I am looking for others in the St. Louis area that are either currently running or building a CNC machine. I consider myself only an apprentice with lots to learn from an experienced mentor (Professional or hobbyist). I am also willing to help anyone in anyway I can...I own a 9X20 Enco lathe, a Grizzly 3617 mill, a table saw, a radial arm saw, a bandsaw and a mig welder. I also have a CNC router in aluminum that is under construction.

jdebuck,
I'm in St. Peters. There is another user here also in St. Peters, motomitch. I also have a friend in St. Charles that has built a cnc router, he's the one that got me interested.

Phil

jdebuck, I think I'm one town north of you, Arnold. Still amassing parts for the router and getting closer every week.

It sounds like we are all relatively close to each other...If anybody needs any help or just wants to share ideas let me know. Just send me an email with a way to get a hold of you and l like I said in my post...I do have some specialty tools that may be of help with your project too if you dont have access to any or own them yourselves and you have the need to use them. I hope that there are many others local too...it might be kinda cool to start a St. Louis CNC Club of sorts, to have meetings, help each other w/projects or machines, BBQ's, etc. if enough people were interested in doing something like that. I will look forward to hearing from you guys and again, thanks for the replies...

I do hope that this new forum takes off and does just what I had hoped for it to do...
:cheers:

Jeff

Are any of you guys going to or thinking about going to the CNC WORKSHOP in IL this year?

what cnc workshop?

Phil

what cnc workshop?

Phil

Check it out here...

http://www.cnc-workshop.com/index.html

Sounds like there will be lots to see and do there...Mapquest shows it to be 250 miles from Imperial, 3 1/2 hour or so drive away.

jdebuck, I think I'm one town north of you, Arnold. Still amassing parts for the router and getting closer every week.

2muchstuff,

What are you still trying to get? Someone here local may have some extra pieces or possibly know of a good (read reasonable) place to help you aquire them.

Jeff

jdebuck,

The major mechanical stuff that I still need are as follows:

2- 56" THK type linear rails w/bearings (y axis)
2- THK type linear rails w/bearings (z axis)
assorted MXL or XL timing belts and pulleys
16 diametral pitch rack and pinions
3- drivers
and possibly a stepper motor for the z-axis

The motor I have and may use for the z-axis is a:

Japan Servo Co.
type:KP8BM3-001
3 volt
2.5 degree

srofzam has one identical to it in the classifieds here. I have e-mailed the co. for torque specs, but have yet to hear back from them. Other wise I may be able to trade a piece of equipment that I have for a SLO-SYN with a 350 oz. rating, don't know yet.

Do to the size of this contraption, I have decieded to go with stepper motors, belted down to drive a rack and pinion.

Well if you guys are close 2gether you should all arrange to meet.
I have had two BBQs now where we all met together.
It is a great time to swap ideas, show each other what you are doing, etc.

Our last BBQ we had 8 zone members arrive. It makes a good local network.

Hey guys, just found this on the IKO site. IKO will be at an Automation and Assembly Summit, April 19'th and 20'th 2005 at the Sheraton Westport, booth #27. I have no clue what it is all about, but if there are booths, it must be some kind of convention thing. If anything it is central to the three of us.

Hey guys, just found this on the IKO site. IKO will be at an Automation and Assembly Summit, April 19'th and 20'th 2005 at the Sheraton Westport, booth #27. I have no clue what it is all about, but if there are booths, it must be some kind of convention thing. If anything it is central to the three of us.

2muchstuff,

I did a search and came up with this pdf entry form. It looks like there is a charge for everything except the exhibits. Being that is on a Tues & Wed during regular business hours I would imagine...are you able to go during the day? I am fortunate enough to work from home, so I may be able to attend. Let me know if you plan on going...

Jeff

jdebuck,

I work just down the street from there. I may be able to come up with a break in between service calls to head over there or I might be at the shop, I don't know as of yet. The schedule could change at a moments notice if an emergency came up. Besides all I would probably have time for would be the exhibits.

Certainly there must be more than the three of us so far here in the St. Louis area reading these forums...I'm surprised there hasn't been more replies.

Did anybody make it to the summit at Westport this week.

Not exactly in Missouri, but I am on the Illinois side in Columbia. I have a Taig CNC mill on order and am just waiting for it to get in.

Hi all, Since warped bumped the thread & I saw it, I thought i'd chime in. I'm new to machining, but understand tight tolerances from building several motors. Main hobby is old VW's which is what got me interested in CNC. I want to make custom parts nobody else has :)

Anyway, I am a linux/computer expert type guy, but very new to machining. Maybe if somebody near stl is an experienced machinist but new to electronics/computers we could help each other?

