[Mattdg67]

Hi,
I'm a little new to CNC routers, and i am wanting one for personal use, i would like to have one with a 1'x'1 cutting area. My limit is about $1000, I just wanna know if there are some nice plans for a small one, or one online that is for sale.

Thanks,
Matt

[flyboy1015]

Matt,

You can build a machine for under $1,000. You'll have to look around a little and decide which design fits your needs. Once you've decided what you like, you can start looking for postings from others who have built it. This will help you get around some of the more common problems.

I tried to shave cost as much as possible in mine. If you know something about electronics, you can build your own power supply and driver. I bought the driver as a kit and built the power supply from an audio power transformer that I scavenged from a "dead" receiver amp. You have to make sure your transformer will handle your intended amp draw. I bought my motors from Probotix and the stepper driver is the Linistepper. I was able to get an old computer for free and the rest is a combination of donated and purchased parts.

I have 3 kids and a small budget, so I started mine 2 years ago in March and finished around the end of September, 6 months later.

It's a lot of fun, especially when you get it done and can start cutting and learning. Hope this helps!

[Kammo1]

The machine that will perfectly fit your needs is a Fireball V90 CNC machine, I have been looking at this for a long time and its a perfect small machine that will do all you want heres the link http://www.fireballcnc.com/ Kammo1

[Mattdg67]

Thanks guys. I think i'm gonna look for some simple plans that are the right size first to see if i can make one as cheap as possible, if not i'll just get the fireball cnc.

Thanks,
Matt

[Kammo1]

Hi Matt good luck if you go the rout on building your own. I am building one as we speak which is my own design moving gantry primarily MDF and Oilite bushings and roller skate bearing on aluminium angle and believe me the materials are cheap enough but if I had known about the Fireball before hand I would of invested and bought one in fact if I have any more problems with my build I will pull the trigger and get me one. Its great because you get to know how the CNC works when you build your own but I want to be using it now and am only half way there and its getting frustrating!!!!! this is just an insight in my own experience and if you still want to build one look at the Rockcliffe plans they are superb and detailed and its been a well proven machine that is fairly reasonable to build, good luck and keep us posted. Kammo1

[FandZ]

First time I've seen that fireball. If I would have seen it, I probably would have bought it. AT the very least, it could have helped in making a machine that is up to my needs.

I'm in the middle of my all metal build. It's an 18x12 wide router. I'm building it to specifically work on metal. I'm about 200 in and expect to spend about 800 total. 400 will just be electronics. Maybe a little more.

But that fire ball would have helped me out a good bit.

Hi Matt good luck if you go the rout on building your own. I am building one as we speak which is my own design moving gantry primarily MDF and Oilite bushings and roller skate bearing on aluminium angle and believe me the materials are cheap enough but if I had known about the Fireball before hand I would of invested and bought one in fact if I have any more problems with my build I will pull the trigger and get me one. Its great because you get to know how the CNC works when you build your own but I want to be using it now and am only half way there and its getting frustrating!!!!! this is just an insight in my own experience and if you still want to build one look at the Rockcliffe plans they are superb and detailed and its been a well proven machine that is fairly reasonable to build, good luck and keep us posted. Kammo1

[Kammo1]

Bro I still might just buy this to enable me to build a bigger machine...

[Mattdg67]

Well i looked around at some plans, and i think i'm going to go with the plans from Jgro. It's bigger then i really need, but it wont cost too much more, plus i could use it to help build a smaller cnc.

Matt

[FandZ]

LOL bro, don't build a bigger one to make a smaller one. You want a small one, build a small one. If you decide to follow some plans, just reduce some lengths. The one I'm building has a cutting area of 1 foot X 18 inches.

Whatever you do, don't think you'll have it done in a week. Unless you have a back ground in wood and metal working, you'll have a lot to work out.

Just keep reading and poking around the forums and you'll pretty much get all the info you need to design one just for your needs. You should give a hard look at that fireball. You'd be hard pressed to make one for less... Plus, it's ready to use as soon as you get it. It'll be another two months before I make my first cut at the soonest.

Well i looked around at some plans, and i think i'm going to go with the plans from Jgro. It's bigger then i really need, but it wont cost too much more, plus i could use it to help build a smaller cnc.

