Home-made or CheapCnc (Noobie)

[anoel]

Heed Balsaman's words....

Until you have something to put the motors on... The motors will do nothing for you. You'll get a better understanding as to what motor specs you'll need..

[Cold Fusion]

Ok, I've been doing a ton more research on all of this and have some thing decided on.

39"24"6 total table size
1.5 inch end supported Thomson Linear shafts X axis
1 inch end supported Thomson Linear shafts Y Axis
Aluminum sheet style frame, gauntry, and z axis
300 oz steppers all around
6 amp controller with breakout board and 3 power supplies
1.75 HP Porter Cable router with Vari. speed
10mm ballscrews
Mach2 software

I figure that for this machine I could get it running for under $1200.

[Hobbiest]

Look at the W series slides offered by www.igus.com. They are available in 40mm, 80mm, widths, and also seperate so that you can make them as wide as you want. Price for one 4.5' long with the carriage is about $130. They are extremely rigid, smooth, accurate, and each bushing can support a ton...literaly (there are four bushings per unit) and still move! No I don't work for them, I just really like their stuff.

[windtunnel]

Cold,

You can view my website... i cut CF all day long for various RC manufacturers.

http://www.ncfab.com

[Cold Fusion]

Very impressive. Do you do any work for http://www.xtremercracing.com?

[windtunnel]

Cold,

No i do not.. like i said in the other message, i do it for the actual manufactuer.

[routalot]

I wish you well with your project but there is a further consideration if you are to machine quantities of carbon. It is a conductor and as such would be an unwelcome intruder into the electrical elements of the machine. It would be a great shame if your project went up in smoke after so much thought and discussion has gone into it. A good dust extractor is likely to be a relatively cheap insurance policy for the machine.

[Carver]

Sounds like you have a decent game plan already in play. I second the advice to get it basically built then power it.

The hole drilling you are going to do can be accomplished with a smaller end mill, plunged in a helix and cleaned with a simple circle.

BTW I cut a part very similar to what you are doing last week from some of the fluorescent material ( I was told it was lexan )that the edges appear to light up. I didn't know what it went in, it was just a cut job and some material sent to me. It looks really cool. I did a couple of milled business cards from the drop-off. Would of gone great in the Disco days.

Looks like you will have this done in no time. Exitement is a great asset for scheduling.

Best of luck,

Phill Pittman
www.masterwerkes.com
digicarve@verizon.net