[Scra99tch]

Not a big poster but have fun reading through many peoples building experience. I am trying to build my first cnc mill project and am running into some hurdles.

First off I just bought a slab of MIC-6 alumnium which I will machine with 1/4-20 holes every corner of a square inch this will be my table top.

I am using a PM Bearings XY stage that I found at a yard sale. This stage is supposedly $6000+ can hold up to 1000lbs and is accurate in both axis to .0001. My first big hurdle will be what to set the table on? I was thinking some of the smaller gauge I beam (keep in mind that I want this to be somewhat portable). I was also thinking of building the gantry (correct me if I am using the wrong terms) out of the same concept as a burgmaster drill press with two columns that I can fasten the spindle to. What will control my Z axis is a linear rail made by rexroth has 11'' of travel. The table itself has only an rough area of 6 square inches that can be covered by the spindle.

I am really open to ideas on this one. I have already wired up my case for holding the PSU and 3 IMS Stepper drivers. The table itself has limits switches built in that need to be wired up. I also need some ideas for what type of servo to use I have a 48v dynetic servo that seems underpowered.

My goal here is to be able to cut stainless possibly if at all possible and maybe add a fourth axis in later stages if everything works out.

[NEATman]

Scra99tch-
You may want to think about how you are orienting your axes. If you were to mount the XY table with one axis vertically, you could have 4" of X travel, 4" of Z travel, and 11" of Y travel. So the spindle would be mounted to the table of the 2 axis stage, while the work is mounted to the single axis travel stage. You would need to make a right angle bracket out of 1/2" or so plates to mount the base of the XZ to the longer travel Y axis. This would rotate your work envelope,and could make it more useful.

Keep posting pictures, I'd like to see how your machine turns out. I've been playing with a similar idea for quite a while now, but never have the time to work on it. Take a look here:
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8673
One the the Dover spindles is visible in one of the pictures also.

NEATman
Keith