Strange X axis design

[Zeroaxe]

Hi Clive,

Thanks for your reply and thanks for the welcome. Here is the link to the Instructable. I want to build my CNC Router to do wood, but I also want to have it to be able to fit a door. So *my* goal dimensions would be at lease 1meter by 2.5meters (excluding what is needed for rails/gantry etc).

So yes, to have two side panels 3meters (give or take) long, plus so structural support (ribs?) on the sides to make it sturdy would be a costly exercise I think.

Thanks again.

[Boyan Silyavski]

There are many builds from sheet material on the web, but almost nobody on this forum does that. |If you find the ribs expensive, then i dont know what you will think when people start giving you advice about motors, boards and so on. Cheap builds are destined to be imprecise and not worth the time and money spend on them.

At the other hand, from steel profile, supported linear rails and some aluminum you can do a nice machine. look around the builds section and see what people are doing here. It could inspire you.

What you have pointed as an example is a dirt cheap desktop cnc which could route soap or chocolate as the hardest material.

[Zeroaxe]

Hi Boyan,

Thanks for your reply. What I meant by expensive for the ribs, is that it looks like a cheap CNC (for a reason I suppose). But to upscale it to the size I plan on, would turn it into a NOT cheap CNC. Also, as mentioned here, MDF is not the best option.

I plan on building mine more sturdy. Steel Square tubing etc. I would want to use it for a while you know? I also have some steppers and a spindle etc which I bought over a year ago! Closer to the time, I shall look for more inspiration here.

So to sum it up.... what would be wrong with this design for the axis like in the photo? (let's assume more sturdy and reliable materials are used)

Thanks (for everyone that gave input here!!! )

[Boyan Silyavski]

Depends what exactly you would like to achieve. Ideally 80x80x3 steel tubing is best as per my view of things. It will allow to keep things simple and avoid diagonal braces. take a look at my first build in signature, somewhere is the file in Sketchup format. Honestly i doubt a better table with weight to price to strength ratio exists. Then you could further better it if you would like by making the bed on bolts so you could move it up and down. This is not my way of thinking, i prefer a better, longer and stronger Z axis. In the fiirst build there is an excellent example of cheap and properly made Z. As you read you will see that at the beginning i also was not aware of many things.

About the gantry, it could be simple 2x 80x80x3 welded together if the machine is not very very big, or could be like the gantry from my second build. Could be also like many make it from 2x aluminum profiles that form L, which may be easier for you to do at home. And last scenario is sb to cut it from aluminum plate and form a square.

There are many possibilities but what i said are the main successful ones. Also sometimes is not worth reinventing the wheel. Read the builds and stick to the elements you like.