[rjfurness@bigpo]

Hello All,
my name is Jason Furness and I live in Orange , NSW, Australia. I am going to be building my own CNC to cut parts for R/C Aircraft. I am not looking to produce machines that can cut to 0.00000001 micron, this is some fun for me to build as well as to make my R/C parts. I am a mechanical engineer by training, but went to the dark side as a manager a long time ago. I can read drawings, etc, but I certainly do not have the hand/machining skills a lot of people here have.

I have been a lurker for a few months I am now ready to step up and make my own.

I purchased the Sosylva plans and also was fortunate enough to make contact with another CNC'er who lives in the next town to me. Ed was very kind in showing me his machines and the whole process in the flesh. This really helped clarify a few things, but mainly showed me how it is a reasonably simple process, but requires you to be quite methodical. (I expect to eat my words sometime in the next 7 days however).

I am building the Sosylva 13*13 in the next 7 days. This is not the machine I will use for my major R/C parts and it is not even a proof of concept machine as I accept the deisgn works. This machine is more of a 'proof of intent' for me, to see if I really want to put the effort in.

I cam back from seeing Ed a week ago and ordered the Hobby CNC Pro package with 305 oz steppers. I was tossing up whether to make the small, el cheapo , machine first or to go straight to the big one. I have purchased the boards, steppers, etc to be reused on the larger machine.

The fact the HobbyCNC kit arrived fron the US 6 days after I ordered it made the decision for me. I can get this one done, and up and running before I can get rails and leadscrews for the Sosylva 24*48 or a similar larger machine.

I have two measurements I will post to track my progress.

One is how many days to get the machine to the cutting stage. The second will be how many times I have to go to back to Bunnings, or somewhere similar to get parts, as I have missed something from the plans!

I will be using Mach 3 software, and probably Rastervect to scan in my plans and drive the CNC.

Wish me Luck!


Jason

[vlmarshall]

Good luck! I wanted to post in this thread to make it easier for me to follow your progress.

My soon-to-be-retired parents and I are about to start on a 25x25 Solsylva.
I'll be cutting a lot of the more intricate parts for them at work or at home, and will probably make things like bearing carriers and stepper mounts from aluminum.

They ordered the Solsylva plans book last week, and I drove over there just to see it when it came in... it's QUITE an impressive manual. All you Solsylva builders are going to have me building my own before long!

[rjfurness@bigpo]

Hi vlmarshall? not sure what your first name is?: - )

The plans book is very good, I have not purchased any others so I have no comparison to make, but I can follow this quite easily I think. The diagrams are excellent.

I have opened up the HobbyCNC package and read through all of the instructions. Heading off to the electronics store shortly to get a transformer and cabinet for the electrickery part of the project, and then to the Harware store for the bits and pieces.

I will be posint gpictures later today!

Jason

[rjfurness@bigpo]

I will be posting pictures is what I meant to say!

I may learn to type first!

Jason

[vlmarshall]

Nice, I'm looking forward to the pictures, and more of your impressions of the HobbyCNC parts. I don't have any experience with the bits from HobbyCNC, and my little Sherline is running on a Xylotex board and steppers.
Still, this Solsylva might just see a Gecko... and the torroidal power supply I have sitting around here.

Our first hardware store trip will be this weekend, and I've already pulled 5 feet of 1/2"-10, 2-start Acme from the scrap bin at work.

-Vernon (see, it's not just 'V')


Edit: Oh yeah, I'm an RC'er too.

[radcliffe]

Jason
I bought the same package and the foam pro driver board. I was very impress with the board everything marked with the orientation of the components. I had my completed in one evening. Just follow Dave's instructions from start to finish don't jump ahead and install components. Pay close attention to the LM317 and the LM317A Regulator and driver they look the same but are not interchangeable. Before you applied any power to the board double check all soldering for any bridges.

Good luck on your build, I will be following your progess.

I'm an RC'er too.

Harold

[rjfurness@bigpo]

Hello to all the RC'ers who have commented. I wonder if we are all going down the path of automating, and increasing the accuracy of what we do in our own building as a result of seeing the great improvements in the ARF's because of the laser cutting they use. If you don't already know of it go to RCSCALEBUIlDER.COM. I dream of making planes that some of those guys do, and having their workshops!

I have spent the afternoon buying bits of wood and then chopping them up. It seems the actual dimensions of a 2*4 in Oz are different to a 2*4 in the US. I went to assemble the base and found that I need to rip about a 1/4 inch of each of the 2*4 sections to get them to fit. I will do that tomorrow morning as the kids are in bed.

All I have to show for today is this!

Damn, just found out I have to post my images to a website first. I need to figure that out.

As far as the HobbyCNC gear goes, it looks just like a bought one! I wouldn't really know how to assess the quality or otherwise of a PCB, except by general appearance. The stepper motors all look solid and impressive. The kit looks very complete and I was amazed to receive it so soon. It shipped on the 24/1 and arrived here in country NSW on the 29/1.

I went and bought a transformer today, but couldn't get an electrical box, need to do that Monday. I think I will assemble the board tomorrow night as I want to read through the instructions a few more times. I am stamping something on my forward so as to not mix up the LM317 components as well as a couple of others that have a specific orientation.

Days Spent : 1
Trips to Hardware Store : 1 ( I already know I have to go back tomorrow!)

