Thread: Homemade CNC Router

Gudday Rod

Already have my electronics and stepper motors and have my Z axis almost complete. Mine is mainly MDF and roller skate bearing etc designed for about 36'" x 12" using a Dremel to cut balsa and ply.

Careful guys this can be a hobby in itself.......

Here is my Z-axis, still to fit the drive screw, stepper etc but very little play in the ball bearing draw slides.

Good to see somebody else making one and you certainly have a robust construction there. Are you using drawer slides on the X and Y or is this where you will use the skate bearings? Sorry wasn't thinking as 36 inch travel on drawer slides is a big ask.
Is your's the gantry design and what size steppers and board are you using?
I am going to start with Turbocnc and see if I can still remember dos.
Lots of questions and uncertainty at the moment but it should all sort out as I make each bit.
I got a full set of Jgro (?) plans a while back that has been useful.

Using the draw slides for the y axis with on offset. top to the left bottom to the right. Seems to be ok but proof will be in the pudding. Hoping to learn the basics with this one and then use it to cut pieces for a better beast. Using the rollers only for the X axis.

Using a gantry sort of based on Jgro's plan but just using what I can.

Just looking to find the info on my electronics.

Heres mine, paid to much but it will do the job with 135oz steppers.

http://www.lowcostcncretrofits.com/2...ntrollers.html

Wrong one, mine is the older setup as below

Hello Rod and Benny,

Yes even Darksiders can find this stuff interesting! I see Benny is planning to use a Dremel, Rod are you going the whole hog with a full sized router?
I've heard of some electric guitar maker in Australia using a similar setup to produce his solid bodies.
I'm interested in it from a work perspective, for sculpture and printmaking students. For example, I reckon a computer image could be routed onto any material, wood, perspex, sheet metal etc and be inked-up for printing, as you do a wood block or even an etching.
I look forward to following this one!

Cheers,

Not wanting to be disloyal here or break any rules but another forum exists at:

http://www.cnczone.com

Check it out.

Hi Guys,

I started to build a Jgro Router in May, I engraved my first piece last week.

I followed the plans exactly but used 8mm 1.25 Allthread. As I neared completion I found I had to modify motor mounts and thrust bearing positions as the discussions on the forums recommended these.

I used DYI Controlers and breakout board and built the whole thing for under $400.00.

Benny I am about to modify the long Y-axis to provide support to the pipe and would recommend increasing the diameter of the X-axis pipe and using the larger pipe adjusters as used on the Y-axis. The pipe adjustment blocks are the week link in the system and are definitely much better made of HDPE plastic or such.

Good luck with your builds but the software is the harder part.

Originally Posted by bennylaird

Not wanting to be disloyal here or break any rules but another forum exists at:

http://www.cnczone.com

Check it out.

SPLITTER

Another very useful cnc forum HERE

Benny (I hope that is your correct name)
You might have paid a bit more for your controller and motors but at least it is plug and use. I still have to house the board and power supply, wire it together and make up leads. If I short something it is a long way to send to get it fixed.
I am changing my mind about the finer details all the time and in the end it will be bite the bullet and go with the materials I have got. I picked up a heap of steel today but I think it will be too heavy for the gantry - another change in direction.
Keep posting and we might learn something from each other.

Andy
From the photos I have seen it is amazing what can be done. All the examples you use can be done. One use I hadn't thought of was using a diamond stone in a dremil and grinding images into mirrors. They are very accurate, repeatable units and quite low cost compared to commercial units.
I plan to use a Makita router trimmer as well as the dremil type.

Outsider
Thanks for the encouragement. The software is something I am putting away until I have the unit built. I expect it will take a couple of months to build as I only get part of the weekend to do it.
I got some 1/4 inch allthread today but also got 8mm as well. Looking at the 1/4 I thought it a bit weak and understood about the whip they talk about. I wasn't sure if it was necessary to have 1/4 so I got it as it was only $3 a length. Apart from modifying bearings and motor mounts is there a problem using the 8mm allthread (software?).
I would be very interested to see a picture of your unit when you are ready.

Bob
Thanks for the link. I have found heaps of info on this and didn't realise it was so popular around the world.

The big problem with using allthread is that you limit the speed of the machine, as the maximum rotational speed of allthread is rather low then it starts to whip around.
Acme thread is an improvement and will give you a bit faster machine,
Rack and pinion, chain drive & toothed belt drive can give you high speed machines,

I started building one a few years ago and get so far and rebuild etc.
It occupies a lot of room in my small shed and is a repository for junk but I will get back to it one day.

Theres usually a bit of stuff including steppers and drivers on ebay

Thanks Bob
I'm not sure but the wider pitch Acme thread might be a big ask with the stepper motors I am getting (270 oz)
I was going to use thrust bearings at each end and tension the allthread to see if reduces the whip. I can make adapters on my lathe so it is just a case of getting the design right. This is to be an interim step to get it up and running and I agree with what you are saying. Ball screws are the ideal but it is way over the top for me at this stage.
Did you make any enquiries for a source of long lengths of acme thread in Australia?