Thread: New CNC build

Originally Posted by ericks2

I built this a while back...and sold it.

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Thats a beast!! Why did you sell it, if you don’t mind divulging

Originally Posted by aldav

and

Looking like it won't be long before you're in to a whole new world of woodwork.

Need something new now I’ve retired. Will be a long, hopefully small gradient, learning curve but I’ve now got time

Originally Posted by Bros

Interested in your build. I was involved in building a large CNC router 2400 x 1200 which has been in use for some time. The drawback is there are only three members who use the CAD program and run the machine.

What software do you intend using and where are you sourcing the bits?

At the moment I’m running Universal GCode Sender to control the unit, which is Arduino based. I’ve also played around with Candle with my smaller 3018 unit.

I’m only playing with 2D at the moment. Programs I’m using to generate GCode are Carbide Create V6 and Inkscape with plug-ins. I have Fusion 360, Autocad and LibreCAD which I hopefully get to learn properly, rather than fiddle as I do now, once the machine is up and running.
I’ve mainly been taking line art for some toys, turning into vector files (SVG, DXF) then running them through the above.

The two main places in Australia I bought items from (after getting quotes from other sources) were Makerstore in Melbourne and RMAluminium in Melbourne - mainly Makerstore. Pros and Cons for both.
I also used Aliexpress for some parts that were too pricey in Australia.
I have kept a complete supply and cost spreadsheet, right down to the smallest part. I have also kept a step-by-step build.

Knowing exactly what to buy and buying in one large lot will save in freight. As mine was a first self build, I had lots of orders as I kept finding something else I needed. Freight costs exceed $150

Originally Posted by Lappa

Thats a beast!! Why did you sell it, if you don’t mind divulging

Firstly a mate who makes custom guitars pleaded with me to sell it to him...at that time we moved and i had no place to store it and he offered me a good price. Yes it was a beast, i was able to mill the control panel's steel gland plate with it. I was able to walk on the bed wit zero flex. Total weigh was just over 300kg.

Originally Posted by Lappa

At the moment I’m running Universal GCode Sender to control the unit, which is Arduino based. I’ve also played around with Candle with my smaller 3018 unit.

I’m only playing with 2D at the moment. Programs I’m using to generate GCode are Carbide Create V6 and Inkscape with plug-ins. I have Fusion 360, Autocad and LibreCAD which I hopefully get to learn properly, rather than fiddle as I do now, once the machine is up and running.

Gee you have a few balls in the air. Our CNC machine runs from LinuxCNC and the CAD software we use is Freecad. Freecad is pretty good as there is an enormous number of Utube video's. I run my desktop with 2 monitors and I can run the Utube video on one screen and Freecad on the other.

I consider myself pretty good with computers for an old bloke and I never wanted to get involved other that some of the mechanical parts but I was persuaded to learn the CNC operation and CAD. It was a steep learning curve for me but I believe I am on top of it now.

I do use Inkscape mainly to process images into SVG files.

We have a cheap laser engraver that runs on GPRL which again has a large number of Utube video's. I would do PNG files from Inkscape for one of our disabled members who looks after the Laser but GPRL is a lot simpler than Freecad.

I have bought bits from Aliexpress as they are so cheap when learning compared with the Carbatec bits and as we use a lot of recycled 12mm ply which is full of staples that have to be removed and if some are missed it doesn't do a lot for the bits weather they are cheap or expensive.

Carbide Create V6 is easy to use but it’s the free version and is limited in what it can do. I only downloaded Autocad and LibreCAD as I was trying to modify a DXF file which had a number of components/drawings in it and I wanted to break it down into individual components/drawings.
If I had to pick a high end product I would propably choose Fusion 360 but I only have a Education license for it and Autocad while I remain in part time teaching. Probably will have to choose something else when I finish Teaching for good.

Haven’t heard of GPRL. Do you mean GRBL or is it a different program?

Originally Posted by Lappa

Carbide Create V6 is easy to use but it’s the free version and is limited in what it can do. I only downloaded Autocad and LibreCAD as I was trying to modify a DXF file which had a number of components/drawings in it and I wanted to break it down into individual components/drawings.
If I had to pick a high end product I would propably choose Fusion 360 but I only have a Education license for it and Autocad while I remain in part time teaching. Probably will have to choose something else when I finish Teaching for good.

Haven’t heard of GPRL. Do you mean GRBL or is it a different program?

My mistake GRBL for the laser. I have seen some posts that using Freecad is better than Fusion but no doubt if I looked I would see the opposite.
One of the other members cut 20 of the female but they wanted some male as well so I designed the male and used the female one they made. I had to make 4 of each, it is for a charity for domestic violence.

I use Lasergrbl for the laser on my 3018 - love it. Haven’t tried Lightburn but I like free software If Freecad is OK with Windows, I’ll have a look before my Fusion 360 license runs out.
Nice cut-outs

Originally Posted by Lappa ...

