Comments sought on new build: A CNC Router for RC Gliders and Planes

[njhussey]

It's one of them new fangled fuse boxes with little plastic trippy things so you can't wrap tin foil round the fuse or bang a nail in.... :(

[~andy]

Got an electric oven? That will probably be on a 32 amp radial. I'm clearly not suggesting you pop the isolating switch off the oven and have the wire running out of your kitchen window. That would be irresponsible.

[njhussey]

Andy, for a nano second I did think about it ;) .....however I'd have to have some sort of beefy extension lead going to the shed as it's a good 15 meters away from the cooker! I did think about getting a 5.5kv genny too but the cost was too much as I'd not really use is and its a new build so all the houses are crammed together so the neighbours would complain... simple solution is that I'll weld it at work, we have all the kit as it's what we do here!

[firetrappe]

Neil, I've really enjoyed reading your build thread. Nice to see a few fellow RC guys on the forum too.

Have you thought about building a vac-bed to use with your machine? With the thinner, light-weight material we modellers tend to use, a few people I know have found them really useful. With your machine being vertical it might be even more of an advantage?

My plan is to build one that can be used for cutting thin sheet materials but also removable for machining thicker materials.

Si.

[njhussey]

Hi Si, thanks for the comments! It's not much of a build thread at the moment, more of a rambling design changing exercise...however I've now got nearly all the components (the steel came in yesterday) so I'll actually be starting the build soon

I have thought about a vac bed but I just want to get the build done. Will probably have one that can be put on the bed and taken off for other stuff (just like you) but how soon that gets done remains to be seen!! I also want to build a Vac former (for canopies, cowls etc) and a CNC 4 axis foam cutter for wing panels....already accumulating bits for the foam cutter

[njhussey]

Well as Jazz says I've stopped fannying around with it and cut the first couple of bits of steel to length so it's all go now at long bl**dy last

Going to cut the rest of the steel before work and during lunch over the next few days. Hoping to start welding it up next week. It's going to be bloody heavy, I'm not looking forward to lifting it on my own as according to my calcs it'll weigh 74.4kg.

Will update with pics once I've started the welding as pics of cut lengths of steel aren't all that exciting...

[Wobblycogs]

Give me a shout when you're finished and I'll help you get it from the car to the shed. I wouldn't want to see "Man crushed by CNC" headlines in the local paper.

[JAZZCNC]

Well as Jazz says I've stopped fannying around with it and cut the first couple of bits of steel to length so it's all go now at long bl**dy last

Good Man and to Quote one my Youtube hero's Keith Fenner "Get Er Done"

It's going to be bloody heavy, I'm not looking forward to lifting it on my own as according to my calcs it'll weigh 74.4kg.

Now add at least 50% more then imagine 25% of that Whizzing up and down back n forth and should give you some clue to how that shed is going to Rock n Roll. . . . . . . Anchor it down Well mate.!

[njhussey]

I intend to anchor it down well. I'm going to put a layer of 18mm ply on the floor (to bring the floor total thickness to 36mm) as support and bolt through the shed floor to the baseframe. If it still 'Rock n Rolls' then I'll pour some concrete under the base and bolt down direct into that

[njhussey]

What's special about the Z-axis ballnut mount that causes you to need a custom one?

These are what I've drawn...

I wanted them low profile to cut down on the machining required, i.e. so I don't have to get the Z axis plates machined for clearance and so I can get the rails nearer together which I know is not ideal but as I'm mostly going to be machining balsa, ply and carbon fibre will be fine!