Hi all,
I've been lurking for some time now and soaking up as much info as I can and looking at everyone great machines. I been busy on ebay, Mc Master Carr and MSC buying parts and I have most of my router assembled now. I made some great buys on ebay for 2 pre-built Thomson slides for the y and z axis's, and the pillow blocks for the X axis. All rods are 3/4" and the x axis is supported on each side. I'n using 1/2" and 5/8" 10 picth acme rod and bronze nuts. The frame is 3/4", 1/4" and 5/16" aluminum,
travel is 48" x 18" x 5". This thing is rigid! (Like it has overdosed on Viagra). I have a controller board from Xylotex and PS 116in-oz steppers. I haven't settled on CAM software yet but I am thinking strongly about TurboCNC. What'cha all think?
Paul

Great start!

Eric

I'll promise to be lurking here if you keep throwing in pictires of your progress and details! Your aluminum machine looks like you've done your homework! Nice! What is the composition of the black rigidity plate crossing the gantry?

..signature forthcoming...

The cross brace on the gantry is part of the pre-built Thomson slide. It is aluminun and about 4" x 1.5" and is 24" wide. It is machined on the top and bottom for drilled 3/4" linear rods and acts as the supports for them. The slide table has 4 open 3/4" linear bearing and moves very smoothly.

Another View

:cool: Nice machine Paul, I really like your Z axis. Keep us updated.

Gary :D

Nice Job Phoenix,
How about a closeup of your motor mounts?
Hager

Looks great! I love aluminum gantries, they look stout. Are those ground ballscrews? ACME? More pics!

Here is a closeup of the Z-axis motor mount, the others are about the same

I'm using 1/2" and 5/8" acme threaded rod with bronze nuts on the Y and Z axis. On the X axis I'm using the 5/8" and I made a nut from a block of delrin. I made a home made tap with a short section of the 5/8" rod and tapped a test piece of delrin and then cut it half to inspect the thread quality. For a home made tap it did a very nice job.