Jason

[rjfurness@bigpo]

Here are the photos, not much really, a box from HobbyCNC and some sawn up bits of wood, some of which have holes drilled in them.
[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

Jason

[appicnc]

So Maaaaaate, who you calling simple!!!!!!! 8-))))

Don't be put off by this self deprecating " engineer " he has most likely forgoten more than we will ever know and I'm guessing he will be able to cut to.0000000000000000000001.

Good Luck Jason - now you really are really in the dark side.

Ed

[pipertom]

Good luck with your build!
I have built the 25 x 37 Dual Leadscrew Machine from Solsylva. The plans were great!
I would like to build the 24 x 48 Rack and Pinion, to get the cutting speed up. My current router table only cuts at 30ipm. The new 24 x 48 Rack and Pinion promises 300ipm. Right now I'm saving money for parts.
Again, good luck, you will enjoy it!

Cheers,
Tom

[rjfurness@bigpo]

Hello All,
progress on Day Two has been substantial. I had to rip the timber down for the beams to 1 1/2 inches to get things to fit and once that was done I could assemble the base. The result of the days work is here.



It all feels very solid and sits flat! I assembled the cross piece that forms the basis of the Y-Axis gantry at this point. It is out of order to the instructions but as I could proceed with the X-Axis fitment and it was going to stiffen the structure I went ahead.

As far as the rest of the machine frame I drilled numerous holes in bits of wood to get them ready to assemble. I followed the usual method of measure twice, cut once, swear three times, then measure some more and cut once again.

It is all fairly straight forward and the manual is very well laid out and easy to use. I need to find some T buts or threaded couplers to use on the axis and some bar and busings for the rails. Tomorrow I can get to some more specialised shops to get these.

Electronics Report Next

Hardware Store Trips - 2
Days - 2


Jason

[rjfurness@bigpo]

Hello All Again!
I began assembling the Hobby CNC Board this afternoon. I have not finished it yet but after two hours I am about 1/2 of the way through. When I first unpacked the board and components properly I was a bit taken aback by how many bits there were to assemble. I laid everything out and started removing and fitting one component at a time. The instructions are clear and I did not deviate from them (not intentionally anyway).

.

Here is the board with a few bits and pieces attached. I was suprised at how easy it was to fit the components and get the solder to attach correctly.



The error proofing using the dots works well. It is a bit blurry in hear but you can see the dot on the compnent and on the PCB board.



The capacitors have a system of error proofing of both ID bands and a longer + terminal but I still got some wrong. The smaller capacitors are orientated one way on the board and I got complacent and assumed the others were the same, they weren't.



You can see from the image it is clearly marked on the PCB but I got it wrong.

I was using an alligator clamp as a rudimentary heat sink, but it didn't seem to make much difference. I was not taking long to get the solder on, it was quite easy, but the componentry really did pick up some heat. I need to assemble the rest and do the testing to confirm no damage has ben done. I am not sure how else to do this, nor exactly how resilient these components are. Any comments will be greatfully received.

I think I am still in with a show of finishing in seven days. I do need to get the final components tomorrow, as well as a suitable transformer and electrical enclosure.

Have Fun

Jason

[rjfurness@bigpo]

Hello All,

[rjfurness@bigpo]

Hello All,
as bit of background on the other components of the system. I have purchased a reconditioned Windows XP computer which will arrive this week. I have a second hand monitor and keyboard to attach to it and this system will hold all of my CAD/CAM software.

I have been experimenting with scanning plans, cleaning up the drawing, and then converting it to a DXF file. I have made all of this work, I think, anyway. I will purchase Mach 3 when the computer arrives as well as a fully functional version of RasterVect.

To build the machine I am using a Triton Work bench for all of the wood cutting, and a drill press to ensure all of the holes are square on the components. It is a very simple machine to build thus far.

The only problem I have had so far is to find a suitable material for rails. This will be sorted tomorrow when the engineering supplies shops are open again, as opposed to relying on hardware stores. An electrical supplies store will have a suitable box for the driver board and also a suitable transformer. The local electronics hobby transformers top out at 3A and I need 10A.

I am not looking to fit limit switches, automatic homing, etc to this machine. I will save all of that effort for my 'real' one.

Regards

Jason

[appicnc]

Hello Jason

It looks like the Hobbycnc board is a double sided affair, it also looks as if you are soldering the components on the component side of the board, if the holes are plated through ( just checked the Hobbycnc site and they are ). Solder the part on the back of the board, use a HOT iron and you should be fine. Heat is a killer of electronic parts but in my experience you need a lot of it to hurt the component.

Looking good so far.

Ed

[rjfurness@bigpo]

Hi Ed,
I am sticking them in from the front and soldering from the back, so I think this is the right way. Glad to hear they can take a bit of heat. The soldering is very quick but the heat transfer up the wires suprised me.

Jason

[radcliffe]

Jason

Here are a couple of pics on my working completed board. Notice that I put the caps directly on the board and marked the location of the LM317 & LM317a components. Still have to mount board in case.

[rjfurness@bigpo]

Thanks,
I was wondering about the aluminium heatsink and where it went.

Jason

[rjfurness@bigpo]

Hello All,
today I sourced some threaded couplers to act as my leadscrews in lieu of the T nuts in the plan. I also bought a power supply and electrical enclosure. I will spend the evening finishing off the PCB so I can take it to work and perform the electrical test in the instructions using our lab power supplies.

I also received confirmation that the computer I havebought has been shipped, I guess I can expect it Wednesday.

I will post more pictures of the PCB assembly tonight.

Jason

[rjfurness@bigpo]

Thanks Radcliffe for the photos showing the orientation of the LM parts, it helped confirm things for me.

Jason