Please help with this build Albert

[bigal999]

Hi my name is Albert I am starting to build a CNC router hopefully.
Firstly I will outline my good and bad points about myself. This is not to get you to help me just so you know my limitations.
Pros
I have been a multi skilled engineer since I left school I am 65 in a couple of weeks.
I have built machine’s from plans a few times so can understand and follow drawings.
I have a reasonable selections of tools that I am competent in using.
Cons
Since an event in my life 10 years ago I have been unable to work as this event left me with severe mental health problems.
1. Very bad depression. I have been trough some very dark times. This project I just one more step to my recovery which happening but very slowly. I have good days and bad days when on a bad day can do nothing at all
2. Anxiety I worry about everything.
3. OCD which in my case means everything has to be done right.
4. I am awaiting 2 knee replacements trying to put them off till I build the CNC router learning to use it will keep me sane while I recover.
My specifications for the machine.
1. To take up an area 100cm X 60cm
2. To be able to be used to cut hardwood and soft metals
3. To be as low cost as possible.
4. To be as exact as possible as I intend to do veneer and inlay work on it.
5. To have the machine finished by beginning of next year.
Materials I have already
3 NEMA 24 stepper motors 8 wire 3.4 NM
3 1605 ball screws with anti backlash nuts in the following sizes 1000mm 600mm & 300mm
20mm supported guide rails in the above sized with 12 Bock’s to fit them
Some 40x80mm aluminium profile
Some 10mm plate off cuts
Need help right from design stage so confused by all the different types out there.
The building is part of my therapy to give me back some self esteem and belief in mAny help is welcome but please try not to leave any comments to negative as I take them on-board an they have a very negative effect on my mood.
I will try to keep this build log as detailed as possible to help and encourage others who have given up.
Thank you
Albert

[JAZZCNC]

Since an event in my life 10 years ago I have been unable to work as this event left me with severe mental health problems.
1. Very bad depression. I have been trough some very dark times. This project I just one more step to my recovery which happening but very slowly. I have good days and bad days when on a bad day can do nothing at all
2. Anxiety I worry about everything.
3. OCD which in my case means everything has to be done right.
4. I am awaiting 2 knee replacements trying to put them off till I build the CNC router learning to use it will keep me sane while I recover.

The building is part of my therapy to give me back some self esteem and belief in mAny help is welcome but please try not to leave any comments to negative as I take them on-board an they have a very negative effect on my mood.
I will try to keep this build log as detailed as possible to help and encourage others who have given up.
Thank you
Albert

Hi Albert,

Well, first off welcome and you are in very good company here because many of us suffer depression or have had mental health issues at some point. Whether they are brave enough to admit or not is another thing.! So you are succeeding straight away in my book.

I have helped many people who have taken up CNC as a hobby explicitly to overcome Depression and anxiety with no need for a CNC machine what so ever, who where advised by therapists to take up a hobby. Often they have been people with very stressful jobs, Lawers, Doctors, Teachers even a Rocket scientist who worked at NASA which I found amusing because I was helping a guy who had an IQ higher than my "steps per setting" who sent men into space yet still needed help with CNC, So it just shows CNC building is harder than Rocket science... . . . (But it's not so don't stress) and I'm actually using a machine that was built by someone who worked in High Finance who when he recovered and able to work again emigrated to the Emirates and couldn't take the machine so gave it to me for helping him. All these people were on this forum, many still are but will remain nameless.

I'll post again about the machine when I've had to time to think, just wanted to say hello and let you know your not alone.!

[Kitwn]

Albert,

I'm with you on number 2. I even fret about what I'm going to type in a forum entry at times. Do you ever find you can't make yourself remember half the things you did yesterday but can't make yourself forget the silly-but-not-really-so-very-bad things you did 40 years ago?

Dean,
Rocket science isn't that complicated, it's just LOUD!

[JAZZCNC]

My specifications for the machine.
1. To take up an area 100cm X 60cm
2. To be able to be used to cut hardwood and soft metals
3. To be as low cost as possible.
4. To be as exact as possible as I intend to do veneer and inlay work on it.
5. To have the machine finished by beginning of next year.
Materials I have already
3 NEMA 24 stepper motors 8 wire 3.4 NM
3 1605 ball screws with anti backlash nuts in the following sizes 1000mm 600mm & 300mm
20mm supported guide rails in the above sized with 12 Bock’s to fit them
Some 40x80mm aluminium profile
Some 10mm plate off cuts

Right Albert points 2 to 5 are not a problem and easily achieved. #1, however, can't happen if you have ball screws the same length, ( I presume these are already machined.?) The length of the total machine will be at least an extra 200mm and more like 1300mm x 850mm for a machine with 1000mm x 600mm cutting area.
So I've got a few questions.
#1 Do you have End bearings for the ball screws, if so what type.?
#2 What length are the supported rails.?
#3 What is the inductance of the motors. It should say on the datasheet for them and will be number with Mh on the end. If don't know just post a link to where you got them.
#4 How much 80x40 do you have.?
#5 Can you work with steel and weld.?

[bigal999]

Hi I realise the cutting area will be smaller the outside measurements need to be around the 100cm by 60cm size hopefully will end up with a cutting area around 30cm by 60cm.
The motor details are
Inductance(Bipolar Serial): 12.8mH ± 20%(1KHz)
Inductance(Bipolar Parallel): 3.2mH ± 20%(1KHz)
Inductance(Unipolar): 3.2mH ± 20%(1KHz)
Support rails are 100cm, 60cm and 30cm long
Not sure type of end bearing but I do have them
The 80x40 profile I have a couple of pieces 50cm long and a local company has promised me 2 lengths 100cm long and 4 lengths 60cm long and maybe some more hopefully.
I can cut steel with angle grinder and drilling is no problem.
I don't have a welder so would have to get someone to do it for me.
Albert

[bigal999]

Hi Dean just seen your message I am the same as you frustrating sometimes
Albert

[JAZZCNC]

Hi Dean just seen your message I am the same as you frustrating sometimes
Albert

Lol.. he was referring to ME and the Rocket scientist when he said, Dean, he's called Kit. But don't worry he lives in the Outback and answers to anything due to all the blood rushing to his head living upside down for so long...

[bigal999]

I see what you mean all that hanging upside down will do that to you
Albert

[Kitwn]

Lol.. he was referring to ME and the Rocket scientist when he said, Dean, he's called Kit. But don't worry he lives in the Outback and answers to anything due to all the blood rushing to his head living upside down for so long...

Blimey Cobber! That's a cruel and heartless accusation, especially as I'm 50% pure Yorkshire. Probably true though.

Albert,
I live in a remote corner of Western Australia and suspect the nearest CNC machine to mine is as far away as Lands End is from John 'O' Groats so this forum is the only place I get to converse with like-minded people. I was actually referring to Dean's comment about having helped a rocket scientist in his previous post but it's not important.

More seriously, there is a lot to learn all at once about this CNC stuff and I wish I'd become an avid reader of MYCNCUK a bit sooner than I did.
If you like a good laugh then here's a look at my first ever machine. It never actually cut anything useful but it worked to prove I was capable of pulling together all the bits and pieces to make something that worked and gave me the confidence to invest a bit more of the hard earned cash in something more capable.

Kit

[bigal999]

Hi Kit just watched the video I think for a first machine it cut great. How accurate was the machine.
Will you post a clip of the machine you are now using
Albert