New Machine Build- 8020 Aluminum Build

[klick0]

I've started a new machine build using primarily 80/20 3030 and hiwin 15mm linear slides. Some of the pictures below are from about 2 months ago at the start, up until last night I think. Progress has been slow but picked up a little bit lately.

The pictures below are of the gantry, I haven't even started the main table section, however I did just receive those in the mail yesterday. I hope to get working on that, but getting those 2 pieces together is going to be an undertaking as the gantry already weighs about 80 pounds I would guess, although i'm not an accurate scale so that's plus or minus 50% hehe.

I'll post more as the build progresses.

Ross

[mhmslm]

Hi Ross
I am also planning to make my CNC with 80/20. Your gantry design looks really interesting. Do you have any more pictures showing your progress since the other pictures you posted?

Mike M.

[klick0]

Well i've made some good progress, today I finally got the gantry attached to the X Axis, also got the legs on. So far my main concern (not sure how to explain this) of the gantry twisting, like when the router is all the way on one side, and it has a lot of force on it, that's a twisting force. Initial tests showed that I couldn't even budge it, so i'm quite happy, and I haven't even done any re-inforcement yet.

Not sure you can tell from the pictures, but much more re-inforcement will be done to the gantry connection area. There are hiwin 15mm rails on the underside of the X axis, the same ones that are visible on the gantry for the Y and Z axis.

Surprisingly it slides with ease, the main gantry that is. I made sure everything was within very tight tolerances the whole time, and I guess it paid off. I can just push the gantry and it slides along and it's still extremly rigid.

I plan on adding more cross members to the main table section as well, which should also increase strength of the table, and help avoid twisting as I discussed about near the middle of the table.

Also, you may go "the damn thing is on wheels!", but I put those one because I want to be able to move it out for maintenance reasons easily, I plan on anchoring my machine into the concrete wall you see to the left of it, I'm pretty sure it's solid

Ross

[crocky]

Hi Ross,

Looks pretty good so far

Bob

[jeffmorris]

Ross, How large is your machine and how much did you spend on aluminum stuff?

[klick0]

The machine dimension specs are this:

X: 49"
Y: 25"
Z: 5-6" (Not sure how it will turn out with the depth of the table board I use, plus fastening system..)

X and Y are meant to be just above 2 foot by 4 foot working area.

So far in aluminum extrusions, plus plates/t-nuts/misc 8020 stuff is around $1300. That doesn't include the stock aluminum I bought and made custom plates though, I made a bunch of 3" by 9" connector plates, some other plates as well. I would price all those at $200-$300, so i guess around $1500. I got all my aluminum extrusions from automation4less.com. Also I got my linear rails from them as well, I did NOT include any of those prices in what I mentioned above though.

Ross

[WayneHill]

Read this link on how to prevent the twisting of the gantry. Post #51 is the Key illustration of the application.

Make your Gantry rock solid!

[Mr.Chips]

Hey, Check out the clear plastic CNC on the side. Nice looking and pretty heavy duty. Have you donumented this?

Looks like an example of build one to make one.

Nice looking projects.

[minisoft]

i was looking at these a few days ago.. and was wondering if there were bearings in the guides or does it slide on delrin or something like that.. thanks

[klick0]

Wayne, Thanks for that link, very interesting design. Simple yet effective. I'm hoping I won't have to utilize that, but if there is any twisting action i'll surely use that method to fix it.

Mr.Chips, That's my old CNC machine, built originally from hobbycnc plans, if you notice that big piece of plexiglas is about the same shape as a standard hobbycnc plans. I also rebuilt the whole Z axis out of plexiglass, which was much different then the original. I'll try and post another picture of it later, and yes, I am using my old machine to help build the new machine

minisoft, Not sure if that's a question of a statement, you can see the linear slides in the pictures, they are Hiwin slides. www.automation4less.com has more details, they are ball bearing based. My blocks have 2 scrappers on them to clean the slides before it moves over them, hope they are effective but only time will tell ehhe.

Ross

[Mr.Chips]

Originally Posted by klick0 Mr.Chips, That's my old CNC machine, built originally from hobbycnc plans, if you notice that big piece of plexiglas is about the same shape as a standard hobbycnc plans. I also rebuilt the whole Z axis out of plexiglass, which was much different then the original. I'll try and post another picture of it later, and yes, I am using my old machine to help build the new machine Ross

That looks like bank teller type material. Have not seen anything like that in the DIY stores.

Looking forward to pictures.

[minisoft]

Mr chips. sorry for not being clear.. i meant that i was looking at the linear guides the other day. but couldnt tell if they had actual bearings on the inside of the block or if it had the delrin or some other plastic slide. but i took a better look at the blocks and guides and found out they did have bearings.. so that was what i was asking .. if it had bearing..lol.. thanks for the reply..