Gantry style CNC mill

[giladv]

@Boyan Silyavski - valid question/points:)

my machine is intended to be the best, most versatile R&D tool i could build because of space limitations.
but also, it should be a fun project which i will learn the most from. so with that in mind:

- this setup has more tinkering and planning in it than just buying a single piece plug and play off the shelf part.
- this setup costs MUCH less to a comparable BT/ISO30 integrated high speed spindle. because of the actual spindle and because of the expensive balanced tool holders required for a high rpm spindle. we are talking more than X2 the cost for a complete setup.
- torque > speed for versatility. i can always cut slower with small tools but i you cannot use a facemill/tap/fly cutter/sketchy-chuck-setup-for-one time-lathe-work on a high speed spindle.
- reliability - this is very important. lets say the motor or the pneumatic cylinder is malfunctioning, what do you do? i can just swap them out separately with any other semi-compatible components.
- attachments - i can attach anything with a BT30 taper in it to the spindle (lasers/extruders/drag knives/lathe tools). but also i have an active axis on that attachment because of the servo on the other end.
- inertia/momentum - big heavy spindle attached to a big heavy servo and a tool holder are way more ideal for hogging/roughing operations.
- saying a 7k rpm spindle cannot do Al work or engraving is plain wrong. just looks at one of the many Tormac videos doing both and doing it great.

regarding the machine itself, it might not look like that in the CAD but all those profiles are the thickest and biggest i could find (120mm and 160mm). but also, because of their shape and internal structure they are at least as rigid as plain square steel tubes.

in terms of precision reliability, assuming those tubes were stress relieved in the first place, the second you weld them you will need to take them again for stress relief (or they will distort over time) + facing/grinding.
Item's Al profiles comes extremely straight and flat and you use fasteners so you can build with it inside an apartrment.

i intend to deal with vibration by filling the profiles with EG. the gantry profile will be filled with EG mixed with carbon fiber trimmings (for extra rigidity and slightly less weight in the cost of less damping capabilities)

i hope i answered your question:)
thanks!