Hi all, first post
Based in the suburb of Preston in Victoria, don't really know much about cnc, came across this website via another forum and a post by another Aussie member crocky. I have spent the last 3 days reading everything I can find on the forum, and I am really blown away and what people are doing.
Still trying to get my head around how everything comes together. But I am already starting to formulate a plan on building my own cnc router.
I have fully equipped woodworking workshop and a small metal lathe so I should be well equipped to tackle a project like this.
I have never even seen a cnc router in the flesh, so if there is anyone else in my area I'd love to check one out.
PS I apologize in advance for any newbie dumb questions I ask, lol.
thanks
joez71
Howdy to all, Based in mentone, melbourne with a kasuga machining centre, heidenhain control, First time I have used cnc and I love it, more fun than the 50 yr old mill I was on. Big learning curve though, I am the only one at the place that can use the machine at the moment, but its fun. except when I crash,
regards, Kevin
What a good idea
G'day there mate,
I'm not alone!Good to see some Aussies and Kiwis here.
I'm new to CNC,I'm going to build a CNC router to help with my hobby,building and flying R/C model aircraft.
I will be grateful for any help and info you blokes can offer.
I hope we can get to have a jaw wag sometime soon.
Thanks for listening.
Seeya,
balsadust_au....(aka Larry)
Hi all!
Nice to be reassured that there are 10 types of people in the world!
Those who understand binary and those who don't!
Cheers
Murray
Frankston, Vic.
Hi, okkers and all!. i'm from land of the long white cloud (not shroud or clod!) and watching all with interest. I guess the key thing mentioned that is of interest to me is source of components. I was quoted some 16 mm ballscrews from Melbourne through an NZ company for about $270 nz delivered per metre and that seems pretty expensive (THK I think) nuts at $260 each ouch.
Steppers and servos also though available here most vendors are supplying to companies who use large expensive items. I have luckily linked up with a party here in Hamilton who manufactures large "nested" style routers for the furniture and related industries (Icam) pretty impressive stuff. He has offered to help me make best choices so that will help. In Adelaide for a couple of weeks late Sept.
chow
Raynor J
Hamilton NZ
Hi Raynor,Originally Posted by raynorj
The pricing is why so many of us here use acme thread or other cheaper alternatives. The ball screws are beyond the price of a hobby. A lot of the Australians on the forum have used belts. I have imported all my steppers, it worked out cheaper than sourcing locally. We just don't see the second hand stuff the goes on ebay in the States around here. There is a guy in Palmerston North who sells some stuff. He is on cnczone somewhere.
Paul
Hi Paul, Interesting answer on the use of belts. i am finding the forums a bit of mission to navigate and pick up everything of interest. can you point me somewhere for more info on the belt option. I am only realising that it seems viable from some of the web feedback, but what about accuracy repeatability/ any facts on that. the table footprint I am favouring at the moment would be around 1000 x 700 with maybe 150 "Z".
Raynor J
Belts can be accurate to a few thou.
What will the machine be used for?
Look for threads started by YNNEB and I think EPINEH.
Benny (YNNEB) knows a lot of the Australians that have built belt machines that were inspired by his machine. You could PM him asking for links or names.
Paul
Hiya Guy's,
Well this is my first post so I might aswell introduce myself, I live up in the Adelaide hills on a 85 acre farm totally off the grid and i'm a fitter/machinist/welder by trade. I've been into programming pic's for a few years now and I've decided to make my own cnc from scratch.
I guess I'm like many new comers here navigating this huge forum is a bit of a daunting task but slowly I'm getting there.
Anyway the cnc I'm planning on making will be around a 1200x2400 wood router primariliarly for making wind turbine blades. I've gotten onto a cheap sorce of acme thread and the company I work for also sells timing belts and pulley's etc. I have my own machineshop here with 2 lathes, 2 mills a surface grinder and a full shop of tooling (well allup I have over 20 ton of gear), I recently converted my bridgeport to VFD drive and it runs perfectly off my 3Kw sine wave inverter so I guess I'm one of the few green machineshops in Oz. With the acme thread I'm on thinking I could design and make a ball screw type nut and thus eliminate any backlash (very early in the thinking stages though).
Anyway enough ranting for now
Cheers Bryan
Nup, not me, Benny (or YNNEB) is the belt man, he has several black belts...lol.
There are also some quite capable rack and pinion machines around as well, Greolt just finished a very nice one, link :
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28979
I think the belt option will give you quite enough accuracy for a hobby router style machine, I have even seen a chain based router around here somewhere, I cannot remember many details but it looked pretty sweet.
