Anyone bitten by the cnc bug in Ohio? Local chapter starting!

[ChucksTrucks]

Hey Fellas I'm very interested in helping Everyone to grow in CNC, especially me! I'm a great fabricator and technician with Navy aviation, automotive, woodworking and manufacturing experience. It's time to start working smarter!

I intend to build a 22 feet long dual gantry using servos, homemade Everman style belt/rack and skate bearings for both plasma and routing. My goal is the ability to process 5 by 10 sheet goods and 20 foot sticks of tube on a rotary axis, ideally within a couple thousandths. That's not asking too much is it?

I'd love to help anyone, especially guys who are more electronics smart and software savvy that could use some help with tools and fabricating the hardware end of things. Thanks!

[klick0]

Wow, so ~6 by 22 feet? double gantry, that's quite a router build. If you want advice you should probably start a build thread, I don't even know what equipment you would need to work on things of that size, it depends on your base material choices i guess. Personally i love aluminum extrusions, but at that length, i dunno.

Henry: Did you ever get your Joe's CNC 2006 assembled?

[ChucksTrucks]

[QUOTE=klick0;866871]Wow, so ~6 by 22 feet? double gantry, that's quite a router build. If you want advice you should probably start a build thread, I don't even know what equipment you would need to work on things of that size, it depends on your base material choices i guess. Personally i love aluminum extrusions, but at that length, i dunno.

I have a tall stack of 2x3 rectangular aluminum tube, about a hundred weed eater crank bearings, plus the router and a plasma cutter that will go in the project. I've found the best way to cleanly rip and crosscut aluminum is just like wood, on the table saw and miter saw. I use old wood blades, the finer the better, or non ferus blade. nice polished cuts but the sound is horrible though, wear hearing protection!

My big challenge is picking out motors, drivers and software. For plasma 250 oz.in. steppers driver combo and 100-200 inches per minute will likely make me happy for 300 bucks. I dont know how many pounds of feed I need to push a router around though or how to calculate. As for software I'm dumber than a box of rocks! BobCad sure is a catchy name. I figure I'll start off with the free stuff!

I'm just learning about forums too, I can hardly wait to have my own thread!

[kprice1658]

Originally Posted by ChucksTrucks My big challenge is picking out motors, drivers and software. For plasma 250 oz.in. steppers driver combo and 100-200 inches per minute will likely make me happy for 300 bucks. I dont know how many pounds of feed I need to push a router around though or how to calculate. As for software I'm dumber than a box of rocks! BobCad sure is a catchy name. I figure I'll start off with the free stuff! I'm just learning about forums too, I can hardly wait to have my own thread!

If you're talking about machine control software, might take a look a Mach3.
ArtSoft USA - Home of Mach3 and LazyCam

It says it supports routers. I use it for my cnc machine and it works well.

[henrydavis]

Originally Posted by klick0 Henry: Did you ever get your Joe's CNC 2006 assembled?

Unfortunately, no. It was on a short list of things to get done this summer/fall but I fell short with other projects. I'm currently replacing all the windows in my house plus doing new sills and trim, all new solid core doors and all new trim in the house. Yes, I'm busy, but I have to keep the misses happy! If that CNC isn't done by April or May I'm going to go talk to a professional about my problems!

[c--line]

Hi Aaron, I'm still alive, just so busy with family activities(Scouts, soccer,etc.) that I haven't even had time to log on here to see what's going on. I'm in northeast Adams Co., name's Gary. Sounds great and would help maintain interest in the hobby locally. I would love to see the process, starting from scratch drawing the project plans, thru the g-code generation and final machining.
Thanks,
c--line

[Spinnetti]

I'm down by Cinci, but maybe too far from you all... I did my own cnc/ballscrew conversion on a G1006 Grizzly mill/drill, and am now doing the same on my Griz 12x37 lathe.. I make race car,airplane,R/C airplane/tank stuff