Newbie- I am a bit lost

[itel933]

Hello everyone! I am an inventor and am looking for some help on getting started with CNC. I have a budget of around $500. Is this too little? I keep reading that people are making there own machines, if so how do I do it? I want to have something that I can grow into and not something that I'll out grow in a few months. Is it easy?

[TarHeelTom]

Tough question to answer.

$500 isn't much budget in machine tools.

First, rather than cnc, what kind of a machine do you want? What do you want it to do?

If you hit flea markets, garage sales, fleabay, etc, you might be able to put together a small router using a Dremel tool copy, for example.

But it's hard for anyone to answer until you can define what the purpose of your cnc machine is....

Tom

[MechanoMan]

What do you want to machine?
How BIG do you want to work stuff? A machine's price goes up with size.
How accurate?
How durable and fast?

But yeah $500 IS a small budget. I have mixed feeling about scrapping together cheap stuff. Because in the end you could have a hacked $500 toy that barely runs at all, doesn't do much and tends to break. Whereas, with careful consideration and parts shopping, $1500 could be used to put together a REALLY nice little setup.

[hemsworthlad]

Hi,

Like Tom says $500 wont get you an all singing all dancing machine and will take a bit of thrifty sourcing on your part but it is possible.

The answer to your Question "is it easy" is the 1st Question you need to ask your self and really answered with another Q . ." How capable and equiped are you"

This will mainly determin how easy or hard the build will be.?

The basic knowledge or principle of building a your own cnc is easy enough to understand or obtain but the hard part and for a lot of people and where they fail is not having the right tools or skills to make the machine ridged or accuratly enough in the first place and get disalusioned when it's not accurate or giving more trouble than it's worth to them.?

These are questions you need ask your self or supply here so we can help with giving you an idea of best style of machine to suit and cost's and parts required.
1: Max Budget (completely differant to intended budget you WILL spend more than intended)
2: Cutting area required
3: Materials intened to cut
4: Construction materials you would idealy like( Budget will be the main dictator of this)

There are many ways to go about build a cnc machine you can go the route of building everything your self, right down to the electronics or buy everything of the shelf right upto a full blown working machine.

Most take a middle of the road approach and buy the complicated electronics and build the simple like power supplies etc then build the frame work them selfs using what ever materials they are most comfortable using or have access too.
Some build from bought plans, some like me from looking at other builds and taking ideas from each and make it there own way.

The best advice i can offer is take your time to checkout all the other builds get an idea of the style of machine that will best suit your needs.

DONT NO MATTER HOW TEMPTING impulse buy components untill your absolutly sure.
1: Youv'e decided and designed exactly the machine you want.
2: You understand what it is your buying

AND the biggest is ask lots n lots of questions no matter how stupid or dumb you think they sound untill you understand.
At first it will seem complicated and a bit overwelming at times but ounce the fog as lifted and things become clear it's obvious there's no voodoo or witch craft involved.!! . . . . . Just a bit of rocket science. . Lol

Go for it, it's very rewarding and very very very very addictive.

Good luck.

[Kipper]

Originally Posted by itel933 Hello everyone! I am an inventor and am looking for some help on getting started with CNC. I have a budget of around $500. Is this too little? I keep reading that people are making there own machines, if so how do I do it? I want to have something that I can grow into and not something that I'll out grow in a few months. Is it easy?

$500...not a "successful" inventor then

Take stock of what you have laying around to work with and then make something from what you have.....Buy the electronics with a view to keeping them for many years as they are a major investment.

Have a look around this site to see what's already been done by others.

And remember the KISS principle....unless you're happy/competent for the pretty stuff.

Have fun!

Oh and Dean where's my bleedin PSU

[louieatienza]

Originally Posted by Kipper $500...not a "successful" inventor then Take stock of what you have laying around to work with and then make something from what you have.....Buy the electronics with a view to keeping them for many years as they are a major investment. Have a look around this site to see what's already been done by others. And remember the KISS principle....unless you're happy/competent for the pretty stuff. Have fun! Oh and Dean where's my bleedin PSU

Also realize that one your machine is up=and-running, you'll be able to make better parts for it!

[hemsworthlad]

Originally Posted by Kipper Oh and Dean where's my bleedin PSU

Oh Kipper stop flapping you'll get..!!

See ya Monday Aft.

[Kipper]

Originally Posted by hemsworthlad Oh Kipper stop flapping you'll get..!! See ya Monday Aft.

Nice one matey If you're good I'll let you touch my diy MPG

[hemsworthlad]

Originally Posted by Kipper Nice one matey If you're good I'll let you touch my diy MPG

Listen i,ve told you before i'm not touching your Knob. .

Anyway if it's Diy then Diy me one . . . i'll be there about 2pm.

[Kipper]

Originally Posted by hemsworthlad Listen i,ve told you before i'm not touching your Knob. . Anyway if it's Diy then Diy me one . . . i'll be there about 2pm.

Bring one of these with you mate 390104395628

The kettle is on!