What will I make Is the popular question...

[milhead]

After reading many posts and spending lots of hours on CNCZone and other sites I've started my first CNC machine.

My friends all think I'm nuts but my girlfriend is so far supportive as she will get come finely cut craft wood.. (assuming that I am successful). I'm just a builder and currently the machine is my goal...

[joecnc2006]

What size Machine are you planning?

[milhead]

Well, I pretty much designed and fooled around with a small z-axis, Building from the top down... I've learned a few lessons about using a router to cut the plastic (Including sending a peice sailing across the garage)...

Here is near the finished peice... I'm now working on the gantry section and
mounts for the z-Axiz...

Currently I'm using a section of 1/4 threaded rod with a tapped block of
nylon for the nut. I'm not sure how this will hold up. For the remaining screws I'm switching to the popular 1/2-10 Acme screws..

[milhead]

Originally Posted by joe2000che What size Machine are you planning?

My Z-axiz came out 6 inches wide... I was hoping for maybe a 20" travel on the gantry (x-axis I think) and maybe 30" on the bed for the gantry to travel..

[joecnc2006]

Originally Posted by milhead Well, I pretty much designed and fooled around with a small z-axis, Building from the top down... I've learned a few lessons about using a router to cut the plastic (Including sending a peice sailing across the garage)... Here is near the finished peice... I'm now working on the gantry section and mounts for the z-Axiz... Currently I'm using a section of 1/4 threaded rod with a tapped block of nylon for the nut. I'm not sure how this will hold up. For the remaining screws I'm switching to the popular 1/2-10 Acme screws..

you may want to use some tubing or some way to lock the possition of the bearing so it does not slide along the u-bolt to the sides, here is what i did om my cnc Model 2006.

[milhead]

Thanks for the suggestion Joe, I will add the tubes when I take it apart to paint it (I've decided on purple as it's my girlfriends favorite color and I'm going to need all the compassion I can get, she is just realizing the time I'll be putting into this)...

[joecnc2006]

as soon as you get the machine finished cut her portrait and stick it to the side of the machine, and tell her that way you can be thinking of her while using the machine... LOL

[milhead]

Tonight (while hiding from the snow.. near portland).. I got the basics of the Gantry put together...

Looks like the finished product will allow a width of about 18 inches... I've not worked out the length.

Here is a question for all the CNC fans out there.. Which axis typically is represented by the carriage sliding on the gantry... Y or X?

I also need to get to work on the electronics, but am eager to complete the mechanism first.. I'm not too worried about the electronics part.

Miller

[Mike F]

Generally, though not always, the longest, horizontal axis is X, the shorter of the two horizontal axes is Y and the vertical axis is Z.

Mike

[ger21]

Originally Posted by milhead Here is a question for all the CNC fans out there.. Which axis typically is represented by the carriage sliding on the gantry... Y or X?

The Z axis moves along the Y axis, the gantry moves along the X axis.

[joecnc2006]

Originally Posted by milhead Tonight (while hiding from the snow.. near portland).. I got the basics of the Gantry put together... Looks like the finished product will allow a width of about 18 inches... I've not worked out the length. Here is a question for all the CNC fans out there.. Which axis typically is represented by the carriage sliding on the gantry... Y or X? I also need to get to work on the electronics, but am eager to complete the mechanism first.. I'm not too worried about the electronics part. Miller

Generally most people use the gantry for Z and Y because the bed is the longest x axis, Look at it as if you were standing on the left side looking at the machine and reading a set of plans.

[Madclicker]

My X and Z are on the gantry. I think the only real convention is that the Z axis is up/down.