Hardwood CNC from wood on a budget, Possible?

[Ger21]

It's very possible to build a decent machine from wood, contrary to what you're hearing.
But it won't be easy.
For one, I've never really seen any plans for a "good" wood construction machine. Just about all plans for wood machines are designed to be easy to build, and inexpensive. Neither of which lend themselves to good machines. Building a good wooden machine is not easy, and requires a lot of knowledge, skill, and time.

You also mention that your on a budget. Trying to build an inexpensive machine is another way to end up with a poor machine. Good machine require good components. This is especially true of a wood machine, where high quality components can make up for inferior construction. Anywhere you try to save money, the quality of the machine decreases.

If you can weld, then your much better off with steel. It'll be faster, cheaper, and stronger than building with wood.

[EddyCurrent]

It's very possible to build a decent machine from wood, contrary to what you're hearing.But it won't be easy.

I watched a TV prgramme this week called "Wheeler Dealers", they bought a car from the US, a 1969 Carmen Ghia. There was not one bit of rust on it, and as the presenter said, in the UK there is no way that could happen due to the weather. I think it's the same with these wooden machines, most I see are in the US and not subject to UK atmospheric changes.

. . .Then again, people suggesting to go with steel also say it is "easier" because they are used to working with steel. But OP is used to wood.

I found steel and aluminium to be no harder to work with that wood, in fact steel is easier because mistakes are easy to repair with a welding rod. Aluminium is like using hardwood, I used woodworking tools for all my milling and cutting operations on it.

[Sven]

most I see are in the US and not subject to UK atmospheric changes.

Building it using epoxy will completely seal against moisture.

The mentioned situation on wheeler dealers also has something to do with the way cars were painted back then...

in fact steel is easier because mistakes are easy to repair with a welding rod.

The same goes for Wood and epoxy, when used together from the start.

(I have a wood-epoxy boat, with wood-epoxy fuel- and water tanks and very much used to working with the stuff.)

[irving2008]

And if you can't weld, buy/borrow/steal a cheap stick welder and some steel scraps (ask to rummage in the bins of a local fabrication company), watch a few YouTube videos and teach yourself to. Its time well spent to gain a new and useful skill.

Edit: I see earlier you said you could weld, so no brainer then!

[Sven]

When Isombard Kingdom Brunel proposed to build a ship out of iron, everyone said that would be ridiculous. It is common knowlege that iron does not float.

I feel that some similar reasoning is going on in most of the replies here.

Have any of the poster saying that wood will not work actually tried building a good router from wood?
I've been working on one for quite some time and I feel that it should be possible to get a wooden machine to work aluminium.

But it is not the easiest route to take.
Then again, people suggesting to go with steel also say it is "easier" because they are used to working with steel. But OP is used to wood.

I think that if you want to build a good machine from wood, this is what you need to do:
- Build a torsion box for both the bed and the gantry, at least 25 cm width for the gantry
- Use Bamboo or mahogany marine plywood
- apply epoxy to the sheets before working it, making sure no excess builds up on surfaces
- apply epoxy to the edges after cutting and during assembly
- use a biljard table as a flat surface for glueing the torsion boxes

All of this is not "easy" nor "cheap" but for a wooden person may be easier than going with steel...

[Hopey]

I do like the torsion box idea, it looks like it could be fun to play about and build something unusual and cool with but for now I have a whole other mountain to climb. I have to learn to build, set up and operate this machine.

I've not done any welding in a few years but I work in a brewery and we have a TIG plant that no one can use, since there's always some fabrication job needing done I've enrolled in a welding course. So building this will be practice, it was even suggested I could built it in stainless but that seems just a hint over the top.

[JohnHaine]

There is a building product made to seal wood that has rotted to avoid having to replace it, for example in window frames. Here is a link:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/ronseal-we...ar-500ml/63540

MDF soaks it up like a camel at a waterhole, and it's surface gets a lot harder. It dries quickly. I would think if you bought mdf and let it stabilise, then treated your components with this stuff, and even with West System epoxy for good measure after assembly, it would all be a lot less sensitive to the humidity level.

[EddyCurrent]

The OP has to decide which way to go, I know what was best for me, plus, I only wanted to build the machine once.

[Hopey]

So, it seems that it would be possible but not on budget and maybe not advisable.

I too only want to build the machine once so steel it is then.

[EddyCurrent]

I too only want to build the machine once so steel it is then.

Good choice.

Eddy' did you find any drawbacks in rigidity across the y axis with your open ended design? I was thinking it had to be a box type design but you have 100x50 box section on the X axis and nothing at the ends on the Y axis. I like this idea!

I've nothing to compare it against but I don't think it had any drawbacks in rigidity, here's some figures; http://www.mycncuk.com/threads/7155-...6572#post56572
Of course there's nothing to stop you putting something at the ends.