Hello all.
Some time ago I was going to buy a cnc router at ebay, the prices were about 3500$. But one fine day I found Joe's cnc machine topic in this forum. I decided to build my own router based on Joe's design. At first I draw a model in solidworks. Here's my EASM file:

http://www.wwracing.lv/freezgalds.EASM

Some parts are a bit different from Joe's design.

The drawing:


Next and the hardest part was to make the adjustment blocks. I decided to use aluminum as the material. It was very time consuming process sawing the small blocks and drilling the many holes.




The x and z axis:



Rear side of the x axis:

The part, that moves the axis (I can't find the right word )



I used stepperworld dynamo 3 sxis stepper system with 190oz motors.



and such 1/4" couplers:


Final assembly

The first cuts in metal:




These cuts were made in manual mode. Im using turbocnc software. Everything runs smooth and Im quite happy about the results. The costs for this project was about 850$ but it was worth it. The overall cutting area is about 48x29". There's still some parts that I don't lika about this design, but still it not bad at all for the first cnc router that I made. I'm now considering to cut out parts from MDF for a router with design like Joe's model 2006 - that's a fine construction. Thank you Joe for inspiration

Very good work, I like the improvements you did to the machine, ie bearing adjustment tensioners on the bottom.

I have not tried to cut alumn on mine, what specs did you use?


1. bit
2 spindle speed
3. cutting speed
4. stepdown/over
5. type of stock, and thickness
etc.?

I'm glad you were able to use my design to work for you in your situation.

This is a very good starter machine for people and also has a larger cutting area than normal diy machines.

that was one of my goals.

Joe

Thanks
Yes, the adjustment tensioners works really good. At first I thought I will not need them, the steel pipes for Y axis are 3mm thick and very hard, however they tend to bend in the middle and this makes the whole thing wobbly, but with these adjustment tensioners everythings fine. I finished the router recently and still need to learn how to use it properly. I already made some engravings in MDF:



This logo is abotut 150mm wide. But it was made with a dull endmill for metal therefore is not very acurate. As for milling the aluminum, I used such 3mm carbide endmill for metal:



Spindle speed was about 8000 rpm, feedrate about 25mm/min, the cutting depth was about 2mm each time, so if I want to cut through 10mm aluminum sheet, there must be at least 5 attempts. Of course I could increase the depth to 3 or 4mm, but that would require decreasing the feedrate. I also will have to make some kind of cooling device in order to work with metal.

I'm having some trouble cutting plexiglass, I saw in your first pictures a Texas shaped piece of plexiglass. What type of endmill did you use, what were the spindle speeds and feedrate? Didn't you get trouble with the problem of plexiglass melting?

Thanks

Wow good work! I am glad to see that people are begining to cut metal in these forums. What kind of roto tool are you using? And also what kind of CPU are you guys running to get this stuff done? I am looking into building one of these and I like to have all the right parts before the build you know. I have an older laptop, but am I going to be generating the CAD drawing then G-code with a newer more powerful one. My question is will the brain for the control board need only to be sent the text file with the G-code? and if so would the older laptop be ok for control of the cnc?

Thanks for any reply,
JimDandy

what are the specs of it?

I'm using Metabo GE 700 Die grinder:



It has adjustable speeds from 7.000 to 27.000 /min, works really well

Hello,
I had nothin special to do today, so I decided to make something out of 10mm thick aluminum plate. This is what came out


A nice ring for me Now I'm kinda Lord of rings lol

Looks great. What is a EASM file. I have solidworks, but I do not see this ext.
Thanks

That's odd

maybe you need to install the e-drawings viewer?
Try this:
http://www.solidworks.com/pages/programs/e...nloadcheck.html

Hope it will help

I thought I would reply to your questions about your setup here as not to sidetrack my cnc machine,

I got your email and I do not see anything wrong what soever with your driver and motors, imfact they are very comparable to mine.

the thing is you would want to get as close to 40vdc as possible to get the preformance from your motors. and maybe stepup the leadscrew, my second machine i used 5/6-18tpi, how many tpi is yours?

joe

If with tpi you mean turns per inch, then I'm using leadscrews with 1,5mm (we have metric system here) step. It means that there are about 15 turns per inch. Not a big difference from yours. Speaking about motor voltages, my motors are powered from the board whitch runs on 5v. And it is suggested using a current limiting resistor to run motors at 3v. I'm afraid of burning something if i raise the voltage, I think the board will not handle that much current.

BTW, how many revolutions does your motor make per minute? Mine makes about 120 rpm.

rpm is revolutions per minute, Mine are 200oz-in, 3v, 3A, 200 S/R, So i run at 80ipm x 10 turns per inch so i would say 800rpm
joe

Downloading it now. Thanks

Some days ago I tried to cut some 2mm thick sheet of hard copper. The results were... well not so good:



(the text indicates tge beginning and the end point of the cut)

The cut was supposed to be straight like the green line. But in stead it made something like waves. The spindle speed was about 7000RPM, feedrate about 13mm/min and the cutting depth was all the way through.
The problem was the depth. If you want to cut harder metals, you need to cut the same line several times and each time a little deeper - its longer, but you can increase the feedrate.




These cuts were made increasing depth step by step about 0.2mm each time. It took about 10 rounds.
The spindle speed was about 9000RPM, feedrate - 120mm/min. Those two squares were cut in about 5 minutes each.

So remember, if you need to cut harder metals, increase the depth slowly - 0.02 or more each cycle depending on the material!

Good results, glad it worked out, tells me we can dry cut metals with our wood machines...

Heres a small (27x27mm) NB chip radiator that I made for my computer.


And here's the same in wood, just for fun

Here's my new toy:
http://www.boot.lv/forums/index.php?showtopic=53294