AVOR – a steel-framed medium-size router

[routercnc]

It's taken me a while to post because it took so long to get around to reading it all !
Nice build and great write up. Will be very useful for someone starting out to get up to speed with it all.

Epoxy levelling comments made me think a bit and yes levelling without the bridge is possible if there is adjustment on the gantry to ensure the x bearings run smooth and the y axis is epoxy levelled afterward. Got me thinking which to choose for my mk4 machine. Still like the bridge but agree it can work without

Nice control box also and full of nice kit

[Doddy]

Epoxy levelling

I want to be a bit controversial here.

Secondly - you don’t need a bridge between the two X rails. At least, not with the adjustment I built into my gantry mountings. Leaving out the bridge really does simplify the X rail epoxy levelling.

Here's a thought - perhaps as controversial, or maybe not. A conventional bridge sound a tad awkward to implement, but is the problem being over-thought?, what's to stop you drilling a hole through the steel on each length to be levelled, within the geometry of the dam, then inserting a flanged "thing" through the hole to allow a bit of silicone hose to be connected on the underside, connect each length of hose together with tee-pieces, then use the hose(s) to fill the dam(s) from the underside by injecting through one end (or connect this similarly through another flanged "thing" into a tin into which you pour the epoxy. The self-levelling should work through the hose bridge.

Or is this already what people do?

[Sam0117]

What a great write up an very detailed so thank you Neale

I’m 100% for making a cnc out of steel, I’m currently designing my cnc an will be uploading it for judgment hopefully soon, I must say you welds did make me laugh but fair play for doing it as a beginner, I’ve taken a lot from your details and will apply them to my design.

Have you tried cutting any hard materials yet or just wood for now?

[Neale]

What a great write up an very detailed so thank you Neale

I’m 100% for making a cnc out of steel, I’m currently designing my cnc an will be uploading it for judgment hopefully soon, I must say you welds did make me laugh but fair play for doing it as a beginner, I’ve taken a lot from your details and will apply them to my design.

Have you tried cutting any hard materials yet or just wood for now?

All I can say is that my welding was a little better at the end than at the beginning! Well, at least, not quite as bad If it encourages other people to have a go, I have been successful. Two weeks experience with a welder is not the same as a long training course and years of experience. But you can still do it!

Yes, I have done a very little cutting in aluminium. However, it was one very small component and although I managed to cut it, I didn't have any way of clearing the chips properly, I didn't use any lubrication, I used a small cutter with four flutes, and the cutter broke towards the end of the cut. This was probably because the flutes became clogged. This was not a good test of the machine because all the problems came from choice of cutter and other issues which were nothing to do with the machine. I want to try cutting aluminium properly, with correct speeds, feeds, and cutter choice, and maybe some lubrication this time! But I have too many projects in wood at the moment so haven't had time to try much else. I think that the machine should be capable of reasonable performance in aluminium, so I am still optimistic until proven otherwise!

[Zinci]

Great thread and write-up. Thank you.
It coincides with my own effort for almost exactly the same design.
How difficult was to attach the gantry to linear blocks?

[Neale]

Very simple. The linear bearing carriages are bolted to a 12mm aluminium plate with cap screws in counter-bored holes so that bolt heads are below the surface. In effect, I then have a linear bearing skate. The bearing carriages are aligned to the rails before being finally bolted up tight (just run the "skate" backwards and forwards a few times before tightening screws). The "feet" of the gantry sit on pads of epoxy paste for leveling (as described earlier) and are held in place by three bolts at each end of each foot. These go through the base of the foot box section into tapped holes in the aluminium plate. Two bolts are near the end of the foot and one further in, carefully positioned so that you can get more than 60deg swing with an allen key in order to tighten it.

Does that help?

[Zeeflyboy]

Looks like a really nice design... Will be following with interest!

[magicniner]

You could have called it RWAIN - Router Without an Interesting Name ;-)

[Neale]

Thanks, Nick - I'll save that one for the Mk3!

[Hulksmash]

Great design and in-depth write up for us newbies

Many thanks for sharing your hard work with others

regards

Mike