My second CNC router. 2000x700x180 mm aluminum.

[tahustvedt]

I started designing early in 2013, as I wanted a larger machine than my first one. I built the Z-axis and gantry beam in march and april. Then there was a long pause until november, when I made the gantry side plates and the gantry parts under the table. I spent all christmas making the table and was able to fire it up for the first time in the first week of january.

The work range is 2030x710x180 mm, and it's more rigid than my old router in all directions, based on simple measurements with a baggage scale and a DTI. I used a single 25x10 ball screw under the table, and was a little worried that I'd have racking problems, so I made the ratio between the X bearings length/width spacing 1:2, and I think I have achieved negligible racking. I made holes in the aluminum bearing plates by the gantry side plates so that it would be easy to upgrade to a twin ballscrew drive, just in case. The reason for the odd shape of the side plates was to make it possible to cut them in my old router, which is just 1000x300mm.

Regrets/problems:
-I should have made a rotating nut assembly for the X. Not a big problem though, as I'm getting 6000 mm/min without whipping, but it would be nice to jog at 12000 with such a long axis.
-I should have gone with profile rails and trucks instead of supported round rail. The drilling and straightness of supported round rails were much worse than I had expected.
-The main beams of the table are a little lightweight. I should have used steel for those instead of aluminum, as the table will bow a few 1/10 of a mm in the center with full weight, but it's probably not going to cause any problems.
-The Y ball screw was bent and turned offset when I got it. I was able to turn it undersize in my lathe, but it doesn't sound good, so I'll replace it later.

Plans:
-Make a housing that moves with the gantry to contain chips and dust, and extract fumes from the alcohol coolant.
-Sturdier feet.
-A rotational 4th axis.
-A belt drive spindle assembly with ER20 collets.

The almost finished Z-assembly. Spot the mistake?


The backside of the Z. Room for a 16mm piston pneumatic actuator on the left to help lift the assembly:


The main gantry beam. A heavy duty channel profile:


Gantry side plates. Skinny but strong. 2024-T3/MDF sandwich. Pockets for the accordion dust protection:


The complete gantry:


The table during construction. Making all those gussets from square tubing was a pain:


DIY mist coolant:


Dust shoe:


Almost ready to run:


Backside with the cover off. The expansion tank for the pneumatic actuator is visible inside. Dust covers on the Z:


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[tahustvedt]

I'm losing steps in Y. Probably due to the damaged ball screw. I hope the replacement is straight.

[cpr]

Last october I decided to start learning to build my own furniture (I am not in a hurry).
Your design, especially the dimensions, look very interesting.

So keep up posting!

Are you planning to do e.g. "system 32" holes? I'd be interested to see videos once you have it running.
Are you using solid wood only, or also the various composites?

[tahustvedt]

I used wood in the bottom gantry beam and as the core of the sandwich side plates. All the rest of the structure is aluminum. The white sheets on the table are non structural melamine fiber board, for covering it up and keeping chips inside the machine. They do add slightly to the ridgidity though, especially the ones between the table legs.

Furniture making is one of the things I had in mind when I started designing this machine. I made new furniture for my living room last year, and was annoyed that I had to make everything by hand since my old router was too small.

I'm not sure what you mean by "system 32" holes.

[cpr]

I saw the nice furniture in the background of the gantry picture. The white "door" cabinet looks very nice!

With system 32 I meant the holes for boards in 32mm spacing. Even drawers and door hinges are designed to fit into this spacing.
With a conventional router one needs (long) fixtures and special drill bits to limit z-axis depth.

On a CNC machine with your dimensions even full-size cupboard door should be done in minutes!

[tahustvedt]

Thanks. I made the furniture last year, and it's part of the reason why I wanted to make a bigger machine now. I was annoyed with having to make the furniture manually. I did use the old machine to help cut the slots in the intersecting shelves on the slanted bookshelf though.



I didn't even know there was such a thing as System 32. I'm just a hobbyist, and haven't made furniture before these, but will make more now that I have a more useful machine.

[cpr]

Very, very nice!

When I went into an online woodworking forum at the beginning of october to ask what entry-level machine park I'd need to make my own furniture I kind of got ripped apart. It seems all woodworkers have a 500 EUR Lamello "carver" and a 10,000 EUR saw and whatnot.

With the familiy background in "metal" I was expecting in the year 2013 that there were online services where you could order CNC-milled wood -- because in metalworks we give almost everything to a laser cutting company (and it is cheap!)
Turns out there was _one_ in Germany and when I ordered pieces for a small cabinet the ~700mm long side boards were not cut straight, they were curved by about 2-3mm!?!?! WTF??? Bubblegum-fixtures or what?

