Router building is very new to me, so I'm learning as I go. No doubt I could have done many things much better had I been blessed with expirience and money.
I had spent quite a while previously, collecting "industrial rubbish". So far I have paid only for 3 steppers(£60), 3 driver boards(£24), and the router (£25) Everything else you see in the picture was free.
Because of this the machine has been made with what I could get for free and not specifically to the best design.
I still have one motor to mount. Just waiting on my 12mm reamer turning up so I can bore out the timing pulley to the correct size. Then just need to fix it all down to a nice flat surface and wire it up. (another month then!!)
As it nears completion, my thoughts are turning to the software. Am I correct in thinking I need 3 programs?
1. To design the solid model.
2. To create the toolpath G-code.
3. To output the G-code as step/Dir pulses through the LPT Port.
I welcome any questions, suggestions or comments (good or bad). You can even poke fun and laugh if you like.
Total build time so far ~25 hours.
Total thinking time so far ~3000 hours. |