Interested in building CNC plasma table. Mentor or fellow builders needed to share interest/questions with. All help appreciated.

Hey,

How are ya doing?

I actually live pretty close to London, (About 35 minutes - Close to Strathroy), although I am in London about 3 times a week. What's your email address? I would love to keep in contact -- There are not many people in my circle of friends/relatives that don't either make fun of me and my 'computer thing' :-) or understand what it even is :-)

I'm currently building a wood router based around the HobbyCNC board and 1" linear rods/thomson ball bearing bushings.

Where abouts in London do you live?

-- Greg Thomson

Hey Guys
I am not to far from London.
Cambridge area.

I just started a small router rable also.
Dave

Hi Dave
It's starting to look as if CNC is alive in Southwestern Ontario. I'm in Dorchester, just East of London, & grew up in Brantford.
What point are you at with your router table construction?
Have you chosen & purchased your electronics yet?
I'm still at the planning stage.
Weldtutor

Hey Weldtutor
Most of my mechanics are complete.
Just received my ball screws.
I purchased some of those Surplus center Servo drives.
I hope to have those mounted up in coming weeks. Possibly looking at the Rutex drives for these.
What are you thinking of Stepper or servo?
How big of table are you looking at?
Have you met any other people in the area?
Later
Beegner

Hi Dave

Seems you are well under way with your router table. Did you source your parts locally, or import through customs?

I had one other response from Greg, see earlier in the thread.

My thoughts for a plasma table would be a 4' X 5' work area, chain drive, & stepper motors. Light gauge steel requires rather fast travel speeds (200 IPM) to plasma cut properly.
I haven't yet decided on motor size, driver boards, or power source yet.

WT

Hey WT
I did a bit of both. bought some local stuff. I had to buy the ball screws local.
I bought the motors from US, (Surplus Center). They shipped UPS, so when the arrive, you pay the ups guy for any additional brokerage fees, taxes, etc.
I have purchased some on Ebay, this helps also. I found that to help abit.
The power supply I think I will be making my own.

Do you have anything planned out yet? Or just starting to look?
Beegner

Beegner
Thanks for the reply!
Somehow I got 2 threads from you. I replied to the other one before receiving this one. Thanks for the info above.
WT

Hey there Weldtutor! I live just down the road from you in Summerside.

I am currently in the planning stages (designing in CAD) of a CNC router myself. Although I have recently decided to postpone the actual build for a year so I can build sufficient funds and learn to build it right. I want to build one that is versatile and strong so I don't mind taking my time. I am pretty new to this hobby so I do have some learning to do. Especially on the electronics end of things.
:cheers:

Hi Nivec
On a clear day we could probably shout to each other!
I plan to start my CNC plasma table build early in the new year.
This is a fantastic site to learn from.
Perhaps you have checked the free JGRO plans posted here, & there are also many helpful photos.
There are various forums listed that should help with your search for electronics knowledge.
Weldtutor (not backwards)

Yep, thats why I'm here. To read and learn. Its a nice one stop source for all the info I am after.

:)

I had to buy the ball screws local.

Hi.

Where in Southwestern Ontario did you buy ballscrews?

I work in Waterloo.

Thanks,
Fred

Hi Cnc_Fred

In Waterloo, Advanced Motion. They are a THK rep.
Also Canadain Bearing, they can get NSK or THK.

Good luck Fred.
Do you know what size of screw you need?
Beegner

Do you know what size of screw you need?

I won't need any ballscrews for a while.

I have some small metal working equipment that I want to CNC,
and I'm just going to use the existing leadscrews where possible,
for as long as I can, to keep the costs down.

Sounds good Fred.

Have you looked at controls yet?
Any plans as far as software?

What equipment will you convert, Bridgeport?

Sounds like fun. I hope it goes good.

Beegner

Have you looked at controls yet?
Any plans as far as software?
What equipment will you convert, Bridgeport?

I have a Xylotex 3-axis+1-axis (4 axis) in a box,
that I've used to spin steppers using TurboCNC 4.

When I have time, and can make the space to set everything up,
I'm hooking this up to a Sherline Model 2000 mill
(with CNC stepper motor mounts) that I bought off ebay.

Once I have this working, I'll use it to CNC a 7x12 lathe,
and maybe a Sieg X1, a Sieg X2, and a large Chinese-made
mill-drill (that weighs 200-250 lbs).

I got the Sieg X2 and the large mill-drill for a very good price,
at a Homier sale in Buffalo, because parts were missing.

I originally bought the Sieg X1, and was using it to make
stepper motor mounts for it, when the motor controller died.
Before I got another motor controller for it, real life intruded.
While I was waiting to find time to finish the X1 conversion,
I found someone in Toronto selling the Sherline on ebay.

Hi All,
I'm a little further up the road in Georgetown. Currently building an aluminum framed cnc router. I bought a mill from Busy Bee Tools in mississauga, will cnc it one day.
If you want a cheap lathe, they have them on sale until jan 14th I think (7x10) for $1200 with stand.
Cheers.

I bought a mill from Busy Bee Tools in mississauga, will cnc it one day. If you want a cheap lathe, they have them on sale until jan 14th I think (7x10) for $1200 with stand.

Canadians that want cheap metal working equipment and that live close to the USA/Canada border, should drive down to the nearest Harbor Freight, or should drive down to the nearest Homier sale.

