I need a 25 hour day !!!

[robe_uk]

Hi All
Like many i've been lurcking about for a while trying to learn as much as i could before attacking a cnc project.

Why a 25hr day?? well it takes me soooo long to do things and i've to many hobbies

I started by downloading the jgro plans, I had full intentions of building my machine out of mdf but to my luck work was dumping some extrusion so have decided to use that instead. So now this machine has turned into an all metal affair.

[robe_uk]

I started by making the gantery, I sort of just work 'on the fly' when it comes to sizes, but I intended to make a machine that would be able to mill parts for model rc aircraft.

I also have got the bearings fitted that will run along my guide rails.

[robe_uk]

I will have to modify the bearing design as there is no way to adjust them if they are not 100% parallel to each other. This could mean that a bearing may not run along the rails correctly. At this point I have not tested this yet.

[robe_uk]

As this is an all metal machine I got a friend to weld me a box section frame to act as a soild base.

[robe_uk]

To this base I have been able to attach aluminium end plates which will support the guide rails and table.
I have used aluminium angle as the support for the mdf table bed

[robe_uk]

The guide rails are held in place with centering blocks which can be used to aline the rails.

[robe_uk]

For the z axis i saved some linear bearings from the skip at work. I have most of the z axis complete but no pictures so far, am hoping having this log will help me keep track of where i am and what i have to do..

[robe_uk]

As far as the electronics side of things go I plan to use the picstep drivers as I have 10 of the diver chips LMD18245

http://www.fromorbit.com/projects/picstep/

Although I have quite a lot to learn, ie. etch boards, program pic chips.
I am going to try toner transfer method for etching so I will let you all know how I get on considering its all new to me. Might try photoboard as I made a uv light box which I made, but again never used
Likewise with the pic programming will be a sharp learning curve, although I have i programmer I have never used. (more unfinished projects )

[robe_uk]

I have not played around with the software side of things to much but will try turbocnc as I saved a pc from the skip which is a 200Mhz PII so I guess dos based is best for this machine, after all it will be out in my shed/workshop so I dont want a good machine out there.
As you can see I saved a few useful things from the skip at work, they are so wasteful, if its dirty bin it???? oh well one man rubbish, another mans gold

[robe_uk]

Well thats my posts for tonight, an hours work to show what I've done in a couple of months, hopefully as i post stuff as i do it there will be a bit more detail included.

One thing no one tells you at the start of all this is the mess your workshop gets into, I've had to pack away my current plane build project to make room, and now there is a helicopter to add to the clutter.

Like I said, 25 hours maybe more needed lol, its 1:50am here am off to bed

[DieGuy]

Poof I grant you a 25 hour day, problem is the hours are only 57.6 minutes long!

you are making great headway.

[santiniuk]

Watching with interest. Looking good so far !

You won't be dissapointed with the picstep drivers. Great boards, just shout up when your building them, there is a lot of help on here.

Good to see another 'skip-rat'

Cheers