Is it possible...

[GoBo]

Hi guys thanks for your input. Seemingly one of the friendliest forums I have been on.

I know it's not going to be high end but I really do want to go down the wood route. As mentioned my dad has a wood shop so tools are at the ready.

Lol yes my costings a probably a joke at the minute.

[charlieuk]

you can buy ali extrusion cut to length at no extra cost or cut it on a normal wood chop saw with a tct blade. Good quality wood/ply or mdf is not cheap ether and far harder to get accurate or make adjustments. From just completing my first built I could not see the point in trying wood when the aluminum extrusion to makes life so much easier during the build at very little extra cost on a small build and you will end up with a far better product. like said if you choose the right parts you do not need any metal work experience and can probably do it with just a nice set of drills and a drill press and possibly a chop saw with tct blade and get far more acuracey and easier to upgrade when you want to.

[GoBo]

you can buy ali extrusion cut to length at no extra cost

Thanks, defiantly going to have a look at these. ebay best place to start looking?

[charlieuk]

Thanks, defiantly going to have a look at these. ebay best place to start looking?

kjn aluminium was the best place I found and the cuts were very accurate and square.

[JAZZCNC]

kjn aluminium was the best place I found and the cuts were very accurate and square.

Nah too expensive try Motedis. http://www.motedis.co.uk/shop/index.php

Exactly same stuff and cut to same accurecy but much cheaper, esp the T-nuts etc.
Takes slightly longer to arrive due to being in Germany but not much longer and worth the wait for the savings.

[Neale]

I'm another MDF router builder/user. Fortunately, I bought the steppers/electronics with a view to building a better machine later so the biggest investment is largely reusable. However, the MDF (plus added steel supports to try to keep the bed roughly flat) and the steel tube/skate bearing runners didn't cost that much. However, they did largely influence the incredibly slow movement of the machine, due to lack of strength and rigidity. The only thing moving faster than the gantry was the MDF bed (and the gantry, and the Z axis platform) warping...

Yes, it can work, kind of, but I'm not sure if it's worth it. It taught me a lot, and the biggest lesson was why I am now building a welded steel-framed machine. Welding (strong if not pretty) is not that difficult, and almost any welding problem can be fixed with a cheap angle grinder and rewelding. DAMHIKTIJKOK?

[charlieuk]

Nah too expensive try Motedis. http://www.motedis.co.uk/shop/index.php

Exactly same stuff and cut to same accurecy but much cheaper, esp the T-nuts etc.
Takes slightly longer to arrive due to being in Germany but not much longer and worth the wait for the savings.

yes looks to be about 20% cheaper as you have to add vat to kjn prices but maximum length is 2m however that would be fine for the above build. Still if he is in Leicester it can be nice to support local and would be very handy for picking up those few fixings you all ways forget

[GoBo]

I'll have a look at both, thanks guys.

[dazza]

Thanks, defiantly going to have a look at these. ebay best place to start looking?

same as Charlie ;) i doubt very much you would find cheaper the kjn if you went in and seen em with them being local to you,get your gear there n then also.

[JAZZCNC]

Perfectly feasible to build a good machine from wood but not cheaply.! Or easily.

For a Good wood based machine the design needs to be very well engineered and the materials of high quality. MDF just doesn't isn't good enough for this country.

Electronics are the same wood or metal so don't scrimp here.

To be honest if you haven't got metal working tools or skills to weld the frame then I'd encourage you to pay someone to weld it up because it will work out cheaper in the end. Metal is relatively cheap and will cost less than high quality ply woods or man made boards which will be required for any decent machine worth the effort.

Regards the costs, wood or metal then unless your prepared to throw minimum £1000 at it then I'd suggest you leave it alone and save your money. Even at £1k it will be a challenge to build a machine worth the considerable effort required for any decent machine.! . . . . To try and build for less only leads to dissapointment in the end.!