HI,
Im new here and was thinking of building a Joes R2 or perhaps a Lionclaw without any CNC help. I have access to a 48 inch printer to print out parts full size and thought I might cut them out and paste to masonite and then make a template to cut additional parts on a router table. Is this feasible or too labour intensive? Anyone who has done a router with no cnc I would appreciate any input and maybe tips and tricks of the job.

thanks in advance

Yes others have done it. here an example of just one of them.

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31436

Joe

A table saw and a router will help you out a lot. Band saw wouldn't hurt either

My method:

an example piece would be the X Axis Torsion box pipe support. print out a picture of the end where the pipes go. Cut a piece of 5.8X30" stock for the center piece. Glue on some wing pieces on the ends. Glue the printout to a piece of posterboard, cut it out and trace the outling of the ends on the glues up piece. Cut this out complete with all holes and use this as a template to make the remaining pieces with the router.

Thanks Joe and Steve for the info. I may just try one by making templates and using the router table and table saw. I have an Electronics Engineering background so I plan on building my own drivers from the pcb layouts from PMINMO. I already have some samples of the driver chips from the major vendors, just have to decide which one I want to go with. If anyone else has tips on the fab without cnc or on driver choice please post here.

Domino

...I plan on building my own drivers from the pcb layouts from PMINMO. I already have some samples of the driver chips from the major vendors, just have to decide which one I want to go with.... Domino

Cool, which Pminmo were you looking at? I have been planning on a board with the SLA7078 for a start, but that's limited to 3A unipolar. I was thinking about a something for bipolar with some more power, perhaps the L297.

Gary

Gary,
I was thinking of either the 3977 board, the PicStep board (lmd18245 based) or possibly or the L297/298 board. I want to stay bipolar and these should work nicely. Do you have a board design for the 7078? I didnt see one on Pminmo's site. He does have one for the 7062 chip which is similar both are unipolar though.

Domino

I bought the HobbyCNC PRO board, which is the 7078. I have the schematic for it - very straightforward, and some extra 7078 chips. I don't have a table running yet, but the plan is to get it running, then use the extra (currently unpopulated) 4th axis on the HCNC board to do some breadboarding to figure out what I want. I have an unfinished schematic of 'my' board, but it's still in a state of flux as I learn more about cnc systems. But I would also like to do a higher power bipolar board.

Gary

Gary,
Are you currently building a Joes 2007 or do you have it already done? Did you cnc cut your parts or do it by hand?

Domino11

Gary,
Are you currently building a Joes 2007 or do you have it already done? Did you cnc cut your parts or do it by hand?

Domino11

I'm working from the kit. My build thread here is "Joe's 2006 in Boise ID". Even with the kit, my progress is pretty slow - it'll be at least a couple more months before I'll have anything cutting.

Gary

Gary,

Progress sometimes is slower than you wish it would be. I remember once saying "I'll have it finished and cutting by thanksgiving...", which shortly after was changed to "I'll have it up and cutting by Christmass...", wihich became newyears shortly after that.

Well, I actually started cutting in the beginning of March :)

Yup, I have been working on my new machine.... seems like for ever.


Joe

Joe,
Hint hint, when are we going to see a glimpse of what the new one looks like? Maybe even a teaser 3d pic? :) Just wondering

Domino11

Hey Joe,

Didn't you do something once with a design where the x-axis leadscrew was in the front or through the middle of the z-axis carrriage instead on being in back as with the 2006 design. How did that work out for you?

It was my second machine, a modified JGRO machine.