Hardware store design CNC router #1

[ger21]

Originally Posted by mikeschn Doesn't the laminate trimmer force you to cut the entire 3/4" thickness at one pass? Can you cut that much plywood or mdf at one pass? Maybe we should look at a pattern bit. Mike...

He said router and flush trimming bit, he just was a little unclear.

A faster, easier way if you have a table saw and drill press:

Use a sliding cutoff sled with a stop to cut all your parts the same length.
Use a fence on the drill press with stops to make the cutouts for the pipes. Use a forstner bit.

[Dom]

For those of you in the UK who want decent quality drawer slides check out www.buller.ltd.uk - speak to Rafael - he's a really nice chap.

Go to Miscellaneous on the left hand side and Runners/Slides - you'll pick up a 500mm length runner for £3.84+vat per pair and up to 700mm for £7.98 a pair and they are pretty reasonable heavy duty bits of kit

[Jimmy Southern]

Gerry,

Thanks for the correction on my post. I was in a bit of a hurry when I typed that.

If you are going to use the flush trim bit idea you will have to remove some of the waste material first and of course rough cut to length & width. But I would use one one master template for all of the pieces for each area to have consistency.
this willgreatly reduce the errors from operator input.

hope this helps
Jimmy Southern

[pminmo]

I'd suggest you make it a rule that you keep the scope as the title "hardware store design". As example it is reasonable to expect you can buy gas pipe or drawer slides, mdf, drawier glides, rollers at a hardware store. I can't say I've seen IGUS or Thompson parts at one.

[ViperTX]

I agree with pminmo.....before we muddy up this site...perhaps we need separate threads...one for "hardware store design", 2nd for "gantry with rails"....you kinda have skill level categories....instead of requires 2hammers...we'll have have a machinist rating like "2 mills" with a 1 being the minimal amount of tools, 2 being need access to a mill, 3 being need access to mill & lathe....

[ger21]

Originally Posted by ViperTX ...we'll have have a machinist rating like "2 mills" with a 1 being the minimal amount of tools, 2 being need access to a mill, 3 being need access to mill & lathe....

Most people will be more likely to have table saws (maybe) and drill presses. Very few will have mills or lathes, imo.

And there are a few different forums set up already. But yes, some ground rules need to be set up quickly.

[mikeschn]

Originally Posted by ViperTX I agree with pminmo.....before we muddy up this site...perhaps we need separate threads...one for "hardware store design", 2nd for "gantry with rails"....you kinda have skill level categories....instead of requires 2hammers...we'll have have a machinist rating like "2 mills" with a 1 being the minimal amount of tools, 2 being need access to a mill, 3 being need access to mill & lathe....

I agree with both of you. The hardware store design is exactly that, with all parts coming out of the hardware store. I went back and re-read the posts, and I can't see where the conversation was diverging, and maybe it didn't. But your point is well taken.

We also have threads for a cheapcnc design and a mid level design. That's where it starts getting less clear. For a mid level machine, do you assume access to a mill and a lathe? I like the mill code you started up there... I would suggest the ratings 0 mills, 1 mill or 2 mills.
0 mills is just basic tools, 1 mill is access to at least 1 mill, and 2 mills is access to a mill and a lathe.

With that in mind, the cheapcnc, the 80/20 and the hardware store designs can all be 0 mill designs. The midrange machine can be a 1 mill design, where a person is using his entry level mill to create the masterpiece he really wanted in the first place!

Mike..

[hllrsr]

Guys,
When you say hardware store supplies, does that mean exactly what it sounds like, or are bearings included? The reason I ask, the local Princess Auto store (think of it as a small town store that caters to farmers) carries almost everything a hardware store does, plus surplus parts and bearings and steel.
Using what they sell, I have built several different machines cheaply, using fairly basic hand tools plus a drill press.
Combine them with Home Depot, or your basic building supplier, and you have everything you need except software and the electronics.

HTH
Iain

[mikeschn]

Exactly... hardware store meaning your local home depot plus your local ace hardware, or equivalent. You gotta make an assumption that stores like these are more or less readily available in all countries, and the parts are reasonable priced, in various countries.

Of course there will be differences, and the builder will have to adapt... but hey, that's what makes building these fun!

Mike...

[mikeschn]

Where's all the CAD users?

Mike...

[SonicBlast]

This is exactly what I am looking for. The machine I would want doesn't need to be super huge, infact 2' by 2' would be the biggest that I would need (and might even be too big). Most of what I would be CNCing would be anything up to 3/8" Balsa for wood and up or 1" in EPP foam. I would be ok even using a dremel as the cutting tool. You guys should setup a limit as well for travel/working/table size?

[hllrsr]

Mike,
Thanks, that clears it up for me then, as the only parts I can't get at Depot, Ace, or TruValue are the bearings. However, I can get the all thread, tubing, or aluminum angle at any of the above, and if you go to the housewares section you can also get those nice white nylon/polymer cutting boards that are great donors for slider pads. Line a piece of alu angle with it and use a piece for the rear and you have a decently simple, ridgid guiding way. Works a treat on the Z axis.
It's low profile too!
Or, using pipe or extruded tubing, and V groove pulleys you can make a decently cheap, simple and accurate moving table for larger size routers.

The possibilities are endless!!!

Iain