I bought a 7x12 lathe for around $400-$450 CDN, (after exchange, not including my gas costs and taxes at the border).

Hello Trubleshtr
What point are you at with your CNC router? Are you working to a set of plans or your own ideas?
WT

CNC Fred
Did you have to pay import duty when you brought your lathe in & was it recently? I'm told a lot of "hobby machinery" is now not covered under NAFTA thus we get nicked for the duty as well as both taxes.
WT

i have a bench top mill i want to convert to cnc. Is there anyone in the kitchener waterloo cambridge erea who has done this??

is there any where local to get parts? maybe motors?
or should i just order a kit with everything?
too many choices, wich one is the cheapest best for a small mill?


thanks any help

Did you have to pay import duty when you brought your lathe in & was it recently?

I brought the lathe in either Dec 2003 or Jan 2004, and I didn't have to pay duty. Don't tell them it is a 'hobby' lathe, because it isn't. Tell them it is a metal working lathe. Or just a lathe.

cnc fred
Thanks for the reply.
It seems there is a lot of room for "interpretation" of the import duty regulations by the indivual customs officer you deal with. (nuts)
Pehaps you could help answer Turbocnc's questions in post #21.
WT

i have a bench top mill i want to convert to cnc. Is there anyone in the kitchener waterloo cambridge erea who has done this??
is there any where local to get parts? maybe motors?
or should i just order a kit with everything?

Which benchtop mill are you CNC'ing?

I acquired everything that I would need to CNC a small mill, but then real life intruded, and that project was put on the backburner. When I find space (and all the parts), I'm going to finish that project.

There's some photos in the photo section of
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Kitchener_Waterloo_CNC_Club/
of a mill that was CNC'd by a guy named Kevin in Cambridge.

Sayal Electronics, in Waterloo, sometimes has parts that you can use (transformers, stepper motors). Though the times that I've been in there, the stepper motors that they've had for sale, were too small for your typical mill.

cnc fred thanks for your reply,

i have this mill
mill (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=47158)

i think i will order everything in one swoop, but just dont know wich on to get,

how is this kit??
kit (http://www.xylotex.com/3AxSysKit.htm)

thanks again for any info

Hello Trubleshtr
What point are you at with your CNC router? Are you working to a set of plans or your own ideas?
WT

Hi, I am building from my own plans. Mostly odds and sods that I am slowly bodging together.

Hi Trublshtr,
Thanks for the reply.
I'll wish you well with your build.
It certainly does take some planning & some careful acquisitions before jumping into a major project.
WT

This is a link to what i have so far mechanically. There is another post somwhere on my power supply build/elec. cabinet.


http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4519

Trublshtr
Thanks for the link to your router build.
That is one fine looking piece of machinery you have put together!
It looks as though it will soon be ready to make sawdust.
If the workplace dumpsters get too full give me a shout down 401 & I'll be there.
WT

i have this mill
mill (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=47158)

That's the same mill that I have. I'm in Waterloo 3-4 days a week, if you meet in person.

how is this kit??
kit (http://www.xylotex.com/3AxSysKit.htm)

There are a bunch of peope using the Xylotex stepper motor drives with the Micro Mill. See the group:

http://groups. yahoo.com/group/hf47158toCNC

I have a Xylotex in a control box that I built, but the power supply that I'm using is too low powered (amps too low) for the stepper motors that I have.

If you are going with Xylotex's offering, you might want to see how much more it would cost to get it in a case from him.

cnc fred
thanks for your reply again
im hoping to get going shortly,
i dont want to make a huge project of puting it together
i would rather spend my time using it.
you can check out my progress some time when your in town.

i dont want to make a huge project of puting it together
i would rather spend my time using it.

If that's the case, then see if Xylotex's complete system in a case, is in your budget.

You can also buy the stepper motor mounts from at least 2 different companies that I know of, though I don't have their URLs handy.

If you don't mind me asking, what do you plan on making with this, once it is CNC'd?

Which benchtop mill are you CNC'ing?

I acquired everything that I would need to CNC a small mill, but then real life intruded, and that project was put on the backburner. When I find space (and all the parts), I'm going to finish that project.

There's some photos in the photo section of
http://groupyahoo.com/group/Kitchener_Waterloo_CNC_Club/
of a mill that was CNC'd by a guy named Kevin in Cambridge.

Sayal Electronics, in Waterloo, sometimes has parts that you can use (transformers, stepper motors). Though the times that I've been in there, the stepper motors that they've had for sale, were too small for your typical mill.


The link doesn't work. I would be interested in knowing more about this club. I'm in the process of converting a knee mill I bought from Busy Bee over to CNC.

The link doesn't work.

For some reason, CNC Zone munges links to the Yahoo groups website.

Try the following, replacing spaces with : and . where appropriate.

http //groups yahoo com/group/Kitchener_Waterloo_CNC_Club/

Doesn't look like anything has been posted on it since 2004.

Hi Kombayotch.

Which mill did you buy from busy bee?? the "b1979"?
I currently own one and will convert it someday to cnc. I've seen conversion kits for it, check out the advertisements here at the cnczone, there's at least 2 kits that would work with it.
good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

Nope, the CT054.

Its the knee mill, not the mill-drill.

I have everything needed now. Just need to complete the motor mounts. I'm nearly done the first axis (X).

any pics :)

I'll post something when I get the first axis done.

Sorry wrong area