Build Thread- Steel Frame CNC Wood Router

[CNC Rocks]

Hello.

I have just started to build a steel frame cnc wood router and I thought I'd share some photos of the build as it goes forward and also give you some information about the router along the way.

The mainframe is built using I-beams and square-tubing. The I-beams are approximately 273mm high and 137mm wide and each one weighs about 80kgs. The square-tubing is 80mm x 80mm x 4mm.

I'm going to bolt everything together, and that makes it possible to adjust the machine at a later point if necessary.

As soon as I figure out how to post photos I will start posting photos of the router.

[ger21]

Click the Go Advanced button then you can add attachments.

[CNC Rocks]

Thank you ger21.

As you can see I haven't done very much yet, but I figured that it would be best to start posting information and pictures right from the start. That way people can follow the build from start to finish.

I'm sorry about the poor quality of the images.

Photo #1: Here you can see the I-beams and the square-tubing for the router-legs.

Photo #2: These are going to become the beams that run under the working-table of the router.

Photo #3: Here you can see that I have drilled all the holes for now (I have a feeling that I have to drill many more holes in the following months ).

Photo #4: In this photo I have started to testfit the components, but this was only temporarily. I later took the components apart and painted the surfaces where the square-tubing is going to be mounted with Owatrol Oil to prevent the rust from progressing any more.

Photo #5: The nuts, washers and bolts that are going to hold these parts together.

Photo #6: Here I have drilled the first of many holes in one of the I-beams. I think I drilled a total of 72 holes (And by drilled I mean center-drill, drilling with an 8mm drill and finally drilling to the final dimension of 17mm ). For the drilling-operations I used a drillpress with a magnetic base that clamps the drillpress to the workpiece by the help of an electromagnet, and this worked perfectly.

Here are the photos as promised:

[MMeek]

CNC Rocks, This is how I was thinking of building my table with 6" I beams. How are you going to attach the legs? How are you planning to attach the top and bottom I beams together? Keep Me informed . When you get some more pictures let me know. I find that Really Cool. Thanks MMeek

[CNC Rocks]

Hello MMeek.

I plan to weld some plates on the end of the legs and bolt them to the I-beams.

I'm sorry, but I guess I forgot to mention that I was only going to use two of the I-beams. The other two are just extras, and I was only using them to elevate the other components while I was drilling the holes.

And I also forgot to mention that the components are lying upside down right now, and the reason for that is that i had to drill the holes in the I-beams that way. I plan to assemble the components upside down and then flip the entire table around so that it becomes the right way up.

I'm sorry if I caused any misunderstandings.

[CNC Rocks]

Hello folks.

I just thought I'd share some photos of the router now that I have started painting it.

[oopz]

Mine main frame will be built using as u guessed .. I-beams .. I have also square-tubing of 4 diffrent sorts.

The I-beams are approximately 130 mm high and 145mm wide and 2500mm long .

The square-tubing is 100mm x 100mm x 8mm x 2600 long. Iv got 3 of this pieces. And also 80mm x 80mm x 4mm x 3000mm long, just 2 pieces but may do.. :-) at last 120mm x 120mm x 4mm x 2800 long 2pieces.

I'm going down the glowing road, with epoxy, then drill and bolt everything together, and maby same welding here and there. That will make it possible to get good accuracy to the machine in all point of the process/progress.

So who will end up with a pre-design picture of a assumed result of thoughts to a nice looking and functionell machine design ??

Iv seen and have picture of a I-Beam design but dont know if i can put it as a attached because Iv have no info regarding the owner etc etc. Not even in this forum from what tread mm..

So keep the progress and follow ur path..!!

[CNC Rocks]

Hello oopz. Nice to hear from you in Sweden.

I haven't decided if I'm going to use epoxy in every joint or not, but I think that would be the smartest thing to do when you concider all the stress-related problems that can occur if you just bolt everything together. And it's not that much extra work to add some epoxy to the main joints of the structure. So I'll just have to sit down for a while and try to decide whether to use epoxy or not.

Tomorrow I plan to get started on painting the first coat on the I-beams. I'va already applied one coat of Owatrol Oil to stop the rust that were on the I-beams. I plan on applying two coats of paint to all the main components of the router such as the frame, legs and the gantry.

When I'm finished with the table/frame of the router I'm going to start to decide which linear-system I'm going to use. I have narrowed the choices down to two, and I'm either going to use a DualVee-system or a round rail linear system. I plan on using the machine mostly for woodworking, but it would be nice to be able to machine some aluminium with it as well. I'm not sure if the DualVee-approach is the best for machining aluminium, but I don't know this for sure, so it would be nice if somebody could give me some advice on this topic. There is also the economical-side of this choice. I think it would be somewhat cheaper to use the DualVee-approach, but I will have to get some more quotes from different manufacturers before I can say for sure which system will be the best option, both economically and practically.

[alexis221]

If your cuts and measurments are all right, welding would be fine. Where stress would be is if you force a piece metal to fit another with clamps then welding. That would not be a good practice there will be stress. I know with my build(still in process) I made sure everything would fit together with out forcing into postion and then be very careful in welding in not to distort the metal. And the key is to not over do the welds. On my build I stitched welded the angle iron for my rails, and epoxied the supports below. Only because I did not want to take the chance in distorting the flatness of the angle iron. There are some good and bad points in using metal, but I think it's the best way to go.....sometimes.

[oopz]

To both of you.. I agree, to just think it over for a few hours (where to glue, bolts & nots, weld) - and then sleep on it - is the way to go :-) !!

Here is my little inspiration site:
http://www.oneoceankayaks.com/madvac....htm#Indexanch

/oopz

[CNC Rocks]

Hello alexis221.

I think you're absolutely right, but the only reason I decided not to weld the router-frame together is because I don't have a welder in my workshop. Actually I have a stick-welder, but I hate to weld with it, so I decided to bolt most of the router together and then maybe weld some of the smaller pieces together at work where I have access to many MIG-welders. I would rather have the frame welded together, but since I didn't want to go and buy a MIG-welder at this moment because I want to use most of my money available for this project on getting good quality components for the router.

Having that said, I can also tell you that I plan on building a second router when I have earned enough money on this first router to buil a second one. This is my first router, so it's going to be somewhat of a learning experience to begin with and hopefully I will be able to make some money by producing parts with it. For my second router I plan on using a much cleaner looking frame that is welded together, and I will also most likely use better quality components.

I appreciate all of your comments on my router-project. It's nice to hear what other people think of my project, and it's also nice to get comments and suggestions on how to improve my design.

[alexis221]

The good thing about bolting is that if you have to move it at some point to lets say to another house you can easly take it apart. I think i'll be in a real pickle if we decide to move, the fram is very heavy and all welded. Thanks. Keep the pictures comming.