past. My new driver will be a paralell and usb driver.
    www.bigbearcnc.com

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    157
    I have started construction on the new machine. I will be testing new building techniques. I am trying to make a few parts as possible, and make the construction easy to align. I am trying a second attempt at using bronze bushings. I have a new idea that should help with alignment.
    www.bigbearcnc.com

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    157

    Up-date

    The build has finally started. Here are a few pics of the Y axis being built.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails cnc 066.jpg   cnc 067.jpg   cnc 068.jpg  
    www.bigbearcnc.com

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    157

    update#2

    Here are some pics of the Y axis frame and the x axis supports. I have a 3/4" piece of plywood screwed in for a base to keep things square. I may replace it with plastic later.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails cnc 077.jpg   cnc 079.jpg  
    www.bigbearcnc.com

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    157
    Have to do a lot of extras on this one. The machine will need to be OSHA certified as I am using it in a public school. So I have used a round over bit to remove all sharp edges. It will be inside a case with interlocks and an estop, and limit switches on all axes. Should be an interesting build. I am having my enginneering students design the enclosure. We are looking for a sound proof dust proof design. I will share our end result on here when we have something. I am also updating my prints for this machine in autodesk inventor, so I may have a new set of plans when all is said and done. anyone who donates now will be eligable for the updates.
    www.bigbearcnc.com

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    157
    Started work on the x axis the other day. Looks like it should work well, I need to make a better jig though. I will post some pics of it.

    I am currently trying to finish my cnc driver software, so I have been a little distracted from the router build.
    www.bigbearcnc.com

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    157
    It works!!! I spun motors with my BigBear CNC software tonight! The CNCDudes USB to Parallel firmware works great! I will begin to focus on hardware tests with my software no so that I can release my software for people to try out. Thanks to all for the help with the PCB. If anyone is interested in the PCB let me know.
    www.bigbearcnc.com

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    157
    oops! Posted that last message in the wrong thread. Must be getting tired. But for anyone who is following this, I am also writing my own cnc software that uses the USB to drive the steppers rather than the Parallel port. I am drivng a Xylotex PCB using a USB converter PCB that generates the drive signals for the Xylotex board. Elimates the interfarence that a OS like Windows creates. Also working on a MAC version for all you mac users out there.
    www.bigbearcnc.com

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    157
    I haven't made any new post here because I think I am the only one following this thread. I guess it isn't very interesting huh?
    www.bigbearcnc.com

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Posts
    42
    I have been following the thread. Personally, I am most interested in hearing about the student's involvement. So far, it seems like you are working and they are watching/waiting. Are they working on the enclosure? Are they doing any of the design work in CAD?

    Wolfspaw

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    157
    your right, mostly I'm working, they are waiting as far as the machine goes. They have been working on an enclosure for it though. I teach a project lead the way course called principles of engineering. We use a CAD program call Auto-desk inventor. I will try to upload some pics of their designs.
    www.bigbearcnc.com

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Posts
    157

    Enclosure

    Here is what My students have been doing. The young lady that designed this did a great job. First thing she ever drew in CAD!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails mill-in-case2.jpg   mill-in-case3.jpg   mill-in-case4.jpg   mill-in-case.jpg  

    www.bigbearcnc.com

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Posts
    42
    Are you planning to build the enclosures per the students design?

    I am familiar with Inventor. I use Pro/ENGINEER for my day job and Alibre for my home and hobby stuff. You may want to let the kids know that they can download Alibre Design Xpress for free. It is a fully functional 3D modeling and 2D drawing package with some limitations. (Like only allowing a maximum of 5 parts in an assembly and I believe you have to an Internet connection) But for learning about CAD it can't be beat. And the price is right.

    http://www.alibre.com/xpress/

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