Matt

[Dorsal]

What you need really depends on the materials and the accuracy needed for the type of routing work you plan. I bought a PhlatPrinter for less than you have budgeted, and for my RC Airplane and artistic doodad needs, it's perfect.

[James Newton]

Matt,
I tried to shave cost as much as possible in mine. If you know something about electronics, you can build your own power supply and driver. I bought the driver as a kit and built the power supply from an audio power transformer that I scavenged from a "dead" receiver amp. You have to make sure your transformer will handle your intended amp draw. I bought my motors from Probotix and the stepper driver is the Linistepper. I was able to get an old computer for free and the rest is a combination of donated and purchased parts.

Matt, how are those Linistepper drivers working for you?

Do you have any suggestions for how we can improve our product or support?

What did you end up using for a heat sink?

If you have a second, I'd love to know what mode you run them in, and how fast you can run the motors in different modes.

Thanks for buying our kit!
http://www.linistepper.com

--
James Newton

[flyboy1015]

James,

Chad (flyboy1015). I posted that reply to Matt.

Chad

[Mattdg67]

Ok, well i think i can up with my own plans for a cnc router. I'm going to start out with a custom table that is 2ft tall, and is 2.5ft square, it has two shelfs one for the power supply, drivers etc, and second shelf it to put the cnc router on top. the cnc router will be 2.5ft square and about 6" tall at the base, on top of the bas will be another 6" tall square with with plexiglass on top in a pyramid type setup, that will act as a "cover" the is hinged on. That lid will make the ccn router about 2ft tall total, and with the table it will be a total of 4ft. I'm going to mostly use aluminum "L" channel for the most of it, and the rest of it will be made of MDF. I'm going to get almost all of the stuff to build it at Home Depot, going to use mostly 6-32 nuts and bolts, and for the long threaded rods i'll use 8-32, i'm going to use some extra bearings i have from my hobby (RC cars). I'll most likely use a Dremel 300 series as the "router". I'll update as my plans get more detailed, and i start to build.


Matt

[James Newton]

Oops, sorry Chad, Matt.

So, Chad, ... how are those Linisteppers...

[flyboy1015]

They've been great, but yesterday I went to use my router and I'm getting some strange behavior on both my X and Z axis. One direction works just fine, but when I go to move the other direction, it moves very slowly and doesn't stop when I stop jogging. I'll get some video and post. Very strange. I think it is a noise problem, but I'm not sure where it is coming from. I haven't opened things up to find it yet. I will definitely keep you posted.

[flyboy1015]

Well, I didn't think there was a problem with the Linistepper as it affected all axes and in only one direction each. I had disconnected the parallel cable from the computer thinking that I'd wire up some limit switches on my machine and breakout board. That didn't materialize, so I plugged it back in to the computer. When I did, I didn't realize that I had bent the corner pin on the connector and it didn't engage the plug. I pulled the plug and inspected it, as it was the only thing that had changed since my last use. Sure enough, that was the problem, a bent pin. I straightened the pin and tried it again. It works like it should. False alarm...sort of.

Let this be a lesson to me and everyone else. Be very careful when removing and inserting plugs.

[Mattdg67]

Ok, so i changed the design a little, and bought some MDF, bearings, aluminum, nuts, and some screws. I still need to buy threaded rod, more screws, and nuts. Going to make the base today with the MDF, but i was wondering should i use woodscrews to hold it together or buy some more 1/4" bolts and thread the wood?


Matt

[nasrace10]

ive got a mdf 4x8 cnc router for sale what do you offer?

[FandZ]

I'd avoid using wood completely. But that's me If I was using wood, I wouldn't use wood screws. I'd make the holes and bolt it together and reinforce it with glue.

Ok, so i changed the design a little, and bought some MDF, bearings, aluminum, nuts, and some screws. I still need to buy threaded rod, more screws, and nuts. Going to make the base today with the MDF, but i was wondering should i use woodscrews to hold it together or buy some more 1/4" bolts and thread the wood?


Matt

[Mattdg67]

"nasrace10" thanks for offering but 4x8 is too big, and i dont have the space for it.

"FandZ" I'm really just using wood for this one, my second cnc will hopefully be 100% aluminum, and thanks for the advise.

Matt