Originally Posted by rjfurness@bigpo  Hello Anyone,
Again has anyone done this sort of 'Make it up as you go along' process and what are the pitfalls of it.
Thanks
Jason |
Yes, I am currently in the process of this "make-it-up-as-you-go" design and what I have been noticing is the magic number is three. Expect to redesign/build every component of your machine 3x before you are successful. Three times the duration, three times the effort, three times the cost. Sometimes you will complete one component successfully, only to discover that it needs to be changed later in order to make something else work. IMHO, it is far better to build everything in CAD before you start and then modify things in CAD as you construct. This helps avoid errors and is good training. If you're going to master CNC, mastering a CAD programs can't hurt
. Also, I think the only things that absolutely need to be machined accurate are your rail supports; as long as your x,y,z rails are parallel to its pair and perpendicular to all others, you will be fine.