I am very new to this forum. I have been interested in CNC for quite while. I have a some experience with CNC routers and machine shop in general (lathes and mills, foundry). I have a certification in CAD and am interested in building my own CNC router.
I am interested in building a CNC router because I am a student; So not only am I interested in learning, but I cannot afford to pay a bunch of money for a commercial machine.
I know some about electronics. But I'm not really sure how in-depth one would consider my electronics skills. I am in the process of learning about microcontrollers, and am building myself a PIC programmer right now. I am also knee deep in building a benchtop lab power supply. My knowledge in electronics is lacking in quite a few areas (I need to more about ICs and transistors).
I am also a bit of a renaissance man in the sense that I find great joy in learning about something as thoroughly as possible before continuing on to the next step. I enjoy etching my own circuit boards and trying to build my own equipment.
So yeah. All of this being said, I am looking for a mentor, someone who I can bounce my questions off of, and someone who can point me in the right direction.
Because I am a poor student, it is likely that I will be building my first machine on an etch-a-sketch testbed. This seems like a good place for me to start so that I can learn about drivers and stepper motors.
I guess that this post is serving a dual purpose, a kind of an introduction of myself, and a plea for some assistance with this learning process.
If anyone is interested in being my mentor, I live in the bay area (california)... Actually I live in Santa Cruz, if you are aware where that is. But I suppose you don't really have to live near me to be my mentor.