Moving up from a small CNC?

[Garage Elf]

After a bit of research I decided on building the Solsylva 13x13 fixed gantry CNC. The project is moving along well enough and I am definitely learning a lot.

I chose a small machine as a starter for a few reasons - including not wanting to inest half of my garage in a project that might not get completed. Now that I'm becoming confident that this thing will actually work, I'm already thinking about my next build!

Of course, I'd like to use my small CNC to build the big CNC.

Most of the larger DIY CNC's seem to be cut from 1 or 2 sheets, which won't fit in my 13x13.

My question - does anyone here have experience to share with building a larger CNC from a smaller CNC?

[flojor10]

I've made a 15x15 cnc similar to the microcarve by using a smaller cnc, this might not help though because a microcarve is still pretty small.

I started by making the side panels, I routed it in 2 parts with a dovetail where they meet, then I glued them together. With my router table I used that as a template that I screwd onto another price of mdf then used that to make two side panels. Where the screws were, I drilled the holes for the threaded rods. Then to hold the cross supports I made braces like a c that I glued onto the side profiles. The rest I made with my DIY router table.

-George

[harryn]

Some of this depends on what your goals are. If you just want to make a few occassional cuts, then you can stay with similar concepts of what you are doing.

If you think you might want to do projects like a 3 - 5 hour cutting mayan calendar, then I suggest using real rails, at least V carve level rails or better. Skip the wood, and move on to Al or steel. The nice thing about Al, is that it really isn't all that much harder than a really solid piece of wood, so it can viably be cut and drilled using the same techniques you would use are very hard maple or oak. I will admit that steel is outside of my normal comfort zone and tooling.

It is worth spending some time cutting on your existing router to see what is holding up, and what is requiring more maintenance than you like. If it is showing signicant wear points or coming loose after 50 hours of use, then you can incorporate this into your next build.

[OCNC]

After a bit of research I decided on building the Solsylva 13x13 fixed gantry CNC. The project is moving along well enough and I am definitely learning a lot.

I chose a small machine as a starter for a few reasons - including not wanting to inest half of my garage in a project that might not get completed. Now that I'm becoming confident that this thing will actually work, I'm already thinking about my next build!

Of course, I'd like to use my small CNC to build the big CNC.

Most of the larger DIY CNC's seem to be cut from 1 or 2 sheets, which won't fit in my 13x13.

My question - does anyone here have experience to share with building a larger CNC from a smaller CNC?

I wouldn't obsess about using that small a cnc to build anything larger. You may be able to make some parts with it but in my opinion all you really need to build any size DIY CNC wood router is a small drill press, a wood cutting saw and a metal cutting saw. The saws can be hand or power in both categories and this only effects the speed and ease with which you can accomplish the result.

[ger21]

............... but in my opinion all you really need to build any size DIY CNC wood router is a small drill press, a wood cutting saw and a metal cutting saw.

Add a router with a flush cutting bearing guided bit, and a straightedge, and you can make just about anything, including templates to make multiple identical parts.

[louieatienza]

After a bit of research I decided on building the Solsylva 13x13 fixed gantry CNC. The project is moving along well enough and I am definitely learning a lot.

I chose a small machine as a starter for a few reasons - including not wanting to inest half of my garage in a project that might not get completed. Now that I'm becoming confident that this thing will actually work, I'm already thinking about my next build!

Of course, I'd like to use my small CNC to build the big CNC.

Most of the larger DIY CNC's seem to be cut from 1 or 2 sheets, which won't fit in my 13x13.

My question - does anyone here have experience to share with building a larger CNC from a smaller CNC?

You can definitely cut some parts with your smaller CNC. Gantry sides, bearing blocks, router mounts, carraige assemblies, can all be cut within your work envelope. You don't have to use just extrusion, or just MDF, or just aluminum. Crane550 made a router frame using extrusion and phenolic coated baltic birch. You may not get an entire frame end on your machine for example, but you could definitely do work to the ends once the part is cut. Like Gerry said, a flush trim bit or pattern bit on a router and a straightedge can go a long way.