Thread: A new Machine Build

Fantastic Rod, I'm looking forward to seeing the build as it progresses

Looking forward to this build.

Pulled out the chair and looking forward to what is coming.

Ross

Found the camera and fuddled my way around using it. Hopefully it works.

The framework is 40X40 TSLOT aluminium with some right angle brackets to reinforce the corners. Joints are held together with a single 8mm socket head screw threaded into the ends. Electronics enclosure is sitting there waiting to be mounted but main thing is it fits for now.

The casters can be locked to stop the machine throwing itself around on rapid stops.

I thought your LAST Router had all the bells and whistles, Rod? ...lol
Good luck with the build. I am sure I will pick up some useful tips for the future.

Steve

Thanks for all the positive feedback and also Steve the last one did have all the bells and whistles. This one will duplicate the functions but have newer technology to achieve it. I did contemplate using Mach4 but looking at the code I just don't have the inclination of learn it all again so I will staY with Mach3.

Main differences will be a NUC computer with Win10, touchscreen and USB interace to Mach3. Pokeys will be network connected and a bundle of new switches and bits and pieces I have found on ebay.

The men's shed is a great way to build this as two of the blokes have CNC machines are are also members of this forum. We have been operating for twelve months and cycle between each other's house each week. The collective skills and machinery means we have a lot of capacity to do most things.

How did you size the trolley Rod? Did you work out the cutting area you wanted and then took the hardware into account?

Have you used Mach 3 with a touch screen before? I'm interested in this. It would seem to be quite intuitive?....

I think I'd like to build a custom Router myself one day.

Know anyone using Mach 4? It appears that most of the 'lower' end BOB's will only work with Mach 3...all new to me...

Steve

How did you size the trolley Rod? Did you work out the cutting area you wanted and then took the hardware into account?
Yes Steve. I ordered the Tslot for the machine and trolley at the same time.

Have you used Mach 3 with a touch screen before? I'm interested in this. It would seem to be quite intuitive?..Yes again - touchscreen has no problem with Mach3. Adding screen buttons for functions such as touchplate, moving machine co-ordinates to 0,0 , etc makes it quite useful. Creating additional features is done through Screen4. I am also building a console for the machine so there will be duplication. Actually I have a pendant laying around so that might get used too.

I think I'd like to build a custom Router myself one day.
You have a CNC router so that will make your task easier for a self build.

Know anyone using Mach 4? It appears that most of the 'lower' end BOB's will only work with Mach 3...all new to me...
The delay in realeasing Mach4 was regretable. Momentum was lost and a lot of the third party hardware manufacturers have not followed through. There are some good USB BOB's out of China and I intend to use one on this machine - they provide their own USB driver but only for Mach3. Early days yet and I hope I don't have to eat my words on how promising they appear to be.

Hi Rod

You say that the joins are attached with 8mm cap head bolts.

Where then are the heads of the bolts and how do the two bolts cross one another at the join?

Bob

Hi Bob,
The button head screws are in the slot closest to the join so therefore they do not cross each other. A 6mm hole is bored through the Tslot to use an allen key to tighten them. They hold very firm but being only one fixing I have used a small angle bracket on each rail to stop twisting. The angle backet has T nuts.
These couple of photos should clarify my attempt at describing it.

Thanks Rod. Now I grok it.

Wikipedia: Grok /ˈɡrɒk/ is a word coined by Robert A. Heinlein for his 1961 science-fiction novel Stranger in a Strange Land.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grok

Looks good Rod.
Using thread lock on the set screws?

In regards to your'prevent twisting' comment, do you think end plates like these may be a suitable solution?
Just a thought.

Rods CNC 1.JPG

Steve

Steve,
Not using locktight yet as I have already pulled it apart twice to accommodate forgotten bits. The trolley will be clad in ally checker plate and have a drawer for the console as well as a second utility drawer.

Your corner bracket is a good design but not suitable for this one as the thickness of that bracket will cause a problem with the shelf. Actually if I didn't buy the corner brackets I would be making plates like you suggest and recess them into the bottom of the shelf.

It requires somebody better than me to design these machines bottom up so this design is not set in concrete and I expect it to change. Half the fun of it.