[Ernesto]

Hello to you all.

I’m new in the group. I’m from Portugal and I’ve been caught by the “CNC virus”...

I intend to make large scale car models in foam. A starting point, to make very accurate 1/3 scale car models in fibreglass.

I bought a couple of months ago, a little CNC machine from Roland. It’s a MDX20 model, and it has 200x150x65mm working volume. Very small, but very accurate machine. I’m going to use it to make the small items for the model cars, like the head lights, the mirrors, the wheels, etc. It’s capable of milling hard wood, plaster, plastic, aluminium, etc. It’s also capable of 3D digitizing…

But I’m with the problem of the body. Especially by the size of it. I was considering many options, including a spectacular (for me) “enlarging machine” that I’ve invented.

With that, I could start with a 1/24 or 1/18 scale model and then I could make an enlarged model in foam (6 to 8 times bigger than the original) by a mechanical device, with out any electric or electronic device (except for the spindle motor).
This is a very time consuming machine, because it couldn’t work by itself.

The result it’s a not very accurate model, especially because all movements are enlarged 6 to 8 times, including all the errors and the smallest details…
But it’s a good starting point to make the models in 1/3 scale (about 1,5 mt length)

But the main reason of this post is that, after I found this group, and a couple of related links (about home made CNC machines), my thoughts went to build a CNC machine that could make my models in foam, but very much accurate and with other scales also.

My questions are, if anyone can take his time for it, and having in mind that I don’t know almost anything about electronic devices:

Can I actually build a 4 or 5 axis CNC Machine?
How much would the cost be?
Are there any plans or kits to start from?

Can anyone tell me how can I achieve that?

Thanks in advance for the time.

Best regards from Portugal,
Ernesto Freitas