Large format plotter/drafting machine

[thuffner3]

Good evening all,
I was wondering after taking a look at E-bay this afternoon.
Could one of those large format drafting/plotter machines be cannalbalized to work as a CNC machine??

More than likely just a simple X/Y controler and control to lift the head/pen??
Just wondering.
There are about 25 of these things on sale on E-bay for anywhere from $25.00 to $150.00

Thoughts?

Peace
Neil

[CNCadmin]

post a link for them, id like to see what they are.

[DaSigntist]

I've own several plotters both pen and knife signcutting plotters and all that I've worked with will fault out if you bump the head at all as they are made to push a pen or knife with very little weight or stress.

The one I have now runs with servos and will cut at 32 inch per sec. (not inch per min.) but bump it with any force and it's dead in the water with a fault.

I've thought of the idea too!

My 2 cents........

[thuffner3]

For links to these items, just input "plotter" into the search heading under E-bay.

As for parts.
Now that you mention the machines sesitivity. I'm wondering if mabe the controller could be reconfigured once outside these units.

These things surely would have plenty of usable parts,
stainless quide rods, perhaps neat little adjusters for the tracking, etc.

Some of these things are going off for $50.00

[anoel]

They would at least be useful for printing large format drawings.

But seriously most use bronze bushings on skinny rails and would flex all to hell under any cutting force. You could probably use one to build a little 6"x6" PCB router since the cutting forces are light with that. But for $50 you could buy the rod and bronze bushings and a set of small steppers anyway for something like that.