Production grade CNC router Vs Homebuilt CNC router advice

[SweetAs]

haha love it.

So come on then Jazz...point me in a good direction?

Ive been having a look through some of the build logs. I like the look of this one http://www.mycncuk.com/threads/6988-routercnc_MK3

I feel I have a few long days of looking through build logs and the forums to get some sort of idea of parts that I want to look at. Happy days!!

[routercnc]

haha love it.

So come on then Jazz...point me in a good direction?

Ive been having a look through some of the build logs. I like the look of this one http://www.mycncuk.com/threads/6988-routercnc_MK3

I feel I have a few long days of looking through build logs and the forums to get some sort of idea of parts that I want to look at. Happy days!!

That's my machine. Glad you like it and for its size it will happily cut wood no problem although you will need 1610 screws not the 1605 ones I fitted (to get the feedrate up)
But if you want to go bigger (1200 or 2400mm that you mentioned ) this would need some work. The gantry is only 80x80 heavy gauge profile and would need to be bigger or multiple profiles or steel box if double the width.
I would also recommend the raised X style machine which many others have built as this removes the gantry drop down sides. Much stiffer and not much extra work to build. Keep the ends open to feed in the sheets.
Also at this size you should look at the pros and cons of rack and pinion on the longest axes instead of ball screws, especially at 2400mm

[SweetAs]

No probs, like I said it does look good

Cheers for the info regarding the screws. What sort of feed rate and depth do you use for timber at the moment? Im thinking along the lines of Birch Plywood...

In terms of beefing up the gantry, would 100 x 100mm suffice do you think or would I be better seeing if I could get a box steel frame welded together

Forgive the ignorance, what do you mean raised x style machine?

[routercnc]

No probs, like I said it does look good

Cheers for the info regarding the screws. What sort of feed rate and depth do you use for timber at the moment? Im thinking along the lines of Birch Plywood...

In terms of beefing up the gantry, would 100 x 100mm suffice do you think or would I be better seeing if I could get a box steel frame welded together

Forgive the ignorance, what do you mean raised x style machine?

I haven't cut timber for a long time now - been cutting aluminium parts for 6-12 months, but from memory cutting depth probably ~3 - 6 mm and feed rates ~1000 - 1200 mm/min (limited by 1605 ballscrews and analogue drivers). This is a bit slow for wood but worked OK and I was only doing bits and pieces / small one offs.

I don't want to prescribe a specific gantry size until you have sketched something and have decided on gantry span, but 80x80 aluminium single profile is too small for 1200/2400mm wide, and 100x100 profile is also a bit on the small side in my view.

Raised X axis means that the longest X axis rail is supported up at gantry level by structural members which are part of the bed. It can therefore be made very rigid. The gantry is then a simple beam which rides on this. Couple of examples:
(Clive)

(Toomast)

Opposite of this is where the X axis is level with the bed and the gantry then has to be supported by drop down sides. Although these drop down cantilevers introduce some loss of stiffness, they can still be plenty stiff enough and allow 'all round' access to the bed for big sheets. Good examples posted by Jazz/Dean:

[Boyan Silyavski]

The raised sides machines have many benefits for the DIYer. Stronger, easier to level and build. Plus if you fit there thin sheet it will keep the dust more or less in bed. Cause a dust shoe in a sheet scenario works well, not so when cutting deep shapes, 3d jobs, stuff raised on vacuum table or fixture and so on.

[JAZZCNC]

So come on then Jazz...point me in a good direction?

I already did by telling you to look around the forum and have patience, do the research it pays off big time in the end. I don't do favorites so not recommending anyone over another but there are many on here that more than good enough to do what you need. All those that finish and endup with working machine are winners IMO.

I will give advise on design etc. The best design will depend on your needs really. Some are better suited than others if working large sheets.

Like been mentioned the high sided frame with Gantry sat directly on the rails is very strong design, one I've developed and used many times. Down sides are it does limit access to the front or rear which isn't always ideal for sheet work.
However Combine this with strong gantry design like the "L" shape Gantry design made from HD profile and you'll have machine that will handle most materials upto steel. ( Edit: Don't mean will cut steel but upto ie Aluminium,brass etc.)

If you want more access to the bed then a more conventional machine with raised gantry will suit better. Again if built correctly it will more than do what you need.

Both these larger machines below are built from same materials (steel, profile) and do the same job of cutting woods, plastics etc. Both are strong strudy designs and Only reason the designs are different is because each had different needs. One needed flexiblty of cutting deep materials so uses an adjustable height bed, the other is mostly for panel work etc where access is more important.

The other smaller machines will equally cut thru woods like butter but are built to work in confined space so need good access to bed while at same time not having parts hanging off sides etc so are designed such to hide parts away and save space.

Then we have ultimate in space saving when we go vertical.!! . . . . Yes vertical machine gives lots of advantages and something to seriously consider if space is premium, or not.!
I'm actually building an 8x4 vertical machine for sign maker at the moment that when done will look like the Cad model shown. At same time also building the other Cad model with 4th axis on side. Again both use Steel and HD Profile.

Any of these designs will more than do what you need. And don't let any dodgy looking Bloke from spain tell you it needs to built like brick shit house and weigh the same has tank it doesn't.!

Hope these help give some idea of design which will suit your needs and abilty's.