DIY CNC Construction

[RecyclingKiwi]

Where to post?

[RecyclingKiwi]

Anyone in NZ that has built a Router CNC or is considering and could offer some starting points...?

Is this the correct forum to post as I dont have a cnc currently

[drmnz]

Hi RecyclingKiwi

Although I have not built a cnc from scratch I have "wrestled" with a couple of machines. I expect this is the correct place for your query.

My CNC experience:
The first one was a smaller table I purchased from a chap locally. He used the mostly MDF table to cut out parts for CNC machines. This one required purchase of stepper motors and setting the machine up. It gave me the confidence to move onto the machine from China

The second machine I purchased came from China and it has a 2.4m x 1.2m table. It came with a PCI interface card and pirated software. I never used the machine with that interface or software. That meant investing some time using a parallel port interface and Mach3. More recently I've upgraded that to a smoothstepper interface.

The size of second machine was especially important to me because I wanted to cut standard sized man made boards. (i.e. ply and MDF)

The people on this forum are great. Getting support locally has been difficult, so think I get how you must feel. A very patient friend in Australia has provided a lot of support and motivation to me over the years.

I'm located in Cambridge. Happy to assist if I can. It would be good to get a better idea of what you want to achieve with a CNC. And maybe include where you are at with developing a budget.

Good luck with your endeavours. Since having my CNC it has made the accuracy and consistency around carcase construction improve dramatically.

Cheers
David

[ailmik]

Hi RecyclingKiwi,

Checkout JoesCNC.com for some ideas. It's a DIY CNC machine where you purchase the plans which then gives you access to a private forum. I built one of his machines and very happy with its performance. A number of Kiwi's have also built Joe's machine. Check out CNCNutz on Youtube - Peter P in NZ. He runs a modified Joes.

Cheers
Kim

[RecyclingKiwi]

Thanks Guys.
All Good - right place

I'm trying to breakout of the low end repairs and woodwook/restoration to work with new stuff an have a passion for designing and creating things. Ive seen some fanastic artwork done with CNC Router on "Sheet" and love the idea that some designs of Scroll work could be employed on a larger scale. Maybe on decrotive fench panels etc.

Learning curve. 001

Im a Linux based user and so would ideally like to find "Open Source" programs that I could lern to use and either "Scan" in and transpose into the program and then create the G-Code? Theory...

Ideally the likes of a Large Bed 2400 x 1200 but I simply dont have the space and cost factors are yet unknown. And of course the noise factor!!
So Im thinking 1/2 or 1/3 the size sheet may be more than enough to wet my appetite for the larger ones?

First step is finding the basic materials in NZ. I suppose Ullrich or Mico's may help? What about finding the stepper motors and controllers in NZ??

Thanks.

From Hawkes Bay

[epineh]

I'm not much of a machine builder, my first machine was made with a drill press, angle grinder and several hammers !

Having said that I have seen a few approches to building, one that I would suggest looking into is to buy a machine from China, then once you have it throw away anything electronic and any pirated software, then retrofit the machine with quality electronics and a decent spindle/drive.

Generally you can get a machine delivered cheaper than shopping around for individual parts, also there are quite a few Australian suppliers of electronics and motors, I would think they could send parts your way.

Otherwise search through this forum for the DIY builds for ideas that you like. CNCZone has a LOT of people doing DIY builds but the site is huge, very overwhelming at first.

If you are a Linux man, I suggest running EMC...or Linux CNC as it is now called, open source and very nice, I use it on my router and now on my 3d printer when its not jammed. Install is pretty easy, download the latest iso, burn,install and you are away, runs on a realtime kernel in Ubuntu (10.04), and now they have nice setup GUI's that make things very easy.

As for G-code generation, although not open source, V-Carve will do pretty much everything most routers need to do, and not that expensive in the scheme of things.

Just my 2c...good luck !

Russell.

[Master Splinter]

As for buying things, it's not much better in Oz. Seller 'CNC and Cupcake world' on ebay is a good source (at least for us in Oz) and there's also the direct from USA route.

My advice would be:
Geckodrive G540
ebay steppers and power supply, and
Other specific CNC stuff mostly from some of the DIY CNC sites, depending on what you are building.

The Ozito trimming router makes a good introductory spindle, or you can splash out on a VFD and a spindle (again, ebay)
Being a cheap-, I found that trailer wire makes a reasonably cheap multi-core connector. I haven't noticed any interference problems because of it, but at the moment I'm just tinkering and not hunting .001' accuracy.

Once you hit the 'linear rail and ball screws' part (if you decide to go fancy, and not start with roller bearings and steel profile), that's where you'll start shelling out the cash in wallet-depleting lumps.

Also be prepared for industrial cash extraction if you decide to go the route of 8020/6040 aluminium extrusion (there's the cost of the extrusion, then all the little parts to assemble it) or lots of welding and grinding if you decide to go for steel.

[RecyclingKiwi]

Thanks everyone for the great "Startup Tips" I think thats just what we needed here. Everything else will fall into the "Specific" question lists here.

If an intending builder can start doing more of the reserch like me with some of the links here, one can then put together some figures on costs etc and then begin.
I can understand the Chinese "issues" of quality etc. and yet have a "starting frame" that can then grow to a 'improved version' all be it 'transformed'.
Have no welding skills could increase the costs unless 'bolting everything' is comparitive? Another area could be finding Alloy Extrusion here, but Auckland/ Wellington/ CHCH etc firms may be able to help?

Here in NZ Trade Me has the 'market share' and places like http://jacks.sitesuite.net.au/ have some knowlege to offer as well. Feel Free to add to the list here?

That's about it for me so far for now - its a "learning curve" on the rest!

Thanks

[Master Splinter]

The 8020/6040 extrusion stuff should be easy to find - it's basically a big boys toy set for factories, so yeah, it comes with industrial pricing "you don't need to know the price, it will just go on your company account" regimes.

Perhaps an easy starting point is one of the cheap chinese CNCs, with the expectation of a bit of fettling out of the box, followed by 'hey, isn't this pirate software?' and then 'gee the control electronics are crappy' and 'the manual is in Cantonese????' followed by replacing the wonky electronics with some gecko drive stuff.

[RecyclingKiwi]

Oh Yes I "love" the 8020 stuff (from Web link)

[HeadScratcher]

You can actually have your cake and eat it... Here's my CNC frame. I can still put a 1200 x 2400 sheet in it without having to cut it, but I can only cut about 900mm long per cut, by side loading it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GsnWsNx-Mo

[AndyGuid]

@HeadScratcher, Afraid that your YouTube link doesn't work for me.

[jhovel]

that Youtube video doesn't exist any more....
Could you please check and let us know?

[HeadScratcher]

My account got all screwed up and I accidently deleted it. Will try see what I was uploading and re upload it.

[HeadScratcher]

Cant find the video but I do I have photo. See attached.