My NEW Mini CNC Router Design!

[mwalach]

Hey widgitmaster, I just found your website. You should advertise it a little better. I only just thought to try typing http://www.widgitmaster.com/ to see if you had one. Nice pics of your stuff.

mw

[mwalach]

I purchased one of Erics mini-mills. It looks great! I just hooked up my motors and control from www.xylotex.com and Mach 2 software. This little machine is FAST! I may actually slow it down a bit in the software. I'll see how well the dremel cuts. Service from widgit master is great! One small part damaged by the shipper was quickly taken care of. Very quality looking product.

I definitly need a tool mount. I tried making my own, but I lack the metal tools to make a decent one. I attached a pic of the one I tried to make. Looks good, but there is way too much play, and it only has one mounting hole. It came like this, and there was no way really to add another. I didn't think it would work, but I wanted to try and mill something. The mount in the pic is a conduit clamp from home depot. The dremel is a model 300, also from home depot.

The machine is small, but I think it will do a lot. I plan to make circuit boards, airplane parts, gears, signs, name plates, cut out letters, maybe try some inlay. I am developing my own cnc software to meet my needs, so I will use this little machine as a test bed. I am waiting to see how the new larger mill comes out. I would like to buy one for my classroom. I teach high school technology. A 12" x 12" cnc would be great. I could have my kids design parts in CAD (we use auto-desk inventor) then have them cnc them out and assemble them. We could probably even sell some of what we make as a fund raiser for the lab.

Oh the possibilities!!

[mwalach]

Here is the pic of my new mini-mill.

[widgitmaster]

Thanks for the feedback Mike!
I have ordered a model 390 Dremel, and will buy a model 300 at HomeDepot this weekend. That way I can design a mounting bracket & clamp assemble to hold them to my Mini Routers! I think a dual clamp system will be stronger, one clamp by the nose of the Dremel, and another at the body!

I have a hugh chunk of Acrylic plastic, so I'll make one bracket from aluminum and one from acrylic, to see if there is a weight problem on the z-axis!

I have been building five more Mini-Routers, and that has kept me busy!, so this weekend I will try to make the y-axis gantry and slide assembly for the new 12x12 router!

[wcarrothers]

Yes.. SPEED!! is something I will be looking for on a smaller if I get one of the 12x12's in the future.. I'm still concerned with the speeds I will be able to drive my 4x8 design given it's weight even with the monster servo motors (huge compaired to my moog's on the mill conversion anyway)

Maybe it will not be that bad. But for small jobs and super detail carvings the 12x12 will probably be added to my shop at some point..

Also got to figure some $$ to buy one of those brushess spindles on ebay..

Keep the 12x12 alive.. I'll try to keep some extra cake around to get one once they are done. Mymetal working skills are no where near your ability thus I'd be far better off getting one of yours.. Should not have to spend to much more to get the 4x8 up and going..

b.

[widgitmaster]

Here is the pic of my new mini-mill.

I did not like the steel pipe clamp holding the Dremel tool, so I ordered the same model Dremel mwalach is using, and designed a nice solid aluminum clamp for it!

I left a .062 x .2 wide rib on the back of the clamp, it will align the Dremel to a perfect 90° to the Router's table top.

Because I had sold all the mini routers I had, I needed to make the z-axis slide block with the little t-slots, so I would be able to see how it would work!

It took 5 hours to make that little part!

Eric

[project5k]

thats some pretty fancy machining!!! wish i had some $$ to throw down to order one of your machines, the more i see, the more im overwhelmingly impressed with the thought, effort and engineering that you put into your units...

[mwalach]

I'm glad to see that you made a clamp. I have been having a tough time with my home made clamps.

Here are the latest pics. The dremel is walking around a lot still, and my cuts look like junk. (I used a "V" cutter not the spiral cutter in the pic). Hopefully the new clamp will solve this problem. The other issue is that with the clamp set-up I had, I lost a lot of Z travel.

Any idea how much Z travel I would have with the new mount?

[widgitmaster]

mwalach,
I would estimate the same you had with the PipeClamp!
It's approximately 2.5" from the bottom of the clamp to the nose of the Dremel tool

[mwalach]

Is this clamp ready to go up for sale? Price?

I see the bar that slides into the cnc mount, but how does it attach? does it bolt on?

[widgitmaster]

Be patient mwalach, I have not drilled the holes yet, my bellie was growling so I stopped to feed it! I'll figure out a price when all is done. And you'll be getting the get the 1st one!

I have been building 5 more units, and still have not had time to work on the new 12x12 router! Man I sure could use a nice CNC VMC in my garage shop!

Eric

[ccsparky]

Hello,

This is my first post and I find my self returning to your topic often. I really like your router design and am very impressed with the craftsmanship!

Do you have a location with purchasing information for the Mini CNC Router?

Thank you!

William

[widgitmaster]

Hello,

This is my first post and I find my self returning to your topic often. I really like your router design and am very impressed with the craftsmanship!

Do you have a location with purchasing information for the Mini CNC Router?

Thank you!

William

Thank you!

Actually I have www.widgitmaster.com and had it set up for PayPal BUT....
I am a one man machine shop, it takes hours to make every part, and the Mini Router is 30 parts!

If I were to open the web site to the world, I would be inundated with questions, and possibly sales of items I haven't made yet!

So I make a few at a time and post them on eBay! I plan on getting a CNC mill in the future, to speed up my productions! But the cheapest is $12,000
An I would still have to learn how to program it!
I'm just an old school retired Tool Maker!

I sold my last one through eBay to someone in Lithuania!

Thanks for asking!
Eric

[mwalach]

Try his website www.widgitmaster.com.

[widgitmaster]

All I can say is that I have 3 of 5 units nearly complete, if you want one send payment of $400 via PayPal to WidgitMaster@widgitmaster.com and I will ship it when completed. That includes shipping world wide via USPS Ground. (4-6 weeks delivery)

Thanks for your interests in my work!

Eric
WidgitMaster

[wcarrothers]

I'm still down for the 12x12.

Although mouth is watering at the thought of one of your mini's for 400 now.. Don't even know how you could do that and make anything with materials what they cost.

b.

[mwalach]

WOW! $400 is a deal! I should have waited!

[ccsparky]

Ok guys, are you on the payroll? <-- The sales team meeting

Based on what I can tell by the workmanship from the pictures and the cost of materials this machine is worth every penny of the $400!
I kind of like the $150 price on page 4!

With my daughter getting married about two weeks ago (my new son-in-law is in the Army and she leaves for Germany in December) and I ordered Joe's CNC Router last week and have been purchasing the software and hardware needed for it, I'm told my allowance is a little thin right now.

However, will you be continuing to make these and what's the chances of one being available in a few weeks?

Thanks!
William

[JIMMY]

I am empressed

[jcdillin]

dang I feel like selling all my parts on ebay now and just buying one of these