New on the scene...!

[krsykes]

There are a few things I need help with, but I thought I'd submit some basic details and a picture of my recently completed machine.

It's a 3 axis CNC for my hobby of 1:24 finescale Truck Modelling.
Working area - 455mm x 245mm x 30mm. 500w mains spindle with 1/4 collect.

Mechanics are completely designed by myself and it uses Vexta 266, 125oz steppers, individual drive boards, custom made PSU and control cabinet and machine enclosure.

The axis slides are actually, high quality drawer slides, while the leadscrews are plain and simple M10 threaded rod (allthread) .

I have been totally surprised by the accuracy and performance.

I am now in the process of setting it up to machine some work and need some help. I'll post these shortly !

[krsykes]

Sorry, forgot the picture...!

[Chagrin]

Can you give us the lowdown on those drawer slides? Manufacturer/part number/price?

[InventIt]

Nice enclosure.

[krsykes]

The slides are made by Hafele Limited and I obtained them in the UK, although they are made (I believe) in Germany. I'll post the part numbers later, but I'm amaized at the results. I know they are not something you'd use for a commercial machine, but for a hobby system, they are perfect.

Although the picture doesn't show it, they have a decent sized mounting plate which can attach to the carriage. The longest size available however, is only 600mm, so they will only suit small machines. One advantage is the cost...the largest ones are less than £20(GBP) and that's for a pair.

Another drawback however, is that they may be susceptable to swarf. I'm trying to make some rubber bellows to cover the Y and Z axis. Although I only cut light plastic, so I can blow off with compressed air!

Hope this helps but I'll post the contact details and part nos. when I can get to the catalogue!

[Ferenczyg]

Nice all

krsykes, have you got any detail photo of all the axis? I am interested in take a close look because I can't understand how you have designed your machine to provide the space for displacement of the drawer slides. The ones I know must hang at some point and can't figure your Y and Z, because the enclosure must interfere. I almost can understand X, but from the picture it seems that the moving table cannot displace the full length because the enclosure too.

Not criticism, I really like how the machine looks. I am planning to use drawer slides for my first machine, but footprint and overhang of the drawer slides intrigues makes me doubting. As your machine looks very nice It have raised a lot of interest to me.

thanks in advance

[Ferenczyg]

Ok ok, your drawer slides looks more adequate to make a machine than the ones I can afford at my usual hardware store.

But if you can post more pictures It will be very useful.

Fer

[Chagrin]

Thanks for the followup. I was just about to purchase a pair for my own CNC and was looking for a little more detail on what you had used. No part numbers necessary. The pictures tend to clarify things

[ger21]

The slides look like either an Accuride 3832 or KV 8400. A lot of the stuff Hafele sells is manufactured by other companies.

[krsykes]

Ferenczyg,

Easy design but difficult to describe! However, I've used two pairs of 600mm slides for X (inverted to keep dust out). These pairs are staggered to give a wider span on the X carriage.
Y has one pair of 400mm slides while Z has one pair of 250mm slides. I could have done a better design on the Z, as I've lost some height, but I'm only machining thin sheets so it's not important

[krsykes]

ger21,

Well spotted, I hadn't realised they were Accurides, but yes they are! I was amaized at the quality for the low cost. Seeing as I used the aluminium extrusion system, I could always change to proper slideways later on. By the way, the extrusions are from Item, through MB Systems in the UK. Not cheap, but superb results.

[bennylaird]

You just saved me asking if anyone had used these drawslides. I saw them in the local hardware store last week and thought they would be fine for the y and z axis on my machine, they seem to have very lttle play in them?