Welded steel frame router build

[jones]

Hi Jones - Great to see this on the move again. Peter

Thanks Peter, I'm enjoying having a project to tinker on in the garage after work again.

Small update - the Z axis ballscrew assembly is now mounted



Looks like ~230mm total Z travel, probably ~210mm after I add limit switches and give it a bit of clearance.

I also sorted out the Spindle mounting:



I originally drilled those holes down the side visible in the image, but later discovered it would interfere with the rails on the other side (this bit was never modelled in CAD). I've since drilled and tapped 6 x M8 holes underneath the spindle mount and I'll cut off the ears with the outer mounting holes.

[jones]

Not a big update but I've made 8 x 20mm thick spacers required to get the correct ballscrew/linear slides spacing for the machine.



One of the first projects for the machine once I get it working and dialed in will be to make new X and Z axis plates from 30mm thick material, rather than the 10mm with 20mm spacers. I'll also be making 6mm thick side plates to reinforce the whole assembly.

[jones]

I'm still plugging away on the build!



Above is the X axis plate with 4 of the 20mm spacers I made, as well as the 6mm side plates that will join it all together into a (more) rigid assembly. This will all be replaced by a 30mm solid machined version when the machine is up and running.

I still need to make the Z axis stepper motor mounting plate and that just about completes the Z axis, then the X axis ballscrew mounts will complete the X axis, then it's just the Y axis table and ballscrew setup !

[nejckovka]

I also realy like this build, hats off! I'm in the first steps of building something simillar design-vise. Hope to see updates!
Congrats!

[jones]

I also realy like this build, hats off! I'm in the first steps of building something simillar design-vise. Hope to see updates!
Congrats!

Thanks nejckovka. I've been doing little bits on the CNC over the last few months but haven't made any real progress. My living situation will hopefully be changing in the next few months and I can collect all my tools into one location, which should help a lot with projects like this! At the moment I need to drive 1.5 hours to get to half my tools. I will continue updating the thread once I make more progress

[jones]

Well I've got my Z axis finally assembled, shimmed, and seemingly operating perfectly, although with a little more friction than I'd like... it will work until I can use the machine to make a new one from 30mm material.



And put on the X axis to work on the ballscrew mounts



I still have to machine the end of the X and Y axis ballscrews to suit the mounting blocks I bought, but once that's done it will be full steam ahead!

[jones]

Well the ballscrews have been machined to suit the flange mount bearings and I'll be mounting the Y axis ballscrew to the gantry next.



The surface finish isn't great, and the screw has a little light rust which I need to remove, but the diameter of the machined section is spot-on.

[jones]

Well 6 months ago I bought a house and now have a small double garage to continue working on the CNC router.







First up I want to make the moving table for the machine, then finalise the X axis ballscrew mounts, then it's just the ballscrew and stepper mounts for the table and the motion control is complete. Hopefully it won't be long before I have an operational router which can cut aluminium!

[luke peter]

I really enjoyed this build so far. I have garage envy

Looking forward to seeing chips.

[jones]

I really enjoyed this build so far. I have garage envy

Looking forward to seeing chips.

Thanks Luke, it must be one of the slowest builds on cnczone but I'm making more progress now that I have the garage set up and work on my car should ease up a bit now it's (hopefully) reliable.



The space is looking a bit messy but by the end of this week I'll have it back to neat and tidy (I hope).



I made the X axis ballscrew mount and drilled and tapped the gantry to attach it.

Also I've made a start on the Y axis table



Ideally the table would just be one 25mm thick (or thicker) piece of aluminium, but I'm doing this on a budget so I'm using 50x50x2.0 steel and I'll use rivnuts to attach the sacrificial MDF top to it. Not ideal but it can always be updated later, the most important thing for me at the moment is to get a functioning machine.

[peteeng]

Hi Jones - Building a car and a CNC sets a really high bar for the rest of us! Keep at it Peter

[jones]

Hi Jones - Building a car and a CNC sets a really high bar for the rest of us! Keep at it Peter

Thanks Pete! Just don't look too closely at the car yet

Another small update - I've fully welded the table structure and sat it on the rails with the rail mounting blocks.



Next step is to weld the table to the mounting blocks and then figure out the ballscrew arrangement for that axis.



I like the idea of the motor at the back end because it will simplify the wiring a little and make for a neater looking system, but having the stepper at the front may be better for any maintenance or troubleshooting required... Thoughts?

[ardenum]

How did you weld the thing? mig tig etc?

[jones]

How did you weld the thing? mig tig etc?

Hi Ardenum, all MIG so far. I wanted to use my TIG for the table but it recently blew up

[jones]

A little more progress on the CNC, I've finished the X axis ballscrew mount and welded the Y axis slider mounts to the table















Everything seems to move freely without binding so I'm counting it as a win. Next up is the outboard support of the X axis ballscrew and the Y axis ballscrew assembly

[jones]

Y axis ballscrew and stepper mount almost completed



The threaded plates were welded to the main frame





I plan on adding some stiffener bars from the sides of the top of the ballscrew mount back to the next crossmember because I'm not sure the open box section will give me the rigidity I'm after by itself.

[jones]

Steppers installed with longer bolts and adapters for the (too big) ballscrews, now onto wiring!

[jones]

Tightened up the Y axis stepper motor stuff and cut 4 legs for the stand.



Then I realised I didn't have any steel to make the top of the legs so I bolted the gantry to the base for the first time since they were first welded up.



It's a pretty imposing looking machine now it's together, i'm excited to get it up at height and start on the wiring next.

[jones]

Had some time yesterday afternoon to start adding legs to the CNC machine.



I was always planning on building a table to put the CNC on, but I'm not prepared to put that much work into it at the moment - I just want it done!



The front legs are 50x50x2 braced back to the machine for stability. The front of the machine is much lighter than the back where the gantry goes and I didn't have enough 100x100x3 to make all the legs from , so 50x50 it is!



I haven't attached the back legs yet, I'm not sure whether to put them at the very back of the machine as shown or under where the gantry attaches. The gantry is by far the heaviest part of the machine, being made from 200x100x6 tube, 6mm end caps, and 12mm round bar stiffeners welded in diagonally along it's length.



What a beast of a thing! Now that I see it all together I'm very confident that it will be able to machine aluminium, the only thing letting it down will be the round rails on the Y axis but they can be upgraded at a later date.

[jones]

I decided to go with the legs directly under the gantry, I believe it will be less likely to bow in the middle set up like this



Time will tell, I can always add extra legs to the back and make it a 6 leg contraption, but I believe that will be unnecessary.