[edmond]

Hi all.
I am starting my buildup on a Lionclaw LC50 CNC Router.I have ordered the pipe, bearings and a HobbyCNC driver board that I am picking up today.I have drawn up all the parts from the E drawings file Andy provided, they are in DXF format.Has anyone built this machine.

[edmond]

My HobbyCNC Driver Board arrived yesterday, so I spent this morning soldering it together everything went smoothly, it realy is a nice kit.Still busy laying out and modifing some of the parts to metric sizes.Im on a really tight budget with this buildup so its going to take a good few months.Im going to order the necessary bearings and Z axis linear bearings next week from VXB and hopefully collect the pipe next week as well.

[BobLWeiss]

I built one a couple of months ago. I didn't have access to a CNC machine at the time so I cut the parts out using woodworking tools in my shop. I can tell you that I am very pleased with the machine and the design is awesome!

Good luck with yours.

Bob

[edmond]

Hi Bob

What materials do you cut on your lionclaw machine, would it be suitable for some light aluminium cutting.I am battling to get Birch Veneer Plywood here in South Africa what else can I use in its place.I ordered the bearings for the leadscrews and some linear bearing bushings for the z axis on monday from VXB.com they are so much cheaper than buying them locally.
Thanks for the encouragement

Edmond

[BobLWeiss]

Hello Edmond,

I used 1/2" MDF and 1/2" Birch Plywood. Its easy to get here at Home Depot but not sure how easy it is for you. See if you can get MDF. That would work just fine.

Yes, the machine will handle light aluminum work as long as your router is good enough and you have the right bits.

Post some pictures as you go...its nice to see other people's builds.

Bob

[edmond]

Hi Bob

Thanks I will use 12mm MDF, I can get 15mm Birch Plywood but its expensive and I would have to modify all the drawings.I plan on using a 1.25 hp router to begin with until I can afford a 3.25hp Porter Cable Router Motor.Will post the pics as soon as I get going.Im going to try get the MDF this weekend.Im going to cut everything on a Multicam CNC Router at my work so that will make life easier.I plan on cutting wood, acrylic and aluminium on this machine.

Thanks
Edmond

[edmond]

I bought all the nuts and bolts this past weekend for my buildup, still need to get some threaded rod in 2m lengths, I will have to special order it as 1m lengths are the standard length in South Africa.The Black gas pipe is arriving today, I actually managed to locate it in the 21.3mm and 33.7mm sizes locally here.My bearings should be arriving next week.I will be getting the wood at the end of the month, my finances are a bit low at the moment.Will post pics as soon as my buildup starts.

Cheers
Edmond

[edmond]

The black pipe arrived on wednesday, still must trim it to size.I also got the rest of the fasteners and some HDPE, PVC and Acetal offcuts from a friend who works at a engineering plastics retailer.I need to make some anti backlash nuts, does anyone have a good design for some ABN. I can cut them out of acetal and use a homemade tap to thread them and incorporate some kind of spring into them maybe. I can only found 12mm ACME Rod with a 3mm pitch locally, its expensive about $50 a metre.Also what couplings can I use for the motor to leadscrew connections I can get Lovejoy couplings here but they work out to about $45 a coupling.Can I make some couplings out of Acetal rather.Also can I use 12mm French Marine Plywood its made out of Okoume wood, I can't find any 12mm Birch Ply locally and I dont want to use MDF.

Thanks
Edmond

[edmond]

Yesterday I cut some of the motor spacers and bearing supports at work on a Multicam CNC Router, I used 12mm clear cast perspex.My bearings have arrived at the post office will fetch them after work on friday.I still need som info on how to make the Anti Backlash Nuts.

Edmond

[tajord]

what speeds and feed rate di you use on that perspex, do you get and melting?

