My machine

[cliffy]

Hi guy’s,
This is my CNC machine,
if anyone can use anything from the design or have any questions, just ask.

I have received much from this forum; I just hope I can give something back.

[DonFrambach]

Wow! Very nice! What are you going to do with it?

[johnohara]

Did you cast the structure?

~John

[cliffy]

Well guys, I’ve been planning for years on building a flight simulator (F-16), read about people that make their own instrument panels and gauges, some make them on CNC machines that they say they make themselves, back then I thought now that’s a project for me.
Today I still read about pit building but anything CNC get’s first place, if I make anything for a cockpit it will probably be made of Plexiglas or some kind of plastic.

I work as a patternmaker at a cast iron plant, there I have lots of possibilities for building something like this, the main parts of the construction is 25 mm (old) cast iron, once used as a model backing plate for something or other, so under the light gray paint is some very old stuff, full of holes and scratches but then again, nice weathered cast iron nice and rigid (very heavy).

[Bent]

Looks very good. Did you do the electronics yourself ? Lets see some stuff you made perhaps a video. Congratulations on your build.

[cliffy]

Hi Bent,
Yes I did the electronics myself, but you’ll have to wait for things that I’ve made, I just recently got started drawing with a pen and I also need to learn more CAM (Cut2D).

Thanks.

[RomanLini]

Are those high-load composite dry linear bearings I spy?

It's about time we had more plastic bearing machines on the forum. Well done!

[cnctoolman]

Very nice build and constuction. Didnt see it but what are you working area capabilities?

[cliffy]

Thanks guys,


@RomanLini,

Yes the Igus system is not that bad, the one I chose 20mm is nice big robust stuff (big bolts), It didn’t cost that much, that is why I bought it in the first place I had to save money somewhere.
At the moment I’m very happy with it, I didn’t like the slop in the Z, so I found a way to adjust most of that out, if you look very closely at the pictures you’ll see some small grub screws, with those I can give just a little pressure behind the bushes.



To adjust, snug up one screw until zero slop, then back off 0.01-0.02 mm, then adjust the other screw.
I adjust the Y axis the same.


@cnctoolman,

The work area is about, 330x270 cm and the z has 130 cm travel, the problem is, to utilize all the Z travel I’ll have to make the sides about 6 cm higher and if I will use a vice then even more,

I must admit, something got lost in the design.

[mmcp42]

very nice looking piece of kit there!

I was looking at the igus slides - nice to see an actual implementation

did you use them for all three axes?

don't suppose you'd care to share the design?
(pretty please with cherries on top)

[RomanLini]

I think you will be very happy with the plastic linear bearings! I use them too, although a different Igus product to yours I use the low-profile Drylin range. They take great loads that would cause issues with old fashioned steel ball rails and are sexy quiet in operation (none of that awful zing zing of tiny metal balls wearing out).

Re your Z axis, if you made a different spindle mount that could be bolted on higher or lower as needed it would give you back some travel and allow for high fixtures like vices and rotary tables etc. My machine only has 65mm Z travel but I can raise and lower the spindle (by unbolting) a full 100mm which allows a lot of options.

[cliffy]

Originally Posted by RomanLini Re your Z axis, if you made a different spindle mount

Your right there, actually my plan from the very start was to have bolt holes up and down the Z. so I could use different spindles, you can see the original bottom plate I made.



I could always go back to that idea.

Originally Posted by mmcp42 don't suppose you'd care to share the design?

Thanks,

most of the time it was up in my head or small scraps of paper on the floor, so if there’s something you see and want to know more about just shout up.