Rails and Angle - Going out of my mind

[njhussey]

Neal, I'm also going down the cheap route. In fact I've got most of the bits already (bought before sense was knocked into me by members on here!) and as they will noo be up to cutting everything I want to I'm going to make 2 routers. The main purpose of my router was going to be for cutting out balsa and ply bits for my RC models but as I've thought about it more and got into RC helicopters I want a machine that can cut CF and also Aluminium.

My cheap router will be used soley to cut 1000mm x 100mm strips of balsa (and the odd bit of 3mm lite ply) and therefore has been designed accordingly. I've got the cheap and nasty TB6560 3 axis driver (24V absolute MAX) and some cheap Nema 23 steppers from old printers and 12mm Trapezoidal rod for the leadscrews. All the other bits I'm getting out of the scrap bin at work or buying through work (to get their discounts!)



My other design will be along these lines (changes are afoot....for the 1,000,001st time!!) but using fully suported 20mm rail, 3Nm steppers, propper drivers (50V at least) etc. etc.....



The best advice (as given by Jonathan, Jazz et all etc.etc.) will be to use supported rail and all the good things that you can't afford as you'll only be dissapointed by the machine's performance and will end up spending the money anyway on a second build....but.....if you've got a design in mind then I'd say stick to it as long as you're happy with the fact that there will be limitations to the machines abilities. There are 1000's of people out there with MDF machines who are very happy with their machine.

I've gone for 3/4" NB red band pipe which will be drilled and tapped and bolted to the MDF sides (sort of supported rails :) ), there are cross braces under the 18mm skins of the base (torsion box) to further strengthen it. The Z axis will sit on the same pipe (377mm wide) which will again be bolted to some 1" 10 gauge Ali box etc. etc....you get the point, see below.