[edmond]

I used a single flute 6mm carbide cutter running at 18000 rpm and 50mm/sec feed with 3 passes.No melting problems as the Multicam CNC Router has a mister unit, so I use water in it when I cut plastics.They cut with a very good finish providing you use water

Edmond

[tajord]

Thanks for the info, only prob is, i have a jgro and i can't use water with that seeing it is made of MDF, but it's good to know still in any event.

[edmond]

I picked up the bearings today.I am using 20mm ID linear bearing bushes for the Z axis.I assembled the bearing blocks, but I must still cut the Z axis bearing support.Anyone got some ideas on how to make some Anti Backlash Nuts.Here is a pics of the bearing blocks assembled.The bearings were a nice tight press fit in the perspex.

[edmond]

Hi All

Haven't made much progress just waiting for payday so I can buy the MDF board and the power supply goodies.I have all the parts ready for cutting.Heres a pic of what the machine will look like eventually, it was designed by Andy and its really a awesome design

[hardwic]

Hi Edmond

Nice big looking machine there.
I built a machine but it's only 600x400 and totally out of 10mm HDPE.
I found the cost of screw threads here in S.A. crazy so I just used standard non galv 8mm metric tread. I cut a block of HDPE 20x20X10 and cut a tread through the 20mm length.
HDPE has very low friction and the length of the thread results in no play.
I currently have a backlash of 0.1mm configured in TurboCNC and I can drill 0.8mm holes in circuit boards with no problem.

Cheesey I know but it works.

[edmond]

Hi Hardwic

This machine has a cutting area of 1270mm x 670mm x 150mm gantry clearance.Yep I know the Acme rod is pricey at R360/m here in SA.Your machine sounds good, is the HDPE quite rigid, mine will be built out of MDF.Nice knowing we have some people building routers here in SA.

Cheers Edmond

[hardwic]

HDPE is rigid but depending on thickness. I used 10mm and used 20mm battens to cross brace the structure. It also more expensive the thicker it gets. Cape Plastics is a good supplier. HDPE machines like a dream.

I am using MDF as the base cutting board becasue it always get's messed up when machining parts. You can always use air to cool you parts (perspex)

Linear bearings where also very expensive so I used them on my bottom slides but on the x slide I machined blocks of HDPE with a 12mm ID and used them instead of bearings.

[edmond]

Hi Hardwic

I might use HDPE to make the motor couplers, I know it machines lovely just its pricey and my budget it very tight but I got a friend who can get me offcuts of HDPE, Acetel and Nylon pity they are small pieces.Can I use M12 threaded stainless steel rod instead of ACME rod, it would be 5 times cheaper.What controller and motors are you running, I've got a HobbyCNC controller and am going to use the HobbyCNC 305oz/in stepper motors.
This machine uses linear bearing bushes on the Z axis and aluminium angle with skateboard bearings running on pipe for the x and y axis.I imported the Z axis linear bearings, even with shipping costs they work out to 3 times cheaper.

Cheers Edmond

[belli]

Hi Edmond, :wave:

Great progress, I am sure that you will be happy when it's done!

Cheers,
Greg

www.cncdirect.co.za

PS There are more 'saffers' here than you know!

[hardwic]

Edmond, I am using plain old M8 non galvanized
I kind of expected the HDPE threaded block to ware out quickly so I designed it as a replaceable part but so far no problems.

I initially thought ball screw was the way to go but when something is priced my the mm you know it's not for DIY.

I would imagine on your 1270mm access a 12mm threaded stainless rod would be fine. In fact why not try plain old steel first? I don't like machining stainless (or at least my lathe can't handle it) and you have to machine each end for bearings and motor attachment.

I designed my machine with a R1200 budget (I was given the stepper motors)
My drivers are the discrete design from PMinMo but I am now rebuilding them with the L297 version because resonance is a big issue and speed is compromised. Ball park figure, building a L297 driver is about R100.

I believe if you are designing a machine that needs to run 24/7 and will produce big money then buying linear motion products are justified but then again why build the machine, just buy one.