How about a mycncuk cnc router project?

[Richard]

Thought I'd bump this thread....

Very interesting reading. I found it while googling around looking for reasons why not to waste £600 on an ebay 3040!

One suggestion regarding capabilities of a machine, why not take a leaf out of the 3d printer book and make the machine capable of machining it's own parts.

That way your first project on completion can be making a set of bits to sell to someone else...

[CharlesJenkinson]

I was also a bit disappointed to see this concept had stalled, when it was one of the first threads I'd read after arriving. I do however appreciate why, I think, in terms of the variability there is in end machine design. My thought was that a decision logic tree could be developed that highlighted the decisions to be made in coming up with a design, with the specific details being decided by each person. This is essentially what people who design anything do, at all points in the process. it is of course a potentially large undertaking, and still impossible to teach the process of how people fill in the specific details. However, there are some things that come up time and again in design review on here, and these are the areas where some tutorial decision logic wouldn't go amiss. I.e. steel frame design, z axis design, gantry design, etc. ...and now I'm rambling myself into an impossible corner.

[Richard]

I think one approach would be to assume it's a machine for beginners and therefore cannot require access to a mill or lathe to make.

If machined parts are required, there should be a source for ready made parts, ideally as I mentioned above, parts that can be made on the same machine.

Maybe another approach is to start with a Chinese ebay machine and provide a step by step guide to upgrading and retro fitting it... Maybe that create a narrower scope and prevent the impossible search for a 'prefect' machine that suits everyone.

[Jonathan]

I do however appreciate why, I think, in terms of the variability there is in end machine design. My thought was that a decision logic tree could be developed that highlighted the decisions to be made in coming up with a design, with the specific details being decided by each person.

Whilst I can see that that method could help a lot of people, it would restrict peoples thinking. In a way I'd rather let people think for themselves and even post the odd wacky idea in build logs, as just occasionally you see a good design idea which we can all develop and benefit from. A generic design procedure can detract from innovation.

Maybe another approach is to start with a Chinese ebay machine and provide a step by step guide to upgrading and retro fitting it...

That may not make so much sense from an economic point of view.

[CharlesJenkinson]

The high level design logic tree would be a bit of work, but I don't think it would starve creativity. There's always place for macro and micro evolution in solving specific problems. The truth is that real world design and iteration is dirty and organic, it is not by wrote, which kind of backs up your point. The shock for people coming here is that they're going to have to get down and dirty rather than take the well trodden path.

[Richard]

(Slightly off topic)
I find it interesting that while everyone slags off the chinese machines, but clearly they can supply decent rails, bearings, spindles, ball screws, motors and extrusions...

How come no one is doing a kit of bits with decent electronics (geko's) and cables...

Maybe that's what the myCNCuk machine should be...

[CharlesJenkinson]

If it wasn't for Deming and TQM, the Chinese wouldn't be making decent anything, engineering wise. Bureaucratic and autocratic cultures don't easily refine the right way of doing things.

[EddyCurrent]

A Lego type approach would work for me.
Say you break the machine down into components such as;

Frame
Gantry
Linear motion (rails/bearings, rack & pinion, ball nuts, etc.)
Control Electronics (psu, safety circuit, bob, etc.)
Motion Electronics (stepper/servo motors & drivers)
Z axis
Spindle and VFD
Software (Mach3 Linux, DSP, etc.)
etc.

Then for each component various designs could be put forward and anyone wishing to build a machine could pick'n'mix the components to 'Lego' a machine together.

[Tenson]

Yes I think that would be good, but you'd need to decide on standard sizes for each system component so you can mix and match.

[jimbo_cnc]

As someone else said, to build momentum and not be reliant on any particular members or the same old members, the design should be capable of replicating itself. So the first jobs for the newly built machine is to build parts for the next set of newbies to the forum.

It could become a right of passage into the group. And there would be a shared mass of experience to help the newbie. And we can all sit around sharing our fond memories of our first mycncuk machine....

This most likely means capability to machine aluminium parts [which is any machine, so no problem! :) ].

This thread could then become the longest ever as more and more machines get built, and the design and list of suppliers is constantly refined.

Maybe all it needs is one person to post the first design and shopping list.