Thread: A New CNC Build

Hi Geoff,
From what I have seen you have nothing to be worried about and a powdercoated machine makes it durable.

I have a big advantage in having a couple of CNC'd machines to build parts. It makes it very easy for bolt patterns and to put a bit of shape in the parts. It's just cosmetic and doesn't make it any better on functionality.

I got my steel back yesterday and put it all together again today. I'm pretty happy with it. I'll start on the gantry tomorrow and see how I go.

Here's some pics.

Cheers

Originally Posted by Geoff Sims

I got my steel back yesterday and put it all together again today. I'm pretty happy with it. I'll start on the gantry tomorrow and see how I go.

Here's some pics.

Cheers

Looking good, how much did the powdercoating set you back if you dont mind me asking

Hi blue^ray

Powdercoating cost me $35.00. It's a better job than I could do with paint, and well worth it I reckon.

Cheers

Originally Posted by Geoff Sims

Hi blue^ray

Powdercoating cost me $35.00. It's a better job than I could do with paint, and well worth it I reckon.

Cheers

Its alot cheaper than I thought, I was expecting 3 figures.

Anyway it looks good

Finally, another instalment. Even with all the best of intentions, sometimes its really hard to find shed time.

Spent some time this weekend though putting the gantry together, although its not mounted on the table yet.

I need to make some brackets to attach the gantry to the X axis bearings, but I destroyed the blade on my bandsaw and that's slowed me up a bit. I'm too much of a chicken to cut ally on my tablesaw, especially since its a real cheapie. The bandsaw is nice and safe. I'll get a new blade this week.

By the way, any recommendations on where to get replacement blades for a BAS350 bandsaw on the southside in Perth? Carbatec is way too far, Timbecon too expensive. Maybe Hare & Forbes?

Back to the gantry. Its a fairly simple affair, an I beam of sorts, made from 160 x 10mm and 50 x 10mm ally plate. I couldn't justify the cost of the extrusions being used in other builds. At least not for this build anyway. Maybe the next one. This alternative is fairly solid though and should have minimal flex, if any.

My original intention was to mount both Y axis rails on their sides on the front of the gantry, but I changed my mind due to the type of rails I'm using. I reckoned they'd catch a lot of swarf and sawdust mounted on their sides, directly exposed to the cutter. I ended up deciding to put one on the top of the gantry and one on the back where it's totally out of the line of fire from the cutter. It should be stable enough, but, if not, I can change it later.

The Y axis ball screw will be mounted just above the bottom rail, and likewise, out of the line of fire.

I've taken a few photos, all of them self explanatory.

The gantry, when it's mounted will sit a bit lower than in the photos. I should end up with about 180mm of Z axis travel which is more than enough, I would imagine.

Any comments, suggestions or criticisms welcome.

Cheers

Yea I was thinking the same thing with the gantry beam, the extrusion is expencive but I was thinking more of a boxed tube on the bottom and top with a 25mm plate in the middle but just seeing your design its making me rethink it.


I would love to see how you plan to attach the Z axis. Do you have any cable carriers? Going from the design it would be easy to use a cable carrier on its side with your I beam design.



How wide is your gantry? Do you recon a beefed up version would support a 1500mm gantry?

Sorry for all the questions, im in the middle of redesigning my whole Y axis after seeing how the pros do it with sping loaded R&P ect.


Other than my 50 questions it looks great, nice and clean cutting.


{EDIT}

Added a pic of what I was talking about, stupid design really.

Hi Geoff,
Good to see some more progress. H&F do not carry woodworking gear and Fiora Machinery in Cannington are the H&F agents for that in Perth.

Can't fault your deisgn and workmanship is tight so you are well on the way to a great build. It might be worth building your stand before too long otherwise all your hard work will have to be repeated once it is moved to a new base.

Hi Chris,
Nothing is stupid as many a good idea is born from a concept. I wish I had the patience to draw my machines but I would rather spend time in the shed than behind a computer. Besides it is fun overcoming the design flaws as you go.

Originally Posted by rodm

Hi Chris,
Nothing is stupid as many a good idea is born from a concept. I wish I had the patience to draw my machines but I would rather spend time in the shed than behind a computer. Besides it is fun overcoming the design flaws as you go.

Only because I couldnt start it.

Right now its a bunch of steel at my dads work place but I dont want to weld it up because I might have to move and get my own little factory soon.

I keep forgetting to take pictures but pretty much the holes for the X axis slides have been drilled and tapped not much to look at


BTW the stupid part was that welding was required Still trying to get out of buying that 120x80 heavy aluminium extrusion.

Originally Posted by blue^ray

Only because I couldnt start it.

Still trying to get out of buying that 120x80 heavy aluminium extrusion.

Go on buy it you know you really want it.

Hi Rod

Thanks for your comments. The stand is now high on the agenda as I'm not going to be able to replace the bandsaw blade, which I need to cut my ally, until after Christmas. Every thing's closing down.

Cheers

Ch4iS

I'm just going to use some 10mm plate on the front and back of the gantry, joined at the top and bottom, also by 10mm plate. The top bearings will be attached to the top plate and the bottom ones to the rear plate. Essentially, it will just be a box around the gantry.

The Z axis will simply mount on the front plate. It's already complete, and uses a linear actuator.

The ballscrew will sit just above the bottom bearing at the rear, and, with a bit of luck, I may have enough room for a cable chain as well, just above the ballscrew on a thin ally plate.

I'm gonna have a bit of a practise on Sketchup and see if I can draw it. If I'm successful, I'll post a drawing.

Cheers

Originally Posted by Geoff Sims

I'm gonna have a bit of a practise on Sketchup and see if I can draw it. If I'm successful, I'll post a drawing.

Cheers

If you have a few hours go through their tutorials and you will be a Sketchup master.

I normally cant stand reading and learning but their tutorial videos are great now I can actually use it properly.