Hi, since it is my first post I would like to introduce myself
My name is Sebastian Bartkowicz, and since i had never anything to do with mechanical design (well.. till last month) i'm pretty new for cnc at generall
Anyway, since I mostly build electronic equipment i wanted machine for fast prototyping pcb - if i could mill some parts in aluminium alloys - great
some data:

working field:
300x334x67mm

construction:
aluminium alloy PA11 (5754 alloy)
MDF for table core and X (Y?) axis support

linear system:
inductive hardened seel rods 12mm diameter
LM12AJ linear bearing
acme M6 threaded rod with 30mm long nuts
NEMA 23 size 1.2Nm (1.89Nm) steppers for all of three axis

spindle - initially dremel 395, since i already own it, in near future makita edge mill - similiar in size to kress, but at least avial around here

edrawing of my design (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka.exe)
bare edrawings file (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka.easm)
all aluminium parts will be cut by waterjet - limited accuracy, true, but i don't know any cheaper method of doing it :(

You might have better response if you post a DXF. Just a suggestion.

Scott

dxf as you wish - sorry for awkward positions - can't really do it under solidworks
dxf (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka.zip)

then again - why would one want to watch flat model, if he could 3d one?

its like everything else, your machine is only going to be as good as its weakest link.
if you want to mill pcb's take a look at MrBeans job on here.
the size you have chosen is perfect. i think a lot of people ( myself included ) start out close to the size they really need, then they get dreaming and shoot for a 3 m X 3m unit, that they can never finish or with an area that they will never use and no place to put it .... etc ...etc.
if you check the e_bay thing you can get complete movements ( ball screws etc sometimes for around $30-60
then design the rest of your machine around what u aquire. one axis at a time.
this way your axis will be accurate, smooth and you don't need a machine shop thats set up for rocket engines ( a bank in your pocket too)to get a good result.
this is just one of many avenue.

i won't find what i need on polish ebay, and prices on ballscrews around here are bigger than my budget for whole machine
i would really appreciate comments on actual design rather than suggesting that i should start with ballscrews, thk linear sliders and so fort from start
is not that i cant stand criticism, just would like constructive one
i don't want anyone to feel offended by my writings, so please don't take any

I think your design is reasonable for it's size and apparent, intended use. You have good bearing spread for stability and it appears to be a very simple construction - nice!

Scott

mxtras, how you find vertical section being 18mm thick mdf board? i suppose i could use 12mm board, and sadwitch it between two 3mm thick sheets of PA11 should more rigid, wonder how it will increase costs of this construction
i'm still waiting for RFQ answer from local waterjet company

I think that 18mm would be ok - you could always add a stiffening rib or two if you had too much flex. Or you could use 12mm and add a few stiffeners - might be lighter AND stiffer than the 18mm.

Scott

got the rfq from my local waterjet company - ain'tt going to be chep - for metal parts $400 - not that much, but not like i have that much in my pockets right now
need to wait at least till monday anyway
one way or the other i'll go for it - electronic part will be piece of cake for me so no other costs as for basic components here
i wonder if i should get into microstepping or not - this will be microprocessor based anyway, so i'm limited only by my imagination (and board size :D)

mkay, 2 axes cut, and being assembled
http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000137t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000137.JPG) http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000138t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000138.JPG) http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000139t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000139.JPG) http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000140t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000140.JPG) http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000171t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000171.JPG)
http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000172t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000172.JPG) http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000173t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000173.JPG) http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000176t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000176.JPG) http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000178t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000178.JPG) http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000179t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000179.JPG)
will keep you inform

thats some spiffy metal work there, but may i suggest using the thumbnail feature... its a little easier on the eyes

suggestion appreciated, now... where were we..
http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000180t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000180.JPG) http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000181t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000181.JPG) http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000182t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000182.JPG)

Nice work Sebastian. Pity the money gets always in the way with the dreams.
this will be microprocessor based anyway, so i'm limited only by my imagination (and board size
So, where is the PC, if any, in your chain of command?

