The B&Q build adventure begins....

Ok heres the start of my build, I've seen a few, most post after they start, this is a real beginning, the ideas still in my head and not even on paper, although i have been looking around for months to get some ideas, i'll tell you what i think, then maybe if i have gone wrong, you can forwarn me!

Spec i'm aiming for..

1) a3 sized workable area
2) to be able to isolation mill pcb's
3) simple engraving in plastics and soft metals
4) plastic part manufacture, like keyrings / photo frames
5) be able to plot with a pen (plotter too old, hence this build)
6) to be built with off the shelf bits from regular suppliers, nothing from abroad or specific
7) not to need an old computer running dos or linux!


So, with the above in mind this is the idea.....

As this is a first build, i'll have to build this one with hand tools, idea is to build a mk1, which will be used to build a better mk2, seems a common theme...

The bed will be a piece of kitchen worktop, its solid, thick, cheap.

Onto that will be the two rails, I have yet to find b&q selling anything usefull for rails apart from 25mm angle etc, but none of what they sell is straight or flat or not chipped.

Flying gantry, usual wood sides and cross-member etc, driven by 2 8mm threaded bars, need to link them or use two motors, did think of belt, but resonance, did think of chain, but possibly sloppy, so thought of wire, but too many turns etc. best guess option, wire, but from left gantry side to right gantry side, like a drafting board, and one lead screw.

lead screw bearings, bearings are cheap, skateboard shops sell lots of them.... mountings would be another issue, thinking block of wood, drill hole, cut in half, screw together around bearing, then screw to table. two nuts locked together to stop it pulling through.

spring pressure on one end with a steel ball as a thrust bearing.


2 sprung nuts to take out the thread pitch backlash, used on all 3 axis.

cutting head, dremel device of sorts.(advice needed)

Motors, not a clue, maybe a bit of guidance!

Controllers for motors, and psu

I was hoping to scavenge motors from something but most motors i have found are weak and 5v, or in old printers and a bit odd.

I'm not looking I think for anything powerful here, how big a motor do you need to cut say door numbers for your house?

so, let fly!

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I'm not looking I think for anything powerful here, how big a motor do you need to cut say door numbers for your house?

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Try to make it as rigid as possible, strength is more important than motor power when it comes to cutting things neatly.

thanks, i seem to be getting that idea, i just looked at one build on here, flying gantry, looks like its 15mm of aluminium!

motors are where i am at a loss, I know i cant scavenge them from anything in b&q so that will be ebay, with cutting metals a few mm thick, to make say buttons for on/off switches, what kind of motors do i possibly need?

any ebay links useful.....

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Originally Posted by flez1966

thanks, i seem to be getting that idea, i just looked at one build on here, flying gantry, looks like its 15mm of aluminium!

motors are where i am at a loss, I know i cant scavenge them from anything in b&q so that will be ebay, with cutting metals a few mm thick, to make say buttons for on/off switches, what kind of motors do i possibly need?

any ebay links useful.....

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for scavenging stepper motors try old photocopiers.