I bought a secondhand smithy I am planning to convert to CNC.

take care,

Jester

EDIT: I live 1 mile outside the stl. city limits.

warpedmephisto and jester69,
Welcome to the forum.

I am in Ste. Genevieve. I have a homebuilt 2' x 2' router, and tomorrow will have a Bridgeport Series I CNC Mill.

i run and program 2 cnc lasers,2 amadas turret presses, 1 northwood router,1 biesse point to point, and 1 schelling saw. I am located in Fenton,mo

Hey we might be close to getting enough folks together for a meeting. We're from all over the metro STL area, St. Charles, Fenton, St. Genevive, City, County, Columbia IL. Finding a central meeting spot migh be a tuffie.

Phil

So far there are five of us south, one north and one ?

jester69: Could you be a little more specific as to your location.

anytime gentleman

3 in St. Charles.

Phil

hi guys not in missouri anymore originally from K.C. miss the blues ,booze and BBQ from there did alot of work down in St. Louis car dealers stores investment firms i put VSAT systems all over down there just wanted to say hey and good luck
P.S. been many years but anyone ever make it over to PT'S :D
not even sure if/when it closed but it was there in early 90's

PT's is still their :)

Thanks jester69 we'll put you down as south.

So far there are:

6-south
1-north

pminmo,

Who are the other two besides yourself that are up north.

A buddy who designed and built his own machine and started this group back in 1999:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cnchobbyist/
Also,
motomitch1 is also listed as St. Peters, haven't seen any activity from him for a while.

Phil

Just checking in, I moved from st peters to ofallon mo. :wave:

Trying to get further away from us, eh.

Hey there everyone,
I too am from St. Louis, MO. I work with a couple of different comapnies in the area if anyone is looking for CNC work. Please feel free to send me an email. I look forward to interacting with everyone.
Thank you,

Welcome Gcode.

welcome gcode

Hello all, sorry it has been a while; I just wanted to see how everyone is doing. There is not a lot of interaction on this thread?

Yup,
Keeping up with my website is taking most of my time. Would like for us all to try to get together when the weather cools down.

Phil

Hello Everyone! I haven't been online in ages...job, kids, house, hobbies, : )

I think that all of us getting together somewhere when it cools down a bit is a great idea, I hope it works out.

I've been busy here at work and the home computer isn't behaving itself. Lately time at home has been spent working on another model boat for the regatta. If something is going to planned, please don't plan it for the weekend of September 17 and 18. I will be at Union Station's pond playing with my toy boats and a hundred others, the regatta.

Greetings all,
If anyone is currently seeking, or knows someone seeking CNC career opportunities in the St. Louis area please let me know. I have entry level positions, as well as advanced positions.
Thank you,

Met with Motomitch Sunday afternoon to pickup a stepper. He showed me his HF round column mill conversion. Pretty impressive!

How's all the show me state guys doin?

Still here, trying to recoup from the wife's christmas spending spree. Until I get those issues straightened out, the router project is off line. I will be going to the Woodworkers show in Feb. though.

How are all of the St. Louis area people doing? Any newcomers?

I've finally got a decent shop set up and am looking at getting a larger (probably manual) mill.

This thread has been pretty quiet lately - lets get some talk goin!

still kicking here in Fenton

Any STL users still using this thread? I'm looking at building my first CNC project ( a small lathe) and have a billion questions.

Sure, how can we help?

Yep, I'm still here and kicking. What project do you have going on?

I guess I need to start with some CNC for dummies reading. I have no experience with the electronics (steppers, controlers,etc.). I do own two 177 oz steppers, a power supply, and a controler. would like to get them working on a table top before I start modifing my maxi-mat 7 lathe. Any help on getting a quick understanding of the dynamics of design would be a big help.

I live in Pevely,

Been involved in cnc machinning of arostructure since '85.

Mainly 5 axis mills.

Don't have a shop of my own but looking forward to maybe building one after
I get the kids through school.

I'm in St. Louis City and just finished converting one of my Bridgeport mills to cnc but I'm having a hell of a time trying to get EMC to run on Linux. I just started yesterday running the mill on Mach 2 mill and today trying to get Mach 3 to work but I'm pulling my hair out now.

I'd love to have some contact from some of the other members in the area, I'm sure that every one else will have more experience than me at this.

