Start of a new built.

The linear bearings and supported rails arrived yesterday.
I have also done the Sketchup drawing so hoping to start building in a couple of weeks.

Initially, the idea was to build a small machine that could engrave up to 200mmx150mm but I couldn't get the rails I ordered are 420mm long and I just can't bring myself to cut them so now the machine's working size will be about 300mmx300mm.

I only want to use it as an engraver for now but might convert it to cutting as well in the future.

I am not going to use a dremel BTW, making my own spindle with a permanent magnet motor I scrounged form a neck massager.....no idea if it's going to be any good enough though as I don't have a clue what RPM it runs at. But it runs very quiet, can hardly hear it, unlike a dremel.

I'll add more comments/photos as I go along.

Any help would be appreciated.


Attachment 11653 Attachment 11654

What's the construction going to be, aluminium extrusion or aluminium flat plate ? How are you going to fit tooling into the, erm, 'spindle' ?

hello turk
looking at your design and what you want from it why not just go for a 3040 cnc off ebay they come up dirt cheap on occasion.
if your relishing making your own then fair play crack on,i found it great fun makeing my first and seeing it come to life for the first time.
as far as building one goes and the size your after id turn it into a small fixed gantry router it can be done just as cheap and if you do decide to cut harder materials later on...just my thoughts ;)
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fi...w=1366&bih=643

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Originally Posted by EddyCurrent

What's the construction going to be, aluminium extrusion or aluminium flat plate ? How are you going to fit tooling into the, erm, 'spindle' ?

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Neither at the moment cause I am not 100% sure if my measurements are correct so going to use MDF, a lot cheaper to experiment with. If it's all ok then I'll consider getting alu flat plates.

I have salvaged the chuck off a dremel that burned out on me a few months ago and want to connect that on to the electro motor, somehow. Like I said, no idea if it's going to be any use but gonna give it a try.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by deisel

hello turk
looking at your design and what you want from it why not just go for a 3040 cnc off ebay they come up dirt cheap on occasion.
if your relishing making your own then fair play crack on,i found it great fun makeing my first and seeing it come to life for the first time.
as far as building one goes and the size your after id turn it into a small fixed gantry router it can be done just as cheap and if you do decide to cut harder materials later on...just my thoughts ;)
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fi...w=1366&bih=643

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Cheapest I found on EBAY was £7-800, takes the fun out of building it.

I did build one a couple of years ago so still have the steppers and the controller so want to build my second now. Like you said, it's great fun seeing it come to life and do what it's supposed to.

The original idea was to build one with a fixed gantry but I have changed that now to give me double the cutting/engraving size. I have very limited space so need to make the best, or near as damn it, that I can. And if I convert it to cut as well later on it'll be more useful with a moving gantry, can cut larger pieces.

Went to B&Q yesterday and ordered the MDF to be cut to size, gave them a cutting list and also included a cutting plan. Just trying to sort them out and found out that out of 17 pieces I ordered only 2 are the correct size, the rest are either too wide, too long or too bloody short! :hororr: :livid:

Now I've got to cut the whole lot again myself, good job I got enough left of the sheet!

NOTE TO SELF: Must try and find someone else who is capable of cutting according to cutting list!

If I never saw another piece of MDF I'd be happy, it bends just looking at it. If you must use wood then birch plywood would have been so much better.

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Originally Posted by EddyCurrent

If I never saw another piece of MDF I'd be happy, it bends just looking at it. If you must use wood then birch plywood would have been so much better.

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I used plywood to build my first CNC and although I prefer ply to MDF, I would never use it again to built another one. Never had so many splinters in my fingers my whole life. LOL and it split in m ay places where I screw them together. I could have used different method to hold the pieces together but can do that with MDF as well to get a good connection.

Anyways, it don't hurt as much to mess up cutting MDF like this guy did, think I would have been a lot more upset if he buggered up the plywood. LOL

get yourself a good countersink bit, like countersink bit for aluminium they are awesome in MDF and ply. Also, B&Q are the worst place to have MDF or any material cut. The people who operate the saw, are only taught how it works and how to be safe on it, not how to cut things properly. Most of them are just sent on a course to learn it to cover peoples shifts, and so they have no experience. You should have asked a local joiners or cabinet makers to cut the wood, you would have had it done right first time. Other than that, great material to experiment with, especially if you can take it apart again and use it for patterns for aluminium later on.

PSG

I've got one of them countersinks, they are good.

The thing is that I've got all the tools and machinery but no garage/shed or garden, otherwise I would have cut it all myself. I did have a look around but haven't found a local joinery or cabinet maker so had no choice but to go to B&Q's.

What I have in mind is to use 18x18mm wood to join the pieces together, as in the sketchup drawing below, would be a lot stronger and will be a lot easier to pull apart and use as patterns as you mentioned.


Attachment 11781