Very, very quickly I was drawn into the CNC forums and I am positive that I will also build a machine similar in size to yours.


Anyhow, here is my approach how I copied my experience from metal works:
1.) I very briefly researched what wood is available: Solid wood, particle boards, multiplex and so on. AND WHERE TO GET IT as a not-enterprise which is a bit restricted it seems.
2.) The more interesting part was researching "connectors": Hinges, holders, tray pullouts, hanger poles -- you name it, someone's going to supply it. And they sell it to consumers.
Just one example: It is mind-blowingly inexpensive to fit a kitchen door with a "dampened hinge" (some models can be retrofitted for 2,50 EUR per hinge.)

On online catalogues like http://easylink.hafele.com/is-bin/IN...k_HDE-INT-Site I spent hours and hours.

Now the best aspect in an CNC setting is: Those suppliers _always_ have their datasheets online. It is incredibly easy to get the relevant dimensions!!


For some good reasons all production planning software always work with: part list with reference to a supplier, work plan with reference to skiils and machines.
The tricky aspect aout CNC-based "making" is that during construction in CAD you _MUST_ have all dimensions.
One MUST HAvE (in my opinion) a "library" of small parts somehow at your fingertips or time is wasted by re-doing drawings.

Then I bought books like http://www.amazon.de/Handbuch-Konstr.../dp/3421031878 and http://www.amazon.de/Handbuch-Konstr.../dp/342103267X (not sure what english resources like this exist). That book is PACKED with dimensions! One learns such a lot about the material and "wisdom of the ages".


The dimensions of your machine are great for all that stuff!

[cpr]

Could you possibly show the "tree" close up?

With a fully-digital workflow "parametric design" becomes a possibility. Google for images and be amazed...

[tahustvedt]

Here's the tree. I drew it myself after seeing something similar on internet. It was made from one sheet of 100x300x18mm oak shelf material.

[cpr]

Ahm... Do you mind if I asked for a close-up of the birdlamp now?
*lol*

[tahustvedt]

I designed these over several months last year. The egg lamp has a LED bulb, and the head lamp has an 11W bulb which doesn't get too hot for the wood. I have made a few of the standing head bulb lamps for sale and gift. They are very popular.

[cpr]

Thank you for sharing, this thread provided an unexpected lot of aesthetic!

[thebigt]

I love the bird lamp ?? How much was that ?


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[tahustvedt]

It's my own design. One bird costs me 300 NOK, or ~49 USD, in materials and electrical supplies.

[thebigt]

Can you pm me I would love one of these they are amazing what would the postage be to the uk ?


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[tahustvedt]

Sorry, but I don't have time to make them for sale now. I am swamped with work as it is from friends and family. I'll let you know if I have one available for sale.

[thebigt]

Ohhhh such a shame I love the item.. If you find time to make ok let me know thanks


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[ger21]

I am swamped with work as it is from friends and family.

Friends and family are the worst customers .... They never pay.

Nice machine, very clean.

[tahustvedt]

Thanks, Gerry.

The X-axis motor is unable to accelerate quick enough for fast, detailed work in for example acrylic. It's a 263 oz/in motor, so the 25x10 screw and heavy gantry is a bit much for it. The motor is able to spin really fast though, and I can reach very high speeds on the Y axis, which has a 5 mm pitch screw. I'm thinking maybe I should just make a reduction drive for it, unless I can find a motor that will work directly.

Any suggestions? It needs to work with my G540 on 48V, preferably Nema23 size.

I have some GT 3mm pulleys and belts that can be used to make a reduction drive if need be, but maybe I should order 5mm gt instead. Then I could make my own pulleys.

I also made a thien baffle cyclone. It needs to be compact enough to fit under the table. It seems to work well. The airflow with my new dust extractor and 3" hoses is awesome compard to the old vacuum cleaner setup. In the first picture it just finished 3D routing the inlet hole.




I am almost finished with the housing. I need it to contain the gasses from the alcohol coolant and extract them through a hose in the top, and to keep stray dust from contaminating my shop. It's a little added weight, but not that much compared to the gantry, and it slides very easilly on the bearings. The housing is held on to the gantry by a cabinet door magnet on each side. The thin vacuum hose is temporary as I hadn't made the larger thien cyclone yet when the picture was taken.

[tahustvedt]

Not Nema23, but this one might be a good motor for my X: NEMA34 465 oz/in 3.5A Stepper Motor Single Shaft (KL34H260-35-4A) | Automation Technology Inc