Thread: My Homemade cnc

what can you make, well this is just some of the stuff you can make with it,

Very impressive simso!

Looks the goods to make wooden clock movements with.

Do you have any WIP pictures etc from making this CNC?

Very cool

Did you document the process? You should sell the plans. I would be keen to give it a try, and buy the plans. I want to add a laser cutter into it though

How much did it cost in parts, minus the P.C and monitor. Does it require a high end P.C?

Yep, it all came together very quickly "with ever persisting emails to annoy rodm"

Heres some photos from construction stage, I have lots and lots of them from different views of the rails and of the motor mounts etc etc

Its all free, you just have to ask, "which you have" just give it a week until everyone else starts posting there pic's and If you still want my design no problems, there yours.

Enjoy

Steve

Thanks mate. I have just checked out the CNC section

I am in aww...

Quote - How much did it cost in parts, minus the P.C and monitor. Does it require a high end P.C?

High end pc, I dont think so, this is a cheap crappy 150 dollar dell computer I bought through ebay which came with monitor etc.

Because I wanted an all in one unit, I didnt want the monitor or keyboard as they didnt fit my design so I went with usb keyboard with built in scroll mouse and lcd. Means I dont need anything outside of my machine just turn it on and away it goes.

The first expensive thing is electrics, doesnt matter if you make a steel aluminium or mdf one, they all use the same electrics,

So computer hooks out through printer port to cnc driver board (175usd) and then out via wires to driver motors (about 40 each need three). Thats it.

The other expenses are varied depending on whether you want an mdf design with all thread as supplied by bunnings for 4dollars a metre or ballscrews at 100 per metre plus nuts.

Differences bewteen cheap mdf and high end steel ally ballscrews is simply accuracy, with an mdf design you can carve up shapes etc and produce nice jobs, better than you could ever do it by hand, with high end machines you can fine engrave mirrors. If you have a look at the mirrors I posted with the animals "sams room" that engraving is less than .1mm deep, the writing and the border is .2mm deep

Price difference = more accuracy, excluding electrics (300 dollars) mdf can be done for as little as a couple of hundred bucks, cheaper than any routing jig you may buy. High end "mine" 2,500 dollars, including elecs.

Routers, the good old fashioned trusty ozito at a cost of 49 dollars will route perfectly for a 100 plus hours, then you will just start to see a bit of a wider line as the bearings slowly get worn out.

Very impresive you have made a great machine there.

Very nice machine Simso...

I have built a mdf version, which has been complete since before christmas. I am not confident with the wiring at this stage. I bought the recommended board with the steppers, but later bought another breakout board to prevent damage to the main board. This is were I got all confused, the wiring of the two boards with the emergency stop and the travel trip switches. I will get there eventually.

SS.

Hey squirrel, post up pics of what you need and lots of smarter people than me will more than happily help out, greg "greolt" loves the electric stuff. Rod "rodm" can do the standard stuff wiring blind folded. I know just enough to get me going and keep me out of trouble, the electrics are not my area of expertise, but I do understand them.

Start a new thread mate with your pics. MDF designs are good. Shows everyone different styles and ideas.

Enjoy mate. Looking forward to your pics, you cannot believe the excitement that happens when you run your machine for the first time

Steve

PS a fair few of us dont use limit switches, including me, they cause electromagnet interference and make your router flutter. Doesnt mean you cant use them be aware that "sometimes" they cause problems

Sounds good mate. I have read the specs for the joe2006 model, but yours looks a lot more robust. I have a couple of questions if you don't mind.

• I assume you need a milling machine and lathe to make most of the bits?
• How much of it can be made using other tools?, or does most of it require a lathe and mill?
• What is the capacity of this machine for aluminium, steel, and stainless steel?

Thanks for this, I really appreciate your help and time.

Originally Posted by simso

Yep, it all came together very quickly "with ever persisting emails to annoy rodm"

lol I am sure rodm likes to be annoyed

Hey mate, firstly its a router not a mill, it has no capacity for steel, for aluminium no problems but slow cuts, for wood strap on and watch the dust. No you dont need a mill and lathe to make this at all. Most of my design was done by hand, the body becuase I wanted it ridgid and solid, I went and drew up in autocad my design and gave it to the local laser cutters to pop out of 10mm steel, cost me about a 100 bucks for the main solid steel body,then drill and tap drill and tap. All other bits when you purchase them you can opt for a few bucks more to have them pre-machined. If you have a lathe or mill yes it does make life a bit easier, becuase then you can custom make to suit your application. The other option is you can have bits locally machined up for you

Enjoy now

and yes rodm loves all those emails, so keep em coming

Thanks ,mate.

I would really like to be able to do both timber/plastic, and steel. Looks like I really need 2 machines.

I just need to decide which one to do first...