I have Fusion 360, Autocad and LibreCAD which I hopefully get to learn properly, rather than fiddle as I do now, once the machine is up and running. ...

That, I think, is critical - get one good program and learn it intensively, rather than trying to use several.

When I first got interested in CAD about 12 years ago - largely because I was hopeless at tech drawing - I downloaded SketchUp because it was free. It served me well for a number of years.

Then I went back to school and had access to quite a range of CAD programs and I fiddled with several. Fusion 360 and Rhinoceros 5 emerged as my clear favourites and I eventually went with Rhino 5 because the student discounts were better - it is now up to Rhino 7 and the student package lasts as long as I do not use it for commercial purposes.

Autocad invented the CAD genre way back in the days of DOS - way before Windows - and it became ubiquitous. There is still a lot of legacy stuff around that presumes Autocad, so you will probably also need a basic knowledge of it.

Perhaps the hardest step in this process was "unlearning" SketchUp. Some SU routines just do not work with the other programs. And they are much more precise.

One of the things I found with Freecad is it is a drawing package and a compiler to G code so there is one program to learn. I have no idea weather the others are a combined program.

Finally finished the Limit switches - what a job!
All looked good when stuck in place on double sided tape then you actually have to mount them, make them adjustable then wire them in.
Mounted the the X switches first - made the RH bracket which was fine, then I made the RH one only to find I had made it mirror reverse
Made a new one then found the slot in T nuts wouldn't "set" because they were too close to the gantry panel. So I had to remove the X stepper motor, lead screw, and reposition the linear rails to give a little more room on the RH side then reassemble it all, as well as adjust the linear rails again to get them level and parallel to each other.
I put adjustable stops on the X axis plate.

Y axis switches where mounted on the gantry plate and used the front and rear end plates as stops. I used double sided tape and a square of 3mm ply to set the distance.

Z switches were a bit more difficult. The top switch is mounted on the moving Z extrusion but the lower switch is mounted on the stationary X plate otherwise the switch terminals would have faced down. It works fine.

Wired the end plugs and connected it all to the opto couple circuit board.

Used UGS set-up to configure the switches, set seek speed and back off distance (set to 2mm)

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Used Carbide Create V6 to set up GCode to machine a spoil board so I could fit Tee nuts for hold downs.

Downloaded a surfacing GCode program for the spoil board then modified it to suit my size.

Ran both programs this afternoon and the CNC works great. Actual work area is 420 x 420.

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Just need to set up a Z probe and its a wrap.

Thanks for reading.

Nice work!

Why did you opt for mechanical limit switches vs hall effect type wotsits? Simples/cheap?

Good point.
I basically used what I had on hand to save some money. I’d bought the opto isolator boards some time ago and I had Micro switches from another project.
On the 3018 unit i was playing with in earlier times, I just conditioned the limit switch lines with resistors snd capacitors but with the Makita etc. I knew there would be a fair bit of electrical noise and those boards where designed specifically for that.
I haven’t investigated whether Hall or Inductive units require signal conditioning. Probably something to play with later on down the track.

Just read that inductive proximity sensors are also susceptible to EMI so they need shielding/conditioning like mechanical switches.

I have earthed shielding on the stepper and limit switch wiring - every bit helps

Just another update
Sick of multiple power cords on the floor so I got to work on the electricals plus added an emergency switch.

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Ran all the remaining pins out from the Arduino so I could access them if needed.

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Added a front panel with Manual buttons as the computer is away from the CNC re dust. Also added a Z probe port and a USB port.


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I was playing with the idea of speed control via software for the Makita but in the end I think I'll just settle for the ability to switch it ON and OFF and use the dial for speed control.
To that end I have a solid state relay on order - Output 40A 220 to 300VAC, Input control 3 to 32VDC.
I was wondering whether to switch it from the Arduino directly (pin on front of control box) or via a relay controlled by the Arduino. I have a 12v and 5v source at the front of the control box.
Any thoughts on that??

I have been using UGS as the controller but I started doing inlays and UGS is not friendly re tool changes and mid program Z axis zeroing.UGS doesn't like M6 tool change commands, apparently, from all the negative comments re that area.

I downloaded another program called GSender which I like more and more as I use it.

Carbide Create V6, which I use to generate the GCode can only put in a M0 when you change tools which pauses the machine but locks out all other actions.

In GSender, your select "MANUAL' for M6 tool change commands and when it gets one, it pauses but all other functions are still active, so you can change the tool and re zero it.

To achieve this in the Carbide Create programing, you just use Notepad++ to edit the GCode file and change all MO commands (after the first one) to M6 - easy peasy.

I downloaded a Gcode file to make a magnetic dust boot assembly from 10mm Acrylic so that's the next task as well as putting up come acrylic side screens.
I tried using a bell mouth hood on 6" hose from my extractor system at the rear of the table (about 350mm from the cutter) but its only about 20% effective so the side screens and dust boot are essential I believe.