Thanks and I hope some of you guys will contact me.

Jack Fisher

Hi guys,
I'm in St. Peters, let me know if I can be of assistance in the electronics/electrical and maybe I can glean some machining knowledge in return.

i program mostly turrets and lasers i work in Fenton

I am from southwestern missouri. New here, but glad to see my state represented. Anyone else from my neck of the woods?

Shawn

Im in Springfield, Im saving for a 4 axis conversion on a Grizzly 9x49 bridgeport series 1 clone.

hello fellers i live in hannibal MO. hope to see somthing going on in here

I've just joined the site. I think it is great !!! I see there is a lot of people in the STL area. Anyone in KC - MO or KS does not matter.

Just found this link and wanted to say Hello to all here in the St. Louis metro area. I made my first machine a year ago and rebuilding it now. I want to make it better, stronger, faster ....

Sounds like we have some good CNCing going on here. Feel free to send me a message and keep in touch with the locals.

CNCTerry

Add one FESTUS redneck technician to the roles!:cheers:

Brent

welcome festus man you make your own laser or do you work with one of the big ones?

Hi blinton! I've done both. Professionally I work on the big ones (500-5000 watt CO2s and YAGs), and I have built a couple home units (just the laser, not cnc). Right now I'm doing research for a cnc router, mill, and lathe. Maybe someday I'll throw together another laser and cnc it, but it's not on my list right now.

Brent

Hi blinton! I've done both. Professionally I work on the big ones (500-5000 watt CO2s and YAGs), and I have built a couple home units (just the laser, not cnc). Right now I'm doing research for a cnc router, mill, and lathe. Maybe someday I'll throw together another laser and cnc it, but it's not on my list right now.

Brent

i also program a cnc router a big ole northwood good machine

Hi fellas I run a small machine shop just outside of Wellsville MO, its a little berg about 10 miles north of 70 on hwy19 about half way between St Charles and Columbia. I have retrofited an old bridgeport BTC. It works nice but in the original retro I didn't use the tool changer. My next project is to put the tool changer back in the system. I used Mach 3 for control and I am planning on using cubloc with modbus for the extended I/O. I would love to have a forum to meet with some of you fellas and pick your brains. I am strong on mechanics, and slow with electronics. For this project it looks like I am going to have to learn a little VB as will. Have a great day!

Vince

South central MO here. Been slowly putting together a cnc engraver to make artsy stuff with and possibly do some pcb routing with. near Houston Missouri. embedded software engineer by trade, electrical engineer by necessity, welder and machinist by choice. :) Now to get 'em all munged together, somehow!!

im live in brekenridge hills.
at work i get to play with some big machines:
deko maho 80............. 4 axis mill
deko maho 125........... 4 axis mill this is huge
leblonde makino 178.... 3 axis mill with pallet changer this thing is MASSIVE
daewoo dvc 400.......... 3 axis mill with pallet changer

at home im attempting to build a router (for starters.) these are the plans im using http://buildyourcnc.com/default.aspx

i hope to own a shop of my own someday

im live in brekenridge hills.
at work i get to play with some big machines:
deko maho 80............. 4 axis mill
deko maho 125........... 4 axis mill this is huge
leblonde makino 178.... 3 axis mill with pallet changer this thing is MASSIVE
daewoo dvc 400.......... 3 axis mill with pallet changer

at home im attempting to build a router (for starters.) these are the plans im using http://buildyourcnc.com/default.aspx

i hope to own a shop of my own someday


Right on! I pass through STL every now and then on my way home from indianapolis where I work (UGH!). Have you gotten much done on your cnc router table yet? I've been putting my cnc engraver table together, VERY slowly as time permits. So far I have two axes mounted and have been pondering my Z axis.. I've *FINALLY* decided to just mount a roto zip tool to the z axis, though I still have to get a z axis mechanism figured out.

Nope, i didn't start with any kind of design, just.. sort of.. a vague notion of what i wanted it to look like when i was done and scrounged parts fo r a few years, and now I'm putting them together. It's been fun, and perhaps I'll have to post pictures of it some day.

I have a cousin who would be interested in entry level CNC position, but has no experience yet. He is older and has a family, he is very dependable.

You can email me a
goldsmith@ezl.com
or
tlbdiamonds@sbcglobal.net

Thanks Terry

Is there a mentor on the East side of St. Louis, in Illinois ????

Terry
goldsmith@ezl.com

*pokes at the forum with a stick and stands back to see what happens*