i got two possible sollutions -
one is to build it around standard mobo - celeron on socket 374 or whatever type it was underneath whole constuction, or - go with fujitsu 1600 i have
this is tablet with 10" touchscreen, just pentium mmx 166, but - should be enough to drive turbocnc - problem is it doesn't have a parallel port, at least not inside - it was ment to be on docking station which i don't have...
anyway i will go for compact design, fujitsu approach is mindbubling, but it might be just above my capabilities
time is the concern - i need this working as fast as possible
in other case it will be just another fancy drawer

So the PC is the puls/direction generator. And don't make it a fancy drawer, finish what you start. Everything you learn, can be chopped up in little blocks and be applied elsewhere. Never, ever give up!

not going to
got another project running with hp/gl language interpreter on board (foam cutter for advertising agencies) but it had to be postponed due to this project

thats a good looking machine going together, man i wanna start working on mine, but i spent this paycheck on screws, bearings, motors and driver board parts....
maby by next paycheck i will have decided weather to build it outta steel or some of that spiffy lookn extruded alum 8020 stuff... then i can get some materials and try and get cought up...

not much of a progress today...
http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000183t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000183.JPG) http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000184t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000184.JPG) http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000185t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000185.JPG) http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000186t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000186.JPG) http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000187t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000187.JPG)

What happened to your tablecloth? You started out neat and now you're on packing paper. Did they drive you to the basement?;)Still a nice machine.

nope, just recived parcel with lcd displays, and don't have the time to open it :]

hehe i was just thinking that working on the nice table and table cloth, oh how my wife would scream at me for putting my "dirty toys on the nice furnature" thats why i have a workshop.. hehehe

well, i don't, so i listen to complains on daily basis - one can use to this
i live in a block of flats in 75 square meters apartment - not much for mechanics workshop, and certainly not for elecronics and mechanics
wonder where do i put this lathe when i finally buy it

btw - last i heard today was "there is such mess i can't even start cleaning up!" - as cleaning up is what she dreams of ;)

hehehe now thats funny
you know, i have found it almost impossable to get thoes little curly-q metal shavings from a lathe outta carpet... and if you do get them out, they sure can mess up the vacuume

now when you mention it...
today i got build up of aluminium shavings from drill press in vac hose... suddently it turned off - thermal protection shuted it down
had to get rid of it before someone else get the idea of using it :D

What is that material you are using for the base and side plates? It looks like particle board or something. Or is some kind of paint finish you applied? Looks cool!

particle board it is...
temporary solution... i hope

not knocking anyone's work, all that nice pretty precision alum. work, mounted to that flimsy(by comparison) particle board... but i would probably do the same... to save $$$ how much flex is there in the gantry side to side?

less than 50 mils - will see if hardened steel rods will help, those i have are most certainly not hardened
gantry won't budge, but rods do
side boards aren't much of $, table is, i'll keep them until last axis will be assembled and i have dimensions (height in particular) for t-row table
that is till next week

Nice work so far, keep the pics comin. Is the cutting area still the same as you started out at ?

Russell.

sort of, it might turn out smaller in y axis by a 1/2 of an inch, but then it might be 1/2 inch longer in x
i need to find lathe to machine trapezium leadscrews, otherwise im stuck with M8 threaded rods

mkay
not much of a progress, but here it is - z axis, and spindle mount
http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000188t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000188.JPG) http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000189t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000189.JPG) http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000191t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000191.JPG) http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000192t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000192.JPG) http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000193t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000193.JPG) http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000195t.jpg (http://alan.umcs.lublin.pl/~candle/frezarka/IM000195.JPG)

Sebastian: You are a very creative fellow. You used the possibilities of waterjetting to overcome machining limitations. So you come up with something very original and different, and still completely sound! This is all well planned. You'll get there.
I see the tablecloth problems are also solved.:D

yeach, and i can't tell you how rest of my family is happy about drill press in living room :D

Yes, but they have the remote control AND the couch! Then the drill press is only a small price. And of course, being your family, you being world famous also affects them.

nope, i got the remote, and the couch - lying down, watching telly and tapping holes :D
as for the "famous" part this is still fancy drawer for them :]