School me on the best machine for big hardwood

[bluesking]

First welcome to the forum bluesking.

I would also go with option one as then you are in control. Have a look at Joe Harris build with a hand held router https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZo2...S3i705fuSogBXT

The motor kit is not good as the drives and power supply are not good enough. cnc4you is a good place to buy the motors (or Zapp. https://www.zappautomation.co.uk/ele...er-motors.html)
Wal's machine is currently being modified to make it into a twin screw type. I would advise you to do the same. This can be done with two screws and two motors nema 23 OR two screws and one motor nema 34 with one belt connection both screws and the motor. Both ways are fine personally I prefer two motors. The are pros and cons for both types.

I would go with about 68V power supply and em806 drives or am882 or even https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CNC-2DM86...oAAOSwKWJcnaQE.

Ball screws 1610 x and y 1605 on z tried and tested by many.

If you decide to build start a build log to keep all the question in one place. Good Luck

Thanks Clive,

Noted your advice about the drives and power supply - I had a nagging feeling this was a bad area to scrimp on but my choice was driven by ignorance rather than price. I'm sure if I went with your suggestions I'd be able to find someone here who has a wiring diagram for all these exotic options (exotic to me anyway!)

Also noted the need for substantial motoring to move the gantry.

Joe Harris build video is interesting. It looks like a sturdy machine, but what do I know?! It wouldn't work for me - as he rightly points out, making a steel frame structure which is easy to dismantle and reassemble without fubaring its alignment seems like a no go - I am currently moving workshop space and it seems quite likely I will have to move again within the foreseeable future - I can't afford a machine which I can't easily take with me!

I have already started design work in CAD for my build (2 variants actually). Once I have something ready to show I will definitely start a build log and seek comments.

To press on with my design I now really need to commit to either a moving gantry or a fixed gantry. I originally went with a fixed gantry based on what I saw this Maltese luthier doing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MCyIZIcg48). Its a bit rough and ready looking, but my mechanical intuition is telling me it is a good way forward. Certainly moving 2kg of wood seems like a much easier job than an entire gantry holding a 2.2kw ER20 spindle. Then I saw the thread of Wal's machine and I liked the simplicity and elegance of it - so I went down that route. Now I'm dithering again between the two (can you guess I'm a ditherer yet, hahaha?)

[Clive S]

To press on with my design I now really need to commit to either a moving gantry or a fixed gantry. I originally went with a fixed gantry based on what I saw this Maltese luthier doing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MCyIZIcg48). Its a bit rough and ready looking, but my mechanical intuition is telling me it is a good way forward. Certainly moving 2kg of wood seems like a much easier job than an entire gantry holding a 2.2kw ER20 spindle. Then I saw the thread of Wal's machine and I liked the simplicity and elegance of it - so I went down that route. Now I'm dithering again between the two (can you guess I'm a ditherer yet, hahaha?)

Fixed gantry will take up more floor space and moving gantry. if you are comparing that with the one Wal built then there is no comparison between the two. I pointed you to Joe's machine not for the way it is built but the methods he used with the hand held router. Also he has on his site a very good vid on building the power supply. There are only three components in it.

I forgot but go for 20mm square rails if you can. all this can be got from Fred at BST in China along with the ball screws and bk bf bearings etc.

Also noted the need for substantial motoring to move the gantry.

nemas 23 will be more than enough with the correct drives.

Re the CAD it is always a good idea to do a design first. I don't think Wal's machine is anything like 100Kg