Aluminium Extrusion Router Build

**NFryer** · 12-06-2018

Originally Posted by routercnc

Wonderful work. Anyone looking to build their first CNC machine without access to a mill should bookmark this thread as a great example of bootstrapping your way in.

Hi routercnc, thanks for the compliment, I've enjoyed following your MK4 build and watching the videos you have made. Believe it or not I haven't done much metalwork before, so this has been a voyage of discovery as well. I think some of my success has been in getting some proper layout tools such as the height gauge and optical punch off eBay and learning the basics of Fusion 360 which really helps visualise the parts and the design as a whole.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**NFryer** · 21-07-2018

Hi everyone, I've made a bit more progress with the build and have built the unregulated stepper PSU. I managed to get a cheap 2*45VAC toroidal transformer which is probably well over specification, but it was a good deal. It will easily power the 4 steppers and a 5th when I add a rotary axis at a later date. I decided to include a Sedlbauer inrush current limiter because of the toroid size, and spent a bit more money on 105 degree centigrade rated capacitors. I have used the aluminium base plate as a heatsink for the bridge regulator and used a heatsink thermal compound to get good heat transfer. I was pretty confident that I had wired the PSU correctly but decided to play it safe and power it up using a variac to gradually increase the mains voltage from zero up to 240VAC. It all went well and nothing went up in a cloud of smoke.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**cweeks** · 14-08-2018

I'm new to the forum. I very much like the look of this design and would like to have a crack at building it. What is the protocol for asking for plans or preferably CAD files ?

**Clive S** · 14-08-2018

Originally Posted by cweeks

I'm new to the forum. I very much like the look of this design and would like to have a crack at building it. What is the protocol for asking for plans or preferably CAD files ?

It looks like you have been a member for 9-10 years. It is best to start your own thread and ask the questions there.

**NFryer** · 16-08-2018

Hi everyone, I've got a couple of small updates on the build. Firstly I have made a couple of mounts for the inductive limit sensors on the x axis. I was originally going to mount them under the gantry carriage plate between the ballscrew and the carriages, but I realised that there was no way I could adjust them in that position so I had to move them to the outer edge of the plate. On the top of the plate I fastened a 4 way connector to take the 2 signals back across the gantry and bring power to them via a 4 way CY cable.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**Clive S** · 16-08-2018

Firstly I have made a couple of mounts for the inductive limit sensors on the x axis.

Had you thought about mounting them so that they can slide past the target rather than into it? You can also get away with one limit sensor and a fixed target at each end.

**NFryer** · 17-08-2018

Originally Posted by Clive S

Had you thought about mounting them so that they can slide past the target rather than into it? You can also get away with one limit sensor and a fixed target at each end.

Hi Clive, I'm probably missing something very simple, but I just can't visualise how you could only use one sensor to limit travel at either end of the x axis. I didn't mention this explicitly but I'm not having separate limit and home sensors, so I assume that's not possible with one sensor?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**Clive S** · 17-08-2018

Originally Posted by NFryer

Hi Clive, I'm probably missing something very simple, but I just can't visualise how you could only use one sensor to limit travel at either end of the x axis. I didn't mention this explicitly but I'm not having separate limit and home sensors, so I assume that's not possible with one sensor?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ok imagine if you rotate the sensor by 90' and put a target at each end so that the sensor slide over it to trigger.

the target would not be a the complete end but a small distance from it to enable the gantry to travel to the end before it trips. This is done at both ends.

I believe Mach can use the sensor to home (then offset the home say 1mm) once homed Mach would then set it to be a limit switch. This way you would only need three sensors with three inputs. (not sure if you have a slaved axis ie two motors)

If you have two motors to slave you would need two home switches one for each side.

**NFryer** · 18-08-2018

Originally Posted by Clive S

Ok imagine if you rotate the sensor by 90' and put a target at each end so that the sensor slide over it to trigger.

the target would not be a the complete end but a small distance from it to enable the gantry to travel to the end before it trips. This is done at both ends.

I believe Mach can use the sensor to home (then offset the home say 1mm) once homed Mach would then set it to be a limit switch. This way you would only need three sensors with three inputs. (not sure if you have a slaved axis ie two motors)

If you have two motors to slave you would need two home switches one for each side.

Hi Clive, once you mentioned rotating the sensor by 90' I understood what you meant, it'a a nice simple way of using one sensor. Unfortunately I've already done the X axis sensors, so can't change them, but it's something to remember if I change the design once built or build another machine.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**NFryer** · 27-08-2018

I've made a start on building the main frame for the router, and have made a couple of braces to fit between the middle pair of legs. A while back I built an angle cutting sled for my circular saw table which I used to cut the angles on the end of the aluminium extrusions. I also made a couple of simple plates to bolt the braces to the legs.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk