hello everyone.. i used to come here often in the project guitar forum.. im a luthier.... anyway, im finally starting construction on my CNC router next month
however, im having difficulty deciding on what to go for... the jgro and joes cnc machines look nice, but their forums are so flooded with crap i cant find a usable bill of materials list or much specs on the machines anymore
i need a router travel size of 24x48 inches.... ive also considered making one of my own design, but i have no idea how many pieces of plywood a machine the size i need typically uses... any ideas?
also, are skate bearings mounted to angled bars really the only inexpensive option?... im trying to keep the build, less tooling and accessories to under $500, and i have a laptop ill be using for the computer (with a serial PCMCIA card)
this will only be an initial build, when i get more profits i plan on making one strong enough to mill steel, made possibly out of welded tube/plate steel
but more on this one... i see the jgro and joes machines are made out of medium density fiberboard... so that might be the best place to start on materials
anyway, the problem with the jgro machine and joes machine is neither are fully supported rails, and using the skate bearings i see absolutely no reason why they couldnt ride on a full supported rail?
has anyone built anything similar to what im describing? or has any advice?