Hello from a lurker...

[GEOFFREY]

Hi Si, a plywood kit - I think that you had better run for cover!!! G.

[CraftyGeek]

I'm going through the design/build process at the moment.

I originally started with an MDF machine built from the original plans on buildyourowncnc.com & then went on to modify it. It worked ok for cutting basic parts but had issues with the frame warping & workshop damp/humidity was also a pretty big issue.

I started out a while back thinking about building a new machine from aluminium extrusion - I originally planned to modify the FLA-100 & make it metric friendly (I did start doing this)...I then started asking more questions on here & was talked out of using aluminium extrusion for the frame - now i'm building a steel frame & designing the whole machine myself. This is the only way that i'll get exactly what I want from the machine...as you've found there is very little out there in the way of metric plans or kits in europe.

If you're concerned about working with steel - you shouldn't be, this is the first time i've worked with it & the first time i've done any welding...its quite a forgiving material to work with.

For £400 you could build something a lot better than that ply kit.

[JAZZCNC]

Hi Si, a plywood kit - I think that you had better run for cover!!! G.

Think Geoffrey says it all with this post.!!. . . . BUT I'll add my little bit.!!

. . . . . . YOU WANT YOUR HEAD LOOKING AT IF YOU SPEND £400 ON PLY WOOD FRAME.. . . Lol

PS: I remember you asking about steppers but I was known has Hemsworthlad back then before getting Kicked out for being naughty boy. . lol

[Jonathan]

I agree entirely... if you want a weak machine that might be OK for a few months if you're lucky, stick with plywood. If you want something that wont gradually bend and distort with varying moisture contect, resulting in a machine with varying accuracy, then make it with something sensible like aluminium and/or steel.

[kingcreaky]

Hi Si, a plywood kit - I think that you had better run for cover!!! G.

as I read it... I thought the same... :-D

forget wood. erase it from your memory

Drop me a PM, Im reasonably local and may have a solution to your quandry

[njhussey]

Drop me a PM, Im reasonably local and may have a solution to your quandry

Another machine in a month build log coming up Matt??!!

[firetrappe]

Lol, thanks for all the replies lads. TBH I knew I was going to get slated for talking about building from wood, I've got broad shoulders though so I can take it.

I've been using a machine built from 6mm MDF, drainpipe, gas pipe and cheap all-thread studding for 4 years. I don't think you can get much more 'budget' than that. But to be fair it's done what i've asked of it. Some pics attached of the type of things i've been cutting.

My reason for the plywood build was to spend money on decent hardware, supported linear rails, ballscrews, bearing blocks etc and also good electronics; this is the driver board, relay board and psu i'm using at the moment : www.easy-cnc.com * Your best option in driver boards for CNC machines

I was hoping that I could then use the ply machine and work on a better design in the future using the hardware and electronics i'd invested in.
I agree that £400 is pricey for some bits of plywood, but thought it was reasonable considering the R&D work that had been put into the design.

Kingcreaky, i'll PM you shortly.

Si.

[Jonathan]

From the images you've posted it's clear that your machine has quite a lot of backlash, so you definitely want to eliminate this by using ballscrews on your next machine.

I agree that £400 is pricey for some bits of plywood, but thought it was reasonable considering the R&D work that had been put into the design.

What R&D! If they'd done any R&D then it wouldn't be made from plywood. If you consider it worth paying for R&D, then just look at the build logs on this forum and you'll find all the information you need. I've recently posted about a machine I made, and I will upload the drawings/plans to the post very soon. No I'm not charging for it as it's all information you can get for nothing if you're prepared to spend a little time reading the forums. Charging for it would be like charging people to read this website...

[m_c]

By the looks of it, you are getting quite a lot of phenolic plywood for your money, which isn't exactly cheap, and is more stable than most other wood boards.

Yes, £400 could buy you all the metal you need to potentially create a better machine, but then you've got to learn how to work with metal and probably spend more on tools to be able to work with it or pay for somebody else to do it, whereas that £400 gets you a basic machine that needs a lot less input to get a working machine.

You already have experience of CNC, you have obviously done your research, and you have a reasonable expectations of what the machine should be capable of, so I personally don't think buying that kit would be a bad choice for you. However, I would be looking to try and find somebody who has already bought one, to make sure the kit they received lived up to expectations, and that they never got supplied with a bunch of poor fitting parts.

[JAZZCNC]

Yes, £400 could buy you all the metal you need to potentially create a better machine, but then you've got to learn how to work with metal and probably spend more on tools to be able to work with it or pay for somebody else to do it, whereas that £400 gets you a basic machine that needs a lot less input to get a working machine.

Sorry absolutely don't agree that thing will be harder to setup than pair of SU carbs that's been sat in scrapyard for 20 yrs (Know you'll relate to that Moray.) and it will quiver like a jelly if pushed hard.!! . . . . No contest.!

For less than £100 steel and £75 welder could have far superior machine. For £200 I'd cut and weld the bugger up no problem.!!