[robertf03]

I started a CNC mill/dremel thing a few years ago but never finished (theres a pretty lame buildup thread on this board)

Well since then I bought my own copy of Alibre and it came with CAM software so I figured it was time to get something together.

Most if it is built from leftover parts from the first aborted design.

The X axis rails are too small of a diameter. I knew that going in, but I had the parts already and this is kind of experimental. The gantry legs are also somewhat temporary, depending on how bad it vibrates. Adding full length supported rails and bigger bearings to the x axis in the future shouldn't be a big deal. The Y axis bars add to the ridgidity of the gantry and when they are bolted in its not as floppy. They aren't on there now since I'm in the middle of finishing up the NEMA 23 mounts and they were in the way.

I picked up a tb6560 controller off ebay, and tonight was able to do a test run of the X axis.


[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fHi85fBUCA"]YouTube - VID00057[/nomedia]

[robertf03]

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coCjx1eo8yY"]YouTube - X and Y axis test run on CNC router[/nomedia]

[RomanLini]

This is sad, it looks like you have no friends! Just kidding.

Congratulations on getting your second design going.

Do you have any photos of your machine? People with slow internet like myself sometimes don't like to load Youtubes just to see what something is, as it takes ages.

[robertf03]

[RomanLini]

That's a cool looking machine!

Is that black stuff sheet metal? It looks a bit like steel.

I think (like you said) you might get some flex on those gantry uprights. Maybe you could screw on some angle section onto the uprights?

[robertf03]

all of the steel is .120" thick. I thought about the angle iron. I'll see once I get the z axis finished.

[Jesse B]

Nice looking machine. The addition of some angle iron would definitely benefit the rigidity of the machine. Clean up that wiring too

[robertf03]

Almost done, needs some tweaking and I need to read up on AlibreCAM. It didn't do quite what I intended it to.

[robertf03]

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFlQbHlcMmw"]YouTube - CNC RotoZip[/nomedia]

[RomanLini]

I'm just going to take a guess, but to me that photo of the cut looks like there is too much flex somewhere and the cutter is digging in too deep in places and causing the gouges. It can probably be fixed pretty easy by making the sides more rigid and maybe lowering your gantry to improve Z-axis geometry.

As for why it is generating that cut from your CAD, sorry I don't have any experience with your software.

[leaveme]

Also check the cutter.
You can have good result with the sharp carbide cutter.

[robertf03]

I think I'll tack weld on some angle iron to those sides and as soon as my superPID gets here I'll carve out new thick aluminum gantry legs with mounting points for larger linear bearings.

Right now it seems to be doing fine on styrofoam :cheers:

[robertf03]

upgrade time

purchased a porter cable 75182 and immediately tore it open and removed some electronic thing that offers such luxuries as soft start and RPM control, yellow butted the wires together so its a single speed torque monster.

Drilled a hole in the top for the tachometer pickup, glued a temperature sensor in the case, and wired it up to test it out. Waiting on some aluminum to show up so that the steel plate and ubolts can be replaced with something fancy.

[Mountaincraft]

Love the crooked world map!

Gotta get me one of them S-PID controllers...

[RomanLini]

Looking good Robert!

I guess the SuperPID will go in the front of the green box, behind that small window so you can see the LCD?

That big PorterCable router is going to look massive on your small machine!

[Harpye]

I'd tink the sideparts are too weak in bending and so will create a parallelogram movement when the bit engages in y movement

[robertf03]

Looking good Robert!

I guess the SuperPID will go in the front of the green box, behind that small window so you can see the LCD?

That big PorterCable router is going to look massive on your small machine!

Yes the superpid, gecko,power supply and 110 v relay for dust collection all fit in there. I had it apart to figure out the temp sensor wiring.

The gantry is rebuilt from 3/4 mdf, the rest of the steel is being swapped out for better stuff