Homebuilt machine design

[muddobber76]

For a cost vs. quality comparison, building your own machine wins hands down.
You can purchase very high quality parts and components for rock bottom prices with a lot of searching and patience.

The issue that you have, and many other guys here run into on their first cnc adventure, is all of these fine components are next to worthless without having access to machining capabilities and the experience needed to fabricate and assemble the machine to exacting tolerances.
I have been working on my "diy from scratch" cnc mill project for the better part of a year now. Even with millions of dollars worth of equipment and software at my disposal, I sometimes spend hours at a time on a manual or cnc just to make one or two little parts for my machine, and alot of resources and planning went into it.

Like some of the guys earlier suggested, buy a built machine to start.
There are some great benchtop models out there for reasonable prices. My advise would be to purchase the largest you can accomadate in size and price. Save up just a little more and get something you will be happy with and not outgrow after you cut your first chips. Stay away from round column. Mass and rigidity is good for cnc!
Slowly, you can retrofit to cnc, by using the machine itself to build it's own new parts. Ebay will be a good source.
When you have an accurate 3-axis cnc machine, you can expand to a 4th axis giving you near limitless part potential and your friends will think you are a god.
Spend wisely, learn from your (and our's) mistakes, have fun!!

[BodaciousBrian]

I decided to buy one first, and Yes ill do the manual mill thing first to make sure machining is something i like doing first.

I was looking at a sherline 5400. Not the cnc upgradeable version but the normal one. Just because there is one for sale locally on craigslist for 650, with lots of extra bits, cabinet, drip tray, and more. its 250$ to get the cnc-ready kit.

A couple of you have suggested the X2 mill. Is this the mill your referring too?

It looks like it would double up as a drill press much better than a sherline would, and i will need to drill about 7" holes to make my paintball frames.

Is the x2 easily converted to CNC? That would be important to me!

[BodaciousBrian]

I found this article about sherline vs X2 vs x1.

[mwood3]

yes that is the X2 mill, I think for paintball gun frames and such it is the better choice...now, if you are going to work on more of the internals then by all means go with the sherline, as I think you will get more accuracy from it off the shelf...

[cnc4cheap]

Originally Posted by LeeWay The second design suggested is very capable of milling aluminum, steel and anything else you might want to cut. It depends on the type of material and mechanics, but the design is solid enough. Been done similarly plenty of times just here at the zone.

New comers need good solid advice to get them started off in the right direction. Your statement is as solid as the proposed design that you're supporting. The only thing that can be taken from that so called 'design' is the concept which is that of what is commonly refer to as a 'Bed Mill'.

Best leave the machine design recommendations to those who have the experience and knowledge that enables them to realize that a 4' square column bolted to a piece of 1/2" plate that is bolted to two upright 1/2" plates does not constitue a worthy machine design.

Again, I make my statement based on 40+ years of experience with building and operating precision machinery. I would venture to guess that you don't have the credentials, otherwise you would not have taken the position you chose.

C4C

[LeeWay]

Originally Posted by cnc4cheap New comers need good solid advice to get them started off in the right direction. Your statement is as solid as the proposed design that you're supporting. The only thing that can be taken from that so called 'design' is the concept which is that of what is commonly refer to as a 'Bed Mill'. Best leave the machine design recommendations to those who have the experience and knowledge that enables them to realize that a 4' square column bolted to a piece of 1/2" plate that is bolted to two upright 1/2" plates does not constitue a worthy machine design. Again, I make my statement based on 40+ years of experience with building and operating precision machinery. I would venture to guess that you don't have the credentials, otherwise you would not have taken the position you chose. C4C

Welcome aboard. Thanks for the rebuttal. I didn't say it was a complete design, but meant a concept as you said. In concept, it is a fully workable bench top design. If the right materials and motion parts are chosen, there ain't much a machine like this couldn't cut. It could cut anything that any other benchtop mill could if care is taken.
I said it's been done here and I'll stand by that. It has. Is it a be all end all design? Well, doubtful. You need to add to to the knowledge that you have garnered in that 40+ years and just look around the Zone at what members have accomplished. You might be surprised.

I didn't suggest the design, but rebutted you saying that it wasn't worth anything. That simply isn't so.
Would I suggest a guy build his own design? Maybe. I did. Is that something everyone should tackle? Nope. It is doable though. You should never say never and absolute statements can get you into trouble sometimes. Goes especially here at the zone where guys prove every day what can be built will a little knowledge and sticktuativeness.

As I said, check out some of the builds on here.

[BodaciousBrian]

I just spent a half hour searching but im sorry if this has been asked before.

Whats involved in getting the x2 from an out of the box condition to being an accurate mill?

[cnc4cheap]

I didn't suggest the design, but rebutted you saying that it wasn't worth anything.

You should never say never and absolute statements can get you into trouble sometimes.

Lee,

You might want to read my original post again. I don't recall using any of the language that you have sighted.

Fortunately the newcomer saw the wisdom offered by the wiser of the respondents. I stand by my statement.

Go ahead and get the last word, but base it on my words.

C4C

[LeeWay]

Originally Posted by cnc4cheap Lee, You might want to read my original post again. I don't recall using any of the language that you have sighted. Fortunately the newcomer saw the wisdom offered by the wiser of the respondents. I stand by my statement. Go ahead and get the last word, but base it on my words. C4C

Not to get into a contest about it, but I did take you at your words.

"I have been involved with precision machinery for over 40 years. Neither of the two machine concepts would be capable of machining aluminum let alone steel."


Not only is that an absolute statement, but it's wrong as well. That is why I warned against making those, because they usually are incorrect.

[cnc4cheap]

Brian,

Take a look at the mill offered by LatheMaster. It's not the best, but it's miles above the worst plus Bob at LatheMaster is a very honorable man to do business with. All of the Chinese hobby machines require a little to a lot of TLC and they will never be an equal to a Bridgeport milling machine, but they are more affordable.

As a starter, your skill level will have a lot of room to grow before it excedes the capabilty of a hobby mill. On the other hand an experienced machinist can build some very nice and complex projects on less than perfect machines.

C4C

[Crevice Reamer]

The Deepgroove1 Taig, at $1700 ready-to-go is the most bang for the buck. Save your money, buy this, then spend your time doing useful work.

http://deepgroove1.com/cncmill.htm

After you eventually outgrow it, sell it on ebay for nearly what you paid.

CR.