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  1. #11
    Hey, that sounds like a plan.

    On the fibreglass front, strange coincidence but I'm planning something similar for the front of mine regarding catchment for flood coolant. I'm building the base out of two solid concrete walls and and cast glass fibre reinforced UHPC bed too on top of those walls (at least that's the plan). It'll be the beginning of second week of June before workload eases up enough time to get to building it, but.... The reason I mention is that I just got some raw glass fibre strands from a crowd in Northern Ireland (Newtonabbey) for the UHPC mix, if you're stuck, and I know they're still open and shipping as I just received my order. They are specialists in all manner of resins and glass fibre products. Cost to the republic shipping wise wasn't too bad to be honest. mbfg.co.uk if you're interested.
    Last edited by Evengravy; 13-05-2020 at 04:35 PM.

  2. #12
    So your going for a solid base then... Yeah I guess I'm luck as I am still working at the moment so time is scarce at the minute. Few days booked off next week so I will tear into it then. Cheers for the fiberglass link. I need to read up a little on whats needed etc as I have not worked with fiberglass on something so large.I may well use something else to fabricate the "Well" but it's a little lower down on the priority list. Next week it's the Y axis and Table supports for sure!!!

  3. #13
    It's a brave step but sometimes you need to build something to understand what you really want.

    If you open the workshop door and just the sight of the CNC machine doesn't fill you with joy then it is time to re-assess, so well done on taking the first steps.

    My only thoughts are the availability of true 5 axis controllers / CAM software (at least low cost/free), but someone may know different as I haven't looked into them much (!). Of course a 4th rotary axis is fairly common.
    Building a CNC machine to make a better one since 2010 . . .
    MK1 (1st photo), MK2, MK3, MK4

  4. #14
    Fusion 360 supposedly does 5 axis cam. I have never really used it and I'm sure its a ball breaker to use unless you have learned a bit about it. As for the controller, There has gotta be something out there for reasonable money. Anything is possible if you bang your head off a wall for long enough!!! I will keep you all in the loop when I figure it all out.

    It can be done, It has been done............................It will be done again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  5. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Mister Mills View Post
    Fusion 360 supposedly does 5 axis cam. I have never really used it and I'm sure its a ball breaker to use unless you have learned a bit about it. As for the controller, There has gotta be something out there for reasonable money. Anything is possible if you bang your head off a wall for long enough!!! I will keep you all in the loop when I figure it all out.

    It can be done, It has been done............................It will be done again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    I wonder controller wise if the Mesa cards would be worth a look. They seem to be well regarded by folk over on linuxcnc due to the configurability, performance and input/output count. When I get re-started on the lathe cnc I'm going to go that route for encoder and turret as a single parallel port just won't cut it for everything. I've seen other folk do 5th axis with that hardware, so I know it's possible.

    This one's pretty neat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51jICcUkhhM and runs on mesa hardware

    I'm not sure how solid it would be though...

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  7. #16
    Are you in Australia by any chance ?
    Cheers
    Andrew

  8. #17
    I have a UC300ETH and dual break out board on the way. Uccnc to run the machine as opposed to mach3. I have never used either of them so fingers crossed! :) She's also getting a full Square rail, Ballscrew and Motor upgrade. Not exactly what I had in mind when I started, but thats the buzz of building I guess. None of the Items have arrived just yet so I have just been pottering about with some design Ideas. All going well I should be able to post some updates in the next few weeks.
    How are things your end of the world these days?

  9. #18
    I've heard of UCCNC but that's about as much as I know about it, be keen to follow along.

  10. #19
    To be honest I never heard of it until Jazzcnc mentioned it in a comment. The controller (UC300ETH) appealed to me. Ethernet, 6 axis, high stepper pulse frequency, analog outputs and a load of I/O makes it pretty flexible for what I have in mind over the next few months. It's only Approx. 60 euro for a licence ( only works with their controllers ) That said you can hook up the controllers to Mach3/4 also. The BOB is very good spec also.

    http://cncdrive.com/UC300ETH.html

    http://cncdrive.com/UCBB.html

    Both currently sitting in the cardboard box!!!!

    One thing I need to invest in is patience......... Currently like a kid at christmas waiting for santa to arrive.

  11. #20
    A little update. Due to the whole corona thingy delivery of materials and parts have been very slow indeed. She has grown a little from what I had originally planned but it is well within the space available in the garage 1500 x 1700 including the side mounted ball screws and motors etc.. Her predecessor was way too big for practical use. I am slowly getting through my wish list.

    To do for the moment:

    The table bed supports have yet to be pinned together and I will do this as soon as the machine is squared.(currently 1mm off square in one direction). Dam wobbly crooked floor!!!! Water table/Coolant containment to be fitted as soon as the table is pinned and squared. I plan to sandwich the polyethylene sheeting between the table supports and the mounts for vices etc. Might be a crazy idea but I will try it none the less.

    Finish off fitting both y axis ball screws/mounts and as I have only started the gantry so still a lot of work to do on that side of things. The new motors and ATC are still at least 2-3 weeks away from being delivered so plenty to do in the mean time. I will use my existing z axis for the moment and when she is cutting I will be able to machine the bigger/better z axis that i need for inclusion of the ATC.

    Thats pretty much it for the moment. Lots to do! Click image for larger version. 

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