Hi,
The first thing I have to decide on is the size of machine to make. I have plans for the HobbyCNC and the JGRO machines. I was planning on building 2 machines eventually, a small hobbyCNC and a larger JGRO.
My applications. I am a violin maker (all insturments of the violin family and guitars). I envision the HobbyCNC fixed with a dremel mototool router to do fine applications like mothor or pearl inlays (see link below for a guitar fingerboard). The carving would involve typically cutting a 2mm depresson into the wood and cutting out the parts in mother of pearl.
I envision the JGRO machine with a 2ft X 4ft bed, fixed with a 2 or 3 hp router to carve the backs and tops of instruments. In the worst case this would involve carving a piece of maple about 24" X 48" X 2" down to a shell (like a soup bowl) of about 7mm thick (double bass instruments).
I suppose the first question to ask is: Is it worth building 2 machines or should I just build the large one and use it with the two different routers?
All the electronics can easily be swapped from one machine to the other, so there is not much extra expence here and most of the HobbyCNC parts I already have laying around the house (including the steppers).
Thank you for your input on this. I assume more questions will follow as I start building.
Steven