1+ semesters in the machine shop = many missed nights at the bar
300 lbs of aluminum = $190
Steppers, rails, shafts, screws, etc = $600
Watching it move for the first time = PRICELESS
Well, here is the final product of all my work from the past couple months. Started designing in solidworks in june and started building in september. We(me and my gf) would like to thank alot of the members here for the plethora of information on this site.
Here are some of the specs of the machine:
Travel: x = 24 in., y = 18 in., z = 5 in.
Steppers: 800 oz-in PacSci on the x and y
150 oz-in on the z
Rails: 1 in. Thompson pillow blocks on the x, supported through entire length
3/4 in. Thompson pillow blocks on the y, supported entire length
IKO rails off ebay for the z
Screws: 5/8 in. Thompson ball screws
Drivers: Gecko 201's with 50V power supply
Spindle: Self designed with interchangeable collets, belt driven by a crap
router (for now)
Aluminum: 3/8 in. precision plate acquired from scrapyard
Rapids: 260 ipm ( probably could do more, but maxed out Mach2
)
Here are some pics, I will get more up later with some video