This is my first real post on CNCZone, however I am a long time lurker. I figured I would share what I am doing and hopefully what I have built so far isn't too tragic.

The reason for building instead of buying is simply cost. I would love to have 60K to drop on a nice shop sabre, but sadly I don't have that kind of money.

I am using a welded steel frame with epoxy beds for the linear rails. The steel is a mix of 6x12 and 3x6 1/4 hot rolled A500.

I would love to post pictures, but it would seem I am not allowed yet due to my noob status.

My goal is to create something that can cut wood and maybe some light aluminum work. I don't need to get too crazy with tolerances and precision. Somebody could spend a lifetime making a machine perfect. That said I do want some decent level of precision. Maybe say .002 per foot.

You can follow along the build on my blog if anyone is interested.

https://kawphi.com/blog/kawphi-maker-1

This router named Karl is a 5x5 machine with a 6x8 frame.

The base is Tig welded using a stacked beam design. The 6x12's had some 1/2 plate welded to the bottom with leveling feet added so I could make adjustments. They were then stacked and welded.

Next up the 6x12s had some 1/2 plates welded to the top so the base and the machine bed can be separated. The machine bed is made from 3x6's that were leveled and brought into plane best I could using music wire.

I also added some 1/4 x 2 flat steel to the tops of each linear rail mount to give me something to tap holes into. This flat steel was then made flatish by using the 3 plate method. I took a piece of 6 foot long 3x6 and used it to lap the welded steel plates using the 3 plate method. Next up I could have a true(ish) surface to drill and tap the holes. After those were done I poured epoxy onto the rail beds and finished those off by hand scraping the expoy beds. I am using 32mm rolled ball screws, 30mm rails and NEMA 34 clearpath motors.

The gantry supports are made from 1/2 plates, 3x6 tubing and 2in flat steel in a I beam configuration.

That is where I am at for now. I am about 40 days into this build and i am hoping to have it ready to roll in the next 30 days. If someone is looking for the designs, they are sadly in my head. I have built this machine entirely with no cad, no drawings. It's all in my head, so I figured the best way to get it out is in steel. I am not so great at the CAD's, so unless something is going into production, I don't really need it. (well I kinda do, but it's extra work I don't want to do).