Gathering ideas for a new CNC router-mill thingy

[Davek0974]

I was looking at buying one of the 6040/3040 import routers but after reading many threads on them I think I can build a better unit myself. I have built two CNC plasma tables to-date, both successful and my last 1250x1250 is my main production machine now.

I went against the odds when designing it - everyone was leaning towards very large rigid gantries and heavy frames etc. I decided to use thinner 2mm box section throughout and gain rigidity only where needed by correct use of bracing and ribs etc.

The result was a 100% success and was even FEA tested with flying colours proof of the pudding is in the eating and it worked very well.

Now, after reading dozens of threads on building a mini router/mill for engraving and light work in alloys or wood etc, I saw a trend towards heavy builds again, some very heavy! Considering the average mill cutter is about 3mm for alloy work, maybe a little larger, and engraving tools are tiny I thought of applying my ideas to building one.

My want is for a general purpose machine - wood, alloy, plastic, engraving, carving, milling, envelope maybe 400mm x 500mm.

So, picture if you will, no box-section, use maybe 15mm x 150mm aluminium to make a shoe-box structure - 4 sides and a base (base can be thinner i think).

Mount 15mm HiWin rails to the tops of the long sides, 2 carriages on each side. Mount 1610 ballscrew on outer side of longer sides.

Make gantry base to span the opening, deep enough to take two carriages suitably far apart, drop plates down from ends to fix ballscrew nuts to - it would be an inverted U shape.

Build gantry as required from base up to hold Y axis and Z axis.

May even consider using steel plate throughout.


What do you all feel about that?

IMHO, i can't see enough counter-force coming from the small tools used in these machines to distort a 500mm x 150mm slab of aluminium by any amount that matters??

I have other ideas but this is the most radical so i thought i'd plant that one first