2nd Build - Steel Tube, Moving Gantry Style, Mill / Router

[InventIt]

Several years ago I built my first cnc router. It started as a plasma machine and evolved into a plasma/router/light duty mill. It never really was built to mill metals but, milling metals is mostly what I need it to do.

So, I decided it was time to build a new machine. This one will be much heavier then the first one. Hopefully it will mill aluminum and steel without too many problems.

The drive system will be AC servos run through a 1856 Galil card and Mach3. As far as speed goes, the goal is 600+ IPM on rapids.

Pictured is the raw materials for the build. 6x8 tube, 1018cr steel for mounting the linear rails. Also pictured is the gantry partially welded. 6x8" steel tubing, 1/2" thick wall, 70" long. Weighs about 300# with the flat bars welded on. Add the z axis and a spindle and the "mass in motion" will be over 500#!!

Some more specs:
travels: x 59", y 33", z about 15"
3/4" precision acme screw 2 turns per inch direct driven 1:1 by 1100w ac servos
Full flood coolant system
BT30 spindle rated 15000rpm (I know it will be grossly underpowered, but I want to try driving the spindle with a 1kw Automation direct servo through Machs spindle control)

[Jesse B]

Looking forward to see this one come together

[InventIt]

Some pics of the first router I built several years ago.

Build thread here First Build


Gantry style with about 38" x 38" travels and 12" z travel. I should have made the x axis 48"+ so a sheet of material would fit into it. I used THK RSR 15 W rails brand new off ebay. They work very well. However, one problem with the rails on this machine is the y rails are too low and are always covered in swarf. it would have been better to raise them up to the level of the gantry. The other shortcovering of this machine is the spindle. I never had a proper spindle on the machine for metal work. These issues are addressed in the design of the new machine. After I get the new machine up and running I plan to use the rails, motors, leadscrews etc. from the old machine and make a cnc lathe.

[Teyber12]

wow that is a awesome setup with the dual pulleys

[InventIt]

Made a little headway on the mill project this week.

Nearly completed welding the base of the mill together.

The gantry is welded together and on it's way to the machine shop. I'll have them surface the faces where the linear rails will mount.

Pictured is the base (upside down) as I was welding the underside.

[InventIt]

Picture of the gantry sitting on top of the base. So far the machine weights about 1200lbs. Gantry is 8"x6"x1/2" thick wall steel with 1" x 3" flats welded to the face. Base is made of 3/8" plate and 1"x2.5" flat bar.

[amishx64]

That thing is going to move?!?!

Best wishes, I can't wait to see how you are going to build this juggernaut of a machine!

[Jesse B]

Sweet jebus that thing is beefy!

[lcarrudajr]

I like your design. I'm building a big one too.
How about the spindle? any thoughts yet?

[InventIt]

I like your design. I'm building a big one too.
How about the spindle? any thoughts yet?

Thanks, lcarrudajr. i have a rebuilt cartridge style spindle from a kitimara mycenter 0, it's bt30 and rated 15000 rpm. Not sure what motor/drive I'm going to spin it with though.

[InventIt]

I picked up the gantry today from the machine shop. They cut the surfaces for the linear rails and squared up the mounting feet. I dropped off the base and they think it may be done next week

[InventIt]

Here's a better picture. I don't know why the last 2 pics I loaded won't enlarge when I click on them.