Looking for people wanting to develop new plans for a cheap cnc

[owhite]

my thoughts are not to worry about costs until we actually produce something. just in the interest of minimizing disucussion about policy and focusing on getting started.

[Zagroseckt]

Now this looks interesting

I'm gona keep my eye on yall but why not just make the plans open sorce...

[owhite]

I'd vote to license it under open source too. Anyone know of a good license that applies to plans or hardware designs?

[bean7795]

Ilike the idea of helping your fellow hobbiest out i would gladly pay a nominal fee for useful information and ideas

[High Seas]

My 2 cents
First I Really Really Really like the cnc zone plans set idea a LOT. A WHOLE LOT. Just what newbies are looking for - something thats had lots of scrutinity, thought, and review - not just a "get rich quick" scheme. Something with real value for the money that they spend.

So - how about we ask CNCAdmin - Paul if he could link it to a donation scheme to support the site? Access to the download of the plans could be tied to an email address, password, whatever makes most sense. I think we could rely on most members not "sharing" the plans - as they support the site.

My thinking here - the users of the 'zone provide the input (plans details development etc - most likely offline, contacts and virtual organization made here). But rather than just give the plans away the site funding is then "bootstrapped" as each new donation - gets a "free set of plans" with a contribution of say $5.00 or more.

Seems like everyone wins.
Cheers - Jim

[chuckknigh]

Considering that so many people have such varyied requirements for a router platform, and that I see people asking questions about routers with capacities ranging from a few inches square to 49x97" and larger, I think any single planset would represent a compromise to a good number of the recipients.

Consequently, rather than creating a planset that is a compromise for so many, why not take a completely different path? An "Inroduction to CNC" first project, that can be used to build whatever router they decide to make?



A 2D X-Y table, with a Z axis option, as a "CNC-101" type of conversion, might get more people into the hobby.

This Cummins cross slide vise (almost identical, save for the level of finish, to the offerings from Harbor Freight, Grizzly, Enco, and others), while small, is superbly built for the price, and provides a very good 2 axis base. Its travel is essentially 4x6 inches, and it is extremely stiff and usable even for metal milling.

Since it sells for $20US, and similar units are commonly available worldwide for similarly low prices, it seems like a reasonable and cheap platform from which to work.

If simply clamped to a drill press/mill, it would produce a very workable 2 axis machine. By implementing a simple 3rd axis, you get a fully functional, but admittedly small router table. Attaching it to a wood lathe would give the necessary 2 axes for a CNC lathe.

A perfect "starter machine?"

It would also serve as a good and stiff platform with which to build parts, mounts, etc for a much larger and more ambitious router... It also eliminates the need for bearings, linear ways, etc...it is all there, and would prove to be a fairly simple conversion.

And, isn't that what we're aiming for? A good "starter" planset that would encourage people to finish the project with relative ease?

Though I've not done this yet, I'm thinking of upgrading the rather pathetic included leadscrews with hardware store allthread. Yes, I said upgrading...it's that bad. By threading in some nylon "spacers" and then threading the nylon, it could be done without significant modification to the original castings...and nylon nuts have extremely low backlash.

-- Chuck Knight

[teilhardo]

I vote for plans for a small and cheap router that are available free to download. Although I agree with high seas that it is a good idea to have a good way to keep the forum afloat, I think that by allowing anyone to freely dowload the plans from an "organization" that is not making any profit on it will make the downloading party(s) wish to contribute, without having to pay for a product

To chuckknight, I think that that is a good tool, but don't you think that a lot of people would feel like they could go down to their "neighborhoood" home depot and get the parts. They would learn what a leadscrew is, what a delrin nut is (I am still trying to figure this one out) and the basic mechanics to making an automated machine set-up.

I agree with owhite and think that we all need to come up with a certain type of router thats easiest to build, and then agree on very common materials that ALL neighborhood hardware stores have. I think that we need to have a poll where all of the diy router builders vote on how much time they put into their router and what design it was. That way we can find out what design to promote. Now, we need to work out the details of the poll and who to ask...
We're onto something here guys
-Tei

[Ferenczyg]

Um.. and please do not forget all of those who are not in the USA and have no access to your resources. At some places there is no harbor freight, grizzly, enco, and similars. Even ebay is not a solution when the delivery expenses are over the price of the item.

Using worlwide, non propietary standards will be useful too.

I think a good idea is 'if you can buy it do not build it, but if you cannot buy it, build it this way'. At least time is something we have, but money.. not so sure.

Fer

[ServoGuy]

For what it's worth, the obvious…

I would suggest a design that is as crude as possible; that could be built only with hand tools. Then using provided g-code files, so the builder can start making enhanced/nicer parts for machine, fixtures, etc. That way, starting with a minimalist machine design, someone could use it build up to as nice of a CNC machine as desired. Also, under Open Source, people could contribute g-code for a variety of add-on’s and larger machines that could built using the original ugly duckling design.

Jay

[vacpress]

servoguy- that is a good idea - i have thought about making a set of plans that are based around a cd-rom with .dxfs, gcode, and hpgl files of the parts, so people with ANY mill could make it - as its a small robot arm made from 1/8" lexan and 6 "RC hobby servos".

i think that sounds fun - like a model kit, for cheap or free...

[teilhardo]

I think thats a great idea too. However, lets not forget that every machine you make costs $$. Sure you can get it as junk but that is all time consuming. You can build a cheap machine, then make nicer parts for a bigger machine, but you'll then have to buy bigger motors, probably instead of using roller blade bearings get encouraged by your success and opt for more expensive linear bearings, and pretty soon you're up to your eyeballs in credit card debt
Vac has the right idea about the dxf's and g codes. We need to have 3 machines on a cd of downoadable on pdf.
$-(made out of mdf, roller bearings, hardwood, readily available leadscrews, delrin nuts, unipolar controller, small steppers)
$$- (hybrid mdf and aluminum, linear bearings, igus slides, larger steppers, bipolar driver, acme leadscrews)
$$$- (aluminum, linear bearings, thk rails, ballscrews, servo motors, servo controllers, etc...)

Ferenczyg, sorry, I was a little bit to naive as to where to get the supplies, didn't quite think globally


-Tei

[Ferenczyg]

Originally posted by teilhardo Ferenczyg, sorry, I was a little bit to naive as to where to get the supplies, didn't quite think globally -Tei

Nah, no problem at all, my comment was more in the direction of 'non specific' items. Do not forget that here in Europe we are really envious sometimes about your resources