Stick with the forums Raynor, it is very overwhelming at first but it does get easier and everything is laid out quite well.
Good Luck !
Russell.
The Belt drive OPTION
Thanks for the tips. I trawled the pages a bit and it would seem without talking with yenneb direct that the belt drives can work but ok only on larger wood routing duties.
I am primarily wanting to route/cut out 2 thru 4 mm thick plastic, acrylics and styrenes, plywoods and maybe 0.7 mm or therabouts brass aluminium. I am not worried about speed but need accuracy for model making. At the moment as of now I am considering ballscrews and drives from the "Homeshopcnc" web page. Items that look reasonable for a first machine which is going to use second hand THK34 as a single main rail and SMC MY1C25G-450L (pneumatic) motion unit with the piston removed for the y axis. Looking at table 65mm thick mdf around 1000 x 400.
The z axis again from SMC pneunatics actuator MGPM25-100 again with piston rod and piston removed to be replaced with ball screw.
What say you observers to that arrangement
rgds
Raynor J
Smaller should be easier.
You could proberbly recycle most of the belt system from a large printer or photocopier if the loads are light. I'm not trying to put you off ball screws, just let you know the other options.
Paul
Thanks Paul. How do you quantify "light loads" I expect my cutting of acrylic sheet etc in the 2-3 mm thick range would probably come into the category of light (using multicuts) but as soon as I want to venture into any metals i might be stymied.
thanks Raynor j
G'day,
I am in Perth and am looking for someone who can cut 50 or so identical 200mm x 200mm shapes from a sheet of mdf. Please email me at harrproa@gmail.com if you are interested.
regards,
Rob Denney
Hi guys I have been watching several builds of CNC Routers I am keen to try hand, but finances are already stretched so time will tell I live in Auckland NZ ex pom from way back Toolmaker by trade now retired, hobby is slumping and fuzing glass sell a lot at craftfairs thinking I could make mold patterns on cnc router I realise not the cheapest way of doing things but would keep the grey cells bouncing around my shiney skull I have lots of skills engineering wise willing to help anyone with info or ideas.regards shiney66
hi shiney 66, good to catch up with other kiwis having a go at this technology.
I'm in Hamilton and would like to hear from other kiwis trying things out. My potentil machine is very much on paper only at this point. I am watching a friend of mine put an all metal unit together, and will see how that goes before i commit. There was another kiwi who signed off as (something like!) "an old fart from central north Island" but I could not find his message and an answer i sent just disappeared. So maybe he will see this and answer again. It would be great to be able to make contact with all the local people.
cheers
RJ Hamilton
Hi guys. There are quite a few Kiwis here but spread around a bit. Noticed one lives in Spain. I'm in Upper Hutt. The biggest problem here is finding cheap supplies. Let us know your plans and we may be able to help with ideas etc.
Paul
Im in south oz too, Adelaide, bought an old defunct cardboard carton cutting creasing machine Lazerkomb German built with 1745x & 1610y travels & not much z space(yet). It had a few spindles originally, which could be bought down by air cylinders to mill or knife cut or crease the cardboard. Spindles are all missing but has round, supported all along linear balls rails &2 pinions on common axle engaged into 2sides racks to keep the gantry squre. Porous mdf base table with suction pump under, with half of table area able to lowered somehow to get ~150mm more height under the Y-gantry. It has 2 servos & 2Heidenhain Scales for feedback, but all the control electrics really old &nbg. I would love to make it all go again "someday". & use it to drill csk holes in aluminium parts we make. Have cnc now but these parts may get much bigger and the wont fit on 700X & 420Y of the mill we now use.
Ozzie & NZ forum sounds a good idea. I am OK on the mechanical stuff & CNC mill programming but very limited on the cnc electronic side... thought this could be a godd "retirement hobby".
Hi Paul,
I am also from Upper Hutt... LOL
And you are right. Finding parts is a major show stopper here!!!
Anyone know of a place in NZ or Australia that sells Acme screws at an affordable price. (I am not going to pay NZ$100/Meter for a thing you can get in the US for US$5/Meter)
Cheers.
Bert.
I am thinking of useing 12mm threaded rod you can get it by the meter length from Engineers Supplies. .A.P.S in Auckland also sell it, think its made at Gartner Engineering thread rolled bright mild steel should be acurate enough I was thinking along the lines of splitting nuts and squeezing them with belvill washers to get backlash elininated still all thoughts at the moment.will have a look around engineering shops in UK as visiting next month lets keep in touch regards Shiney66
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