Rockcliff Router Build

[lgroulx200]

Hi,

The machine is all together. The slides work well, BUT!

I am using 5/16 treaded rod for leadscrews, rubber tubing for couplers and rod couplers for leadnuts. The leadnuts are epoxed between wood clamps.

I needed one new leadscrew so I cut it from a new piece of rod. I didn't clean the treads with a die. I spun the leadscrew on with my 3/8 drill - and managed to strip the leadscrew 1/2 down and break the wood clamp.

I had to epoxy a new leadnut next to where the old one was.

The new leadscrew will have the treads cleaned with a die.

Larry

[lgroulx200]

Hi,

It is almost done. Tomorrow I will mount the last leadscrew and the steppers. I will get two of the axis working until I change the blown chip.

I will not paint this table so I am not concerned with cleaning the excess glue or sanding. My first table took me about 15 hours of sanding, filling, priming and painting.

Larry

[lgroulx200]

Hi,

My machine is finished. My board is toast so I have ordered a new HCNCPRO board from HobbyCNC.

Overall the machine went together very quickly and was built for less then $100.00 CDN. The bushings and drill rod slide very smoothly until I hit the spot where some qlue fell on a rod. Working on cleaning that up.

If you follow the plans, you will not have to set the machine up. On my first machine, the fun started when I was adjusting my rails, bearings etc. I found that part to be a pain.

If someone is considering this machine, be aware that you will only be able to use a small spindle. If I grab the Z axis, I can wiggle it a little forward and back although it will not move when trying to rock it side to side.

With this in mind and keeping the feed rate down, it will more then serve its purpose.

I will update when I have the new board.

[macgemby]

I also built the Rockcliff Router , my machine was really easy to build too, the slides really glide nice with the bushings, I was also amazed how nice the table slides and it cuts great, for what I use it for (RC Plane stuff , 3d canopys, cowls, wing spars made from wood) I noticed you used 1/2" shafts, the plans I used called for 5/8" diameter shafts, they must have updated the drawings to make the machine stronger, I purchased their plans about a month ago, but downloaded an updated copy of the plans just before I was ready to build, you should download the latest version from http://www.stonehook.net/cnchome.htm I have almost finished building a second machine for a friend , it was so fast and easy to build I really don'nt mind.

[lgroulx200]

Hi,

I downloaded the new drawings. The new set do say 5/8 shaft.

Where did you purchase your shafts and bushings? What did it cost you?

I'm hoping to recieve my new driver board this week.

Larry

[macgemby]

I got the ground shafting at a local metal distributor in mississauga ontario called access metal it was $56 for half a length (12 feet) they actually cut all the sizes for me, they have lenghts up to 24 feet also there is another local metal supplier here called metal supermarkets they have it too but it was a bit higher in price. I bought the bushings from motion industries as in the plan they are local for me too, they only had 10 in stock but the rest were ready for pickup the next day and the cost was around $1.20 ea. the parts were very close in price to mcmaster carr but without the shipping cost, I am one of those shoppers that like to touch everything and open packages before I buy it

[lgroulx200]

Hi macgemby,

What steppers and router are you using with your machine? How fast does your machine cut and jog?

I have not bought my router yet for this machine. My 2 other routers are too big for this machine.

If you can, post a picture.

Larry

[macgemby]

Hi
I have an old maxnc controller and motors I bought about 5 years ago it sat on a shelf for a very long time, it's a wave type controller the maxnc software I got with it was not very good, I am using mach3 now, it is very slow but reliable, I will replace it one day, I use a standard dremel tool on the router mainly 1/8" bits

[biotech1]

DO you think it can handle a rotozip id did some mods by making it bigger 24x24x10

[lgroulx200]

Hi,

Yippee! It is 9:00 PM here and Canada Post just delivered my new Pro driver board from HobbyCNC. I was surprised to see a Canadian postal employee delivering this late on Friday night. I paid to have the board express delivered and figured it was going to be UPS or something.

My wife will solder the board tomorrow for me - she use to repair boards at Northern Telecom.

My machine will be finished this weekend.


Larry

[Coolcuttings]

Hi all,

I am almost finished making my Rockcliff machine. It has cost me a little more than $1500 Australian. The rods here cost a fortune as they are imported, 3 feet cost $65 australian. I ended up going with the board and drivers as recomended on his site. I am cutting the y and z again as we use the metric system and 5/8 round router bits are hard to find. Ended up ordering 1 in from the US.
I post the finished machine photo.

[lgroulx200]

Hi,

I am finished my machine. I would recommend it to anyone. It went together very easy and was not hard to setup. With my new CNChobby Pro board and 200 oz steppers, it will jog 60 inches per minute without stalling.

If I were to build it again, I would shorten the Z travel. The Z axis tool plate can come down on the X table and still have plenty of travel.

Thanks

Larry