Lowcost capable CNC - Make vs Buy?

[JAZZCNC]

Ok well, your high in some areas and missing stuff in others but it will all balance out to be around that figure if you shop a little better.
Though be honest prices are changing all the time with the world being in meltdown so I'm going to revise my estimate and say £2500 might be a more realisitc figure with the spec your at now by the time it's finished.
However you'll have a machine that is worth double that amount and will blow the likes of I2R, Felder, Axiom out the water.

PC cost is way to high, £75 will get you a PC to run this no problem.

Aluminium can be sourced cheaper is you try local metal suppliers. I pay roughly 30% less than Ali warehouse ask, then you save carriage on top if you collect.
If you have any local engineering place it's worth calling in and asking about there Scrap bins, sometimes they what they call little pieces of scrap we call gantry sides.!

Just little things and savings like this all add up. 5 for less than your 3.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5x-Induct....c100010.m2109

Now you have gone with the Uc400 but this means you'll need a breakout board which you haven't accounted for. This is why I mentioned the AXBB rather than uc300 or 400. It saves you money and as everything you need.

The drives you stated like Doddy says are 50Vdc max so you can't use a 36V toroidal as you'll blow them up. Remember the 10% safety margin.
This is another reason why it's worth paying an extra $20 for the bigger drives/motors. You also don't need the Capacitors and bridge rectifier so your costs for PSU are just the toroidal transformer.

Regards customs and buying from China. Try to buy everything from same place, for instance, Fred at BST can supply everything but the drives/motors, as it will save you money on shipping.
I would build the Z-axis my self as it would be cheaper and better.

Customs will charge VAT on the (**)invoice amount declared(**), there will also be an admin fee of around £15-20 from the shipping agent.
Ask the supplier to keep the (**) low.

With a little careful buying, you'll get the costs down more but you have missed a few reasonably pricey things, like an electrical cabinet but like I say it will probably balance out with things you have overpriced.

[Andrewg]

Thanks Doddy and JazzCNC

Updated sheet to reflect your suggestions plus factored in 25% (VAT plus import fees) increase on imported items.....And indeed we seem to be hovering around £2,500 now, though with no attempt to push back much at this stage and I agree it is a well spec-ed machine.. I posted the link to GSheet as I couldn't work out how to post a table, but now it is a live tally of information accumulated in this thread.

Advice on sourcing from China noted and Fred at BST Motion had come up often enough here to know he is the go-to guy. When the time is right I will bother him for a full quote.(and hopefully trim the budget)

I have least understanding of the Electrics/Electronics (as you can tell from my first attempt at parts), but assume if I have sufficient budget, spec good components and take my time and the advice of this forum I will get through OK. Having sense checked the budget (growing but not out of control...yet), I am now focused again on generating a mechanical design I am confident I can make.....and as Jazz indicated it is all about getting the details right! Fusion 360 is your friend when you can get it to do your bidding! I've used it a lot for furniture design but importing parts and positioning and joining is new so on a bit of a leaning curve there.

So Jazz..what does that orange beauty look like from behind?

[JAZZCNC]

So Jazz..what does that orange beauty look like from behind?

Here you go watch this.

[JAZZCNC]

Here's the other design with it's clothes off.

[Andrewg]

So I am still mulling design options
Is there something wrong with me finding the sight of Dean's machine undresses slightly arousing?! I certainly now 'get' the neatness and economy of this single leadscrew Y axis design: Standard BK.LK12 bearings mounting 1610 leadscrew on underside of 45x90 central heavy extrusion, motor tucked away by addition of GT timing belt and 1:1 pulleys. With single traveling homing/limit sensor fitted to Y axis under-gantry and drag chain safely out of the way under table......very nice.

As I am still looking around at other designs for ideas and still open to buying rather than making, wanted to draw peoples attention to another very nice UK router CNC kit that addresses the low-cost capable niche. UKCNC's D-500 kit is £4.450+ VAT currently - 500x500 cutting area, all aluminium plate construction with linear rails and ballscrews all around.

Having just complemented Dean's single screw Y axis, the folks from UKCNC have come up with a very nice dual screw Y axis design. This is of interest to me who wants to machine board ends, as the middle 2/3 of the bed is open and unobstructed so no need for the spindle run beyond the end of the bed.

These guys seem to know what they are doing and so interesting to see their particular design choices:
1610 ballscrews all round, direct drive X and Z, 2:1 belt gearing on Z - this seems to be accepted wisdom then across many designs
15mm linear rails all round, 2 each side on Y - so perhaps interesting trade off between number of parts and size, as single 20mm rail per Y side more standard here for self build, but then a kit seller has sourcing savings when buying single spec rail in volume
Closed loop steppers - this seems to be a theme I'm picking up if you want reliability and performance on a budget
All CNC machined Ali plate construction - as they point out in the description this is not a cheap option for one off builds, but when engineered for low volume batch production this changes, and quality more controllable than when using extrusions.

It is certainly an attractive offering if self-build was off the table. The specs are slightly lower than what I started costing up from Dean's guidance, So say the self build budget materials were £2k min, additional £500 for tools etc then that is a £2-3k premium to have a proven design,support and fewer months of designing and making. For me it is a definitely an option should I have the money and 500x500 will meet my workshop needs.

[Doddy]

So I am still mulling design options
Is there something wrong with me finding the sight of Dean's machine undresses slightly arousing?

Yes.

As I am still looking around at other designs for ideas and still open to buying rather than making, wanted to draw peoples attention to another very nice UK router CNC kit that addresses the low-cost capable niche. UKCNC's D-500 kit is £4.450 currently - 500x500 cutting area, all aluminium plate construction with linear rails and ballscrews all around.

...and a grand in VAT, if that's of concern.

[Andrewg]

....and a grand in VAT, if that's of concern.

Yes good catch - was about to correct, Probably £5,500 by the time delivery and VAT added

[Doddy]

A couple of things grab me, though only glanced briefly at the site. Looks to be a single prox. sensor on the twin-screw axis - you'll be having to manual tram the machine if you crash it. Manual spindle speed control (I can't argue, my mill is currently like this), but obviously geared towards making sawdust. It's a machine-in-a-box, granted, and it's an easy entry if it suits your needs.

What we need is an enterprising soul that's prepared to pull together a similar kit of parts for a manly machine :)

[Doddy]

...an do my eyes deceive me... is that an Arduino Mega in the kit?

Edit:

Aha!, they've cunningly slaved an Ardy on there for GRBL support. The electronics are built down to a cost - with some significant compromises.
Like I said - kit-in-a-box. I don't think it'd suit everyone.

Edit 2:

Not just closed-loop steppers, but integrated driver, too. I reserve judgement until I read up..... 2NM, 36V supply, 250kHz max input frequency, NEMA 23 size. Think the supply side of things will limit performance but... kit-in-a-box.

[JAZZCNC]

...an do my eyes deceive me... is that an Arduino Mega in the kit?

Edit:

Aha!, they've cunningly slaved an Ardy on there for GRBL support. The electronics are built down to a cost - with some significant compromises.
Like I said - kit-in-a-box. I don't think it'd suit everyone.

Edit 2:

Not just closed-loop steppers, but integrated driver, too. I reserve judgement until I read up..... 2NM, 36V supply, 250kHz max input frequency, NEMA 23 size. Think the supply side of things will limit performance but... kit-in-a-box.

Those two things right there are a flashing beacon to stay away.!!