My new 4 axes wood processing CNC router...

[routercnc]

Hi Florin,

A lot of work gone into that, well done. Good to see it in action. Looks like it is cutting well, but you might want to consider bracing the ends of the X axis profiles to each other. They are cantilevered up away from the baseframe, so might deflect a bit on the harder cuts. Just a thought - if you're happy then leave it because it might impede work access.

Also, I'm sure GeorgeD (see his 'Y axis design' post) would be interested in this design since the Z axis motor and belt are at the bottom!

[florins]

Hi routercnc,

Thanks a lot for the good words!

...you might want to consider bracing the ends of the X axis profiles to each other. They are cantilevered up away from the baseframe, so might deflect a bit on the harder cuts. Just a thought - if you're happy then leave it because it might impede work access.

The design is very solid, as it is using 90x90 heavy profiles from Bosch, with centering spring pins and threaded bars stiffening on all the connections. Actually I used this design exactly for improving work access and increased stiffness. Then, there is a slight controversy about this design: if I was to use a clasic gantry, then the deflection caused by the height of the gantry, would need to be compensated (because of much higher moments) by a huge gantry thickness, which would increase a lot the weight of the mobile part. So, I preffered to increase a bit the weight of the table, and keep the gantry height at minimum. Now, instead of having 2 poles on the side of the gantry, with limited thickness and weight, I have 4 much heawier poles, with all the possible reinforcements, and on a much larger base, holding the X axis.

... Also, I'm sure GeorgeD (see his 'Y axis design' post) would be interested in this design since the Z axis motor and belt are at the bottom!

Yes, I saw the posts now. Actually the heavy stepper motor I am using stays a bit better on the base of the Z axis in this case, so there is no dynamic momentum on the Z axis because of the heawy motor. Also, I preffered to have the axial bearing of the Z axis at the base, as the weight of the Z carriage and spindle will push that way. I know I lost around 1 inch from the Z travel there, but balancing the pros and cons I believe that in this case I made the correct choice. Future will tell :). Hope that this makes sense.

All the best,
Florin

[florins]

Aluminium pocketing and some views of the router which might help a bit more in understanding the design:



Hope this helps,
Florin