DIY - Build CNC for the first time

[XenC]

Dear Members (Guests),

I have an interest in building a CNC (Desktop) machine and would like to know what would be the best way to start. I have seen numerous designs on this site and admire the outcome of the machines built.

My experience is mostly in programming commercial software. Therefore my mechanical knowledge is basically zero. My electronics is still at an amateur level as well.

If possible can anyone guide me in starting to build a simple CNC drilling machine and then move on from there to a more advanced CNC milling machine. Any literature is also welcome and obviously software that is low cost to use with the CNC machine.

I would like to have a go at writing the software but i would rather leave that for a later date. At the moment one thing at a time.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Xen
South Africa.

[epineh]

If you can build a CNC drilling machine, I'm assuming you mean an X and Y axis and Z for the drilling, you have a standard type of CNC router already, swap the drill for a router and your away!!!

As for software, TurboCNC is free, and works well on older DOS based machines, its a little slow if you are cutting a lot of circles/arcs but it works fine, I've heard a lot of comments that it won't do circles very well, but the parts I am cutting at the moment have lots of circles and are turning out perfect.

Best advice I can give is to read the DIY threads, see what people are doing and adopt methods to suit your needs. It is handy to plan in advance what you want to cut with the finished machine, so you can build to suit.

One warning though, once you start building these things, you may not be able to stop, it gets in your blood.

Have fun and welcome.

Russell.

[XenC]

>If you can build a CNC drilling machine, I'm assuming you mean an X and >Y axis and Z for the drilling, you have a standard type of CNC router >already, swap the drill for a router and your away!!!

This would be my first attempt at building this machine. So, i will have to plan as much as possible before i start. Yes, X and Y Axis and Z for Drilling. The reason why i want to do drilling is mainly for my Printed Circuit Boards and later i want to do Face plates for my completed Audio Power Amps and Micro-controllers projects. It seems the fever is setting in on the making of these machines of which i am finding very interesting and also what these machines are capable of doing.


>As for software, TurboCNC is free, and works well on older DOS based >machines, its a little slow if you are cutting a lot of circles/arcs but it >works fine, I've heard a lot of comments that it won't do circles very >well, but the parts I am cutting at the moment have lots of circles and >are turning out perfect.

I do have an old machine with Win95 on, i hope this would work though. Preferably i would like to obtain a Windows version of the software. Thanks anyway.

>Best advice I can give is to read the DIY threads, see what people are >doing and adopt methods to suit your needs. It is handy to plan in >advance what you want to cut with the finished machine, so you can >build to suit.

Thanks i will certainly do that. I have seen some clever designs

>One warning though, once you start building these things, you may not >be able to stop, it gets in your blood.

What can i say, fever is already here.

Thanks

[bill south]

Hey Xen;
The best question to ask yourself is what is the machine going to be used for? If you want to do simple routing jobs, build one of the routers which have free plans on this site and use readily available materials. It's a great start into the "art" of cnc. If you want to cut metals, then a mill/drill conversion would be your best start. However, with the mill/drill, the question then becomes, what type of metal and how big are my materials going to be and build/design accordingly.
If you have been lurking on the site for awhile, you can see all the different configurations we are building and even the modifications to the modifications made initially. And help is always available. It's kinda fun to watch someone getting started and all the help and comments one gets from his post. It's almost like a group thing when a build starts. Great!!!!
Really, the sky is the limit when building an automatic cnc machine. A great experience but it's very habit forming. I stated with a simple conversion of a benchtop mill, and now starting my 3rd machine - a converted bridgeport. Can't stop. I guess my thrill is building the machine itself!!!!
Hope this helps and more important, have fun.
Bill

[XenC]

Hi Bill,

Thanks. I want to use the mill/drill for the PCB boards and later would like to do face place for electronic equipment that i am building such as audio power amps and smaller projects.

Unfortunately to purchase from South Africa it is very expensive. We pay 7 rands to a dollar if we have to purchase kits from USA. Although i will grin and bear/bare the costs because the USA and others are on the ball when it comes to DIY stuff.

Thanks i will certainly keep your advice in mind

Regards

Xen