Home shop machinist makes first all A/L cnc router

[rodjava]

Greeting everybody,
I’m Rod from San Francisco.
After reading thousands of post and many build logs, I decided to post my own cnc router build. It’s a modified version of the Data Cut machine. 90% all Aluminum.

I'm only a self taught home shop machinist so a lot of what I do is hit and miss. I can read most blueprints and plans and only have a general knowledge of cnc. Let’s just say, I know enough to be dangerous. I already had one visit to the ER.

In the past year when I started this project, I read 1,000 of post and many build logs which were very helpful. If I could not find the answer to my questions, I would try to figure them out myself. Now my build has got to a point where I desperately need some help.

I was hoping that this fine group would guide me along the final steps of this build and answer some basic as well as technical questions that I have.

This first post is to introduce myself as well as to get a feel of the dynamics of the membership.

This first picture show you what I am capable of, given time as well as money. Hopefully it will show that I am serious about this project.

Thank you all in advance,
Rod
San Francisco


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[Zygoat]

looks pretty nice to me.

[CarveOne]

There's a lot of the home shop machinist types hanging around here, and that includes me. Looks good so far. What are you wanting to make with it? Anything in particular?

This place has a lot of helpful, knowledgeable folks. I put them to the test in my own build log recently and we're all completely stumped so far.

CarveOne

[metalworkz]

Hello Rod,
Your build looks to be very sturdy thus far. It looks as if the gantry will possibly pivot due to the radiused uprights? Are the gantry slide rails mounted to the under-side of the thick aluminum table? A nice and beefy build which should make some decent cut depths. I will be watching to see more pictures and perhaps see more of your build questions or ideas. Thanks for posting the build!
Regards,

[rodjava]

It's great to read everybody's encouragement. So I will continue posting!
After looking at many different plans, I choose the Data Cut design. I had thoughts of milling Aluminum and a little bit of steel and needed a robust design. I also wanted a workable area of at least 24x36.

After purchasing the plans from http://data-cut.com/ , I immediately knew that I would have to abandon the idea of following these plans to the letter. Unless you use the exact components, the plans can only be used as a general reference tool.

After carefully studying the plans for weeks, I told myself “Hey I can do this!”

Ok, let’s get started.

On craigslist, I found the perfect platform for the router table. It’s a 32x60” commercial rolling table used in department stores to display products. The frame is made from stainless steel tube stock and had 4, 2” thick shelves made from laminated particle board. I only used 2 of the 4 shelves. One for the bed and one for the bottom shelf.

I then bought some 2” aluminum channel stock , mitered the corners and edged all 4 sides. This created a very strong and stable top and great place to attach the THK HSR35 rails.

Here are some pictures of the table turned upside down with the A/L channel stock installed on all edges

[rodjava]

I bought one 100" long THK HSR35 rail and 4 matching bearing blocks from Ebay. I was thinking that this was overkill, but what the heck. The bigger the better, right?

I had to cut the 100" long harden steel rail in half with a grinding wheel.

These beefy rails were mounted to the underside of the table right on the A/L channel stock. I kinda thought that the gantry would end up pretty darn heavy, so I drilled straight through the table so the bolts and nuts attaching the rails are exposed on the top.

But first I had to turn the heads of the bolts that attach the rails. Standard hex head bolts did not fit and it would have been crazy to drill out all the holes in the rails because it made from some type of harden steel.

[Med-Pac]

Nice build Rod,

What kind of spoilboard set-up are you thinking of using? Might have an issue with them bolts stickin up. What kind of router are you going to use, or maybe a spindle?

Keep up the good work, and we need more pics

Mike

[rodjava]

Hi Mike,
Luckily, the uprooted bolts and nuts are not within cutting path. I have about 8 inches of Z clearance, so I plan to conjure up some type of spoil board. to place on top of the table.

I haven't decided on the router or spindle. I definitely want to machine A/L and some steel. Maybe some type of R8 spindle that I can easily replace with a router. I'm not trying to do everything that my BP mill can do. But I want to push the limits.

As far as the router, I want something that I can run all day without disturbing the neighbors. If anybody have some suggestions, that would be great. I would have to rule out the $1000 commercial models.

Rod

[brihoo2k]

Looks like a very nice design great job. Forgive me for asking this but why wouldn't you use socket head Allen bolts for the thk rail? Also wouldn't the thk rail benefit more from being mounted on the top side?

[rodjava]

Here is a little about my design.

Knowing that I wanted to mill A/L and some steel, I wanted to build the gantry as beefy as possible. The Data Cut plans called for .750 Mic 6 tool plate A/L. I took it to a extreme and designed mine with 1.00 thick Mic 6 A/L.

I found this place in California that sells 1.00x18.500 round tool plate A/L. I end up buying various thickness and diameters.

Ok, all my stock is now ROUND! I guess that I can cut out usable square and rectangle pieces from this round material, but this would create a lot of waste of material and money.

Instead, I designed my gantry based on the materials I had. I though it would be a very unique, one of a kind design.It took a little bit of planning and creativity on my part cutting out all the parts on my metal cutting band saw.

Everything is bolted together using 3/8" socket bolts. All parts of the gantry except the rear Y plate are made from 1.00 thick Mic 6. This is one heavy duty and bomb proof gantry!

The gantry is held in place with 2 THK HSR35 bearings on each side.

[DIYaholic]

rodjava,
Do you plan on keeping the wheels on the cart? The machine will buck like a bronco if so. You will want/need to anchor the cart to the floor some how to prevent that from happening.
BTW: Nice lob so far. Keep the pic's coming!

Randy,

[rodjava]

Hi Brihoo2k,
Thank you for your questions. By all means keep them coming.

The Data Cut design has the rails and the bearing mounted under the table. It's a good design to prevent any debris from clogging up the rails and bearings.

I had to insert the bolts from the bottom, going up so the heads would not interfere with the bearings.

For some reason the head of the hex head bolts I wanted to use were too large for the pre-drilled holes in the rails. Maybe the THK has holes drilled millimeters.

BTW, thanks for the compliments.

Rod

I hope this

[rodjava]

Hi Randy,
Thanks for the compliments.

I definitely will remove the wheels at some point. It's great having them on while I work on the machine. I don't have a lot of space in my home shop to work completely around the table, so I am constantly moving it in and out from the wall.

Good point about the buckin bronco. I didn't think of that. Thanks
Rod

[DIYaholic]

rodjava,
You don't neccessarily need to remove the wheels. Attach some sort of leg that lowers/retracts. You can then keep the machine "in the corner", move it out, lower the legs, machine your parts. When done machining, raise the legs and store the machine. You end up with the best of both worlds. Just a thought.

Randy,

[rodjava]

Randy,
Thanks for the suggestions.
Rod

[rodjava]

Here are a few more pictures of how I milled the 1.00 thick Mic 6 A/L rounds for the gantry.

[rodjava]

Next goes the Y back plate made from .500 tool plate A/L. Also the THK HSR25 rails. I choose a single bearing on top and 2 for the bottom. These THK HSR25 bearing were just the right size for this beefy Y axis.

[rodjava]

This is the lower gantry stretcher plate.

[DIYaholic]

rodjava,
We love pictures!
It would help if you could post thumbnail links (makes it easier to read the post & view details better). I believe you can load the pictures into the "gallery" and link to them in the post. I have never posted pictures, so I'm not positive if that is the proper procedure or not.
Perhaps someone else can chime in with the correct instructions.
BTW: Nice progress! Either way, keep the pictures coming.

Randy,

[jalessi]

Rodjava,

I like the cart, where did you purchase it from?

Awesome idea, very unique.

Jeff...