As the title implies I have started building a very small and inexpensive CNC plasma gantry. I started on it earlier this week and plan to document the progress here as I make it. I have some goals for this project and they are as follows.
1 Small footprint-I have limited shop space because of all the other crap I have collected and therefore I am making this table as compact as possible so as to save on precious floor space. It will also be on wheels so I can roll it around when not in use.
2 Low cost- I am trying to build this thing as cheaply as I possibly can. I am using surplus/scrap/found/previously purchased materials whenever possible and buying as little new stuff as possible. Fortunately my cause is helped by the fact that I cant see good stuff go in the trash and I have been collecting useful stuff for years.
3 Quality-Cheap doesn't have to mean crappy! I may not be spending a lot of money but I am going to try to make this little thing as nice as possible. Most of the parts I have made so far are milled and many of them have pockets and curves even when a simple chunk of straight bar would do--it just looks better and gives me something to do with the milling machine that hasn't seen much use lately.( I forgot just what a mess flood coolant can make)
4 Other stuff- of course I would also like it to be fast, accurate, pretty and not smoky but that may be too much to ask for.
I do not have a plan, or a drawing, or too much of an idea in my head I am just working on one part at a time and hopefully it will fall together. It is kinda fun to design and make something when there really are no rules or anyone else to please besides myself. I will include pictures since they are the only thing that anyone else, including myself wants to see