[NEATman]

Is this a crazy idea or what?
I have been experimenting with all of the parts that I find in the dumpster at work, and this is what I have come up with so far: It might be the smallest 3 axis CNC here. It has 4"X x 4"Y x 2"Z travel, with a dremel spindle. The XY portion is a stepper driven automated microscope stage. I have inverted it, and I'm mounting the Z axis to the part that was the base. I also snagged stepper drivers, motors, linear bearings,an 800mhz pentium, and a monitor to boot. This of course took many dumpster dives. It also helps when the service department calls me when they are about to scrap these stages. :-)The Z axis I am in the process of machining.

The XY stage is what is called an "open frame microscope stage" and has a clearance hole through the center, where the tool pokes down through. My plan is that this machine is small enough to place on top of (and clamp in place) just about anything (the body is 6" x 6") and machine in some small details, inlays, accents, or whatever.

I've already loaded up Mach2 on the PC, and I've gotten the XY moving properly. I can't wait to have the machine fully functional.

The real reason I'm trying this is to get a 3 axis CNC working before I update the controls on my CNC bridgeport. I must admit, Mach2 is waaaaayyyyy beyond the old 286 and bridgeport code. The DXF import and engraving portions alone are worth upgrading for. Plus, I keep smoking motherboards in the old machine.

Has anyone ever seen anything like this? If so, who makes it?

NEATman