Im new, am a 3D designer. Need a New cnc machine and need advice and guidance

[FlyHighRC]

Hey guys, Spent most of the day researching CNC designs. I am now pretty sure I want to design my own. I Feel i am able to build this machine...I have a decent workshop filled with tool and my grandfather has a model engineering workshop with manual mills which could come in pretty handy.

The only issue im having is pairing up the hole sizes in the rails to be able to fit the extrusion. This is becoming pretty frsutrating as I cant seem to find extrusion,rails(supported round and linear) that want to fit eachother easily.

Could you guys point me in the right direction of parts that are almost plug 'n' play please.

I also found this CNC Kit it seems pretty good to me but im not the expert here haha. If you could help Id really appreciate it

[FlyHighRC]

No extrusion then aye...bummer, look much simpler haha

[JAZZCNC]

No extrusion then aye...bummer, look much simpler haha

Ye it can be simpler but not has much as your probably thinking and it will cost at least 3 times the price of steel. I build a machine that uses HD profile but it's used in a very specific way and using thick aluminium plate machined to match so it's not exactly DIY or cheap and you need CNC machine to help build another.! . . Chicken and Egg.!!

Steel will be much cheaper and far easier for first time DIY build.

[FlyHighRC]

is the above link good enough for the steel frame?

Im hoping to base the machine loosly off of this guys machine...though due to workshop size and the way this machine works it would be difficult to anything over 600x600mm cutting area...just because of the fact the table slides ather than a moving gantry...which to me looks like the better way to get the job done.

[FlyHighRC]

a good material? Stainless Steel Box Section - 40mm x 40mm - The Metals Warehouse

once i get some info on a good material size and price i can start the design :)

[JAZZCNC]

a good material? Stainless Steel Box Section - 40mm x 40mm - The Metals Warehouse

once i get some info on a good material size and price i can start the design :)

No 40mm is too small section and you don't need stainless steel. 60 x 60 x 4mm Mild steel is what you need. If you have a local steel supplier it will be cheaper and if you buy in full lengths which will be aprox 7.5mtrs you'll get if for around £40-50 per length or less. The minimum size would be 50x50x3 and can be bought for around £35 per 7.5mtr length.

If you cut careful you should get away with 1 length.

[FlyHighRC]

No 40mm is too small section and you don't need stainless steel. 60 x 60 x 4mm Mild steel is what you need. If you have a local steel supplier it will be cheaper and if you buy in full lengths which will be aprox 7.5mtrs you'll get if for around £40-50 per length or less. The minimum size would be 50x50x3 and can be bought for around £35 per 7.5mtr length.

If you cut careful you should get away with 1 length.

Would you say that 16mm supported bar is sufficient for my build? In terms of strength and abilities to machine aluminium?

[FlyHighRC]

Ok,cool :) Ill get on that then... So essentially once the frame is cut,welded and finished you then locate and bolt the rails onto predefined position on the frame, correct? after doing that you then add the stepper motors to the ballscrews, then add the wiring from the motors to the driver boards? then to the powesupply and computer? Make everything look pretty and add a router... is that the assembly in a big nutshell?

[JAZZCNC]

Ok,cool :) Ill get on that then... So essentially once the frame is cut,welded and finished you then locate and bolt the rails onto predefined position on the frame, correct? after doing that you then add the stepper motors to the ballscrews, then add the wiring from the motors to the driver boards? then to the powesupply and computer? Make everything look pretty and add a router... is that the assembly in a big nutshell?

Wow slow down rover don't go jumping to far in front already. Your nutshell version is a very very very simplified concept and in reality theres a little more to it than that.
Like I said before go do some home work and look at other build threads and designs to get an idea of whats required. This may seem like wasted time but it's not and will payoff when you are ready to start. If you skip this step you will end up with a lesser machine and big potential for wasted money.

[FlyHighRC]

I Have been researching builds for little under a month so far...thats why i now registered with the forum so that i can start :) I never fully intended building one, but it would be a fun project and would make quadcopter building a fair bit easier..ecspecially cutting wing ribs haha. The builds i have looked at so far were to get an understanding and somevideos are quite enteraining...My CAD abilities will hopefully help me along and to make sure the design is solid before I make the first purchase and cut. Ill post the design on here aswell to see what you fine people think of it :)

A general question... What sort of accuracy can be achieved by an average well built,accurately assembled machine? Can they top some of the commerical machines?

The thing Im finding hardest in terms of research is the general jargon that goes with CNC, after thinking of the dimensions of the machine I would like 900mm rails and 600mm rails. Able to point me in the right direction?

Thanks again