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$20 CNC Machineby Techbuilder on April 16, 2009
Table of Contents
$20 CNC Machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Intro: $20 CNC Machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Step 1: Find recycled material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Step 2: Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Step 3: Linear slides of fun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Step 4: X,Y,Z tables for your brunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Step 5: Motor mount time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Step 6: Thread me please . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Step 7: Gluing time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Step 8: Where's the Z axis :( . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Step 9: A piece from the heaven's . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Step 10: Tall posts oh my! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Step 11: Are we done yet! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Step 12: Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
http://www.instructables.com/id/20-CNC-Machine/
Intro: $20 CNC MachineI got inspired for this instructable when I viewed the Easy To Build Stepper Controller
instructable .When I read the instructable I knew I could make a decent looking and functioning cnc machine for under 20 dollars with a recycled twist, Not to mention Idid this in under a week.
I expect you to have basic knowledge on power tools and hand toolsand of course this instructable requires you to have a rotary tool such as a dremel.Even if you don't have knowledge on power tools or hand tools I advise you to try this instructable because you will learn a lot about hand and power tools and you canbuild this for less then 20 dollarsso if you mess up it's no biggie and it would not cost to much to replace a part.
Let's Build!
Update 02/01/10
{Hi everyone just thought I would give you an update on this instructable since Ive been gettinga lot of emails and messages and such.
I'm getting really close to completing the electronics for the CNC,as stated in a comment the steppers I found in the printer were bi-polar stepper motors which the circuitwould cost quite a bit more if you went this route. If you were lucky to find some Unipolar stepper motorsthen you could build the electronics for under 3 bucks however unipolar motors have less torque. I will be selling CNC kits soon and they will be of better build quality aswell as a cheap price tag because I know how it is to be on a budget and not have the tools I need to create simple things and even complex things and this world needsmore DIY builders.
The CNC kits will be available roughly 1 to 2 weeks after the electronics Instructable has been releasedtheir will actually be a video showing this CNC working when the electronics Instructable is completed}
Image Notes1. Electronics Instructable soon to come!
http://www.instructables.com/id/20-CNC-Machine/
Step 1: Find recycled materialNow this is the most enjoyable part of building the cnc machinewhich is trying to find garbage that people want to throw away.
Here's what you need to locate
Flat bed scanner
Old printer
These two items are going to have your juicy stepper motors and thebeautiful harden steel rods, that's not the only thing you can get out of these green machines.
You will find gears, bushings, cold cathodes, capacitors, buttons, parallel ports and there isso much more.
Image Notes1. The victim
Image Notes1. So much fun
Image Notes1. Harden steel rod Could be used for axis if you can locate 2 alike2. Cold cathode Could be used for a light box
Image Notes1. Parts
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Image Notes1. Stepper motor or aka the holy grail2. Bushings
Step 2: ToolsNow I tried to build this with the bare necessities so I could show you that it is possible tomake a cnc machine with very little.
Required Tools:
Drill
Screw drivers
Tap and Die set
Rotary tool
Hack saw
Vise or some form of clamping device
Pliers
Drill bits
File
Center punch
Recommended Tools:
Band saw
Table saw
Lathe
Bench grinder
Bolt cutters
http://www.instructables.com/id/20-CNC-Machine/
Image Notes1. Hack saw2. Drill3. Vise4. 3ft aluminum rod
Step 3: Linear slides of funThe center core of your cnc machine is your tablesso read carefully and follow the instructable.
Required materials
Quantity Type Cost
4 2"x6"x1/2" Expanded PVC 2.00
2 2"x4"x1/2" Expanded PVC 1.00
2 10" 3/8" Aluminum rod 0.75
2 12" 3/8 Aluminum rod 0.75
2 8" 3/8" Aluminum rod 0.50
1 11 1/4" 5/8"-24 threaded rod 1.00
1 9 1/4" 5/8"-24 threaded rod 0.75
1 7 1/4" 5/8"-24 threaded rod 0.50
Now this is just the run down of everythingI of course cut everything up, you can purchase everything you see here from your localhardware store and plastic store for really cheap.
First step
Stack 2 of the expanded pvc pieces that are the same size and drill a whole in the centerand two holes each three quarters of an inch from the edge from the center line.
Now cut your aluminum rods to size and stick them through,now you should have a comparable piece down below
Repeat for all Axis
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Image Notes1. Expanded PVC
Image Notes1. This is what it should look like after you are done
Image Notes1. Holes for the aluminum rod2. Hole for motor
Image Notes1. X and Y axis
Image Notes1. Z axis
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Step 4: X,Y,Z tables for your brunchAlright now here comes the most time consuming partmaking the tables for the slides but once they are made it really feels like the projectis taking off.
Required Materials
Quantity Type Cost
1 6"x12"x1/4" Acrylic sheet Scrap
1 6"x10"1/4" Acrylic sheet Scrap
1 5 1/2"x5"x1/4" Acrylic sheet Scrap
15 1 1/2"x1 3/4"x1/2" Acrylic sheet Scrap
Now what you are going to want to do is stack 4 pieces of the 1 1/2"x1 3/4"x1/2"and drill dead center with a 3/8 drill bit
After you have done so feed 2 pieces on each rodand line them up and place your sheet on top and flip it over now glue.
Repeat for each axis
For your Y axis
now would be a good time to drill your holes so you can mount things you wish to cut.
Image Notes1. 1 1/2"x1 3/4"x1/2" Square blocks
Image Notes1. Square blocks with the rods through them
Image Notes1. Acrylic Sheet flipped over and aligned straight2. Square block ready to be glued3. Use acrylic glue for maximum strength and clean look
Image Notes1. You should end up with something like this. Repeat this step to make all threeaxis.
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Image Notes1. Grid paper is a good way to get your holes in parallel.
Image Notes1. Pretty
Step 5: Motor mount timeNow depending on where you get your motor fromthey are all going to be different so they will require special mounts
I recommend printer stepper motors because they are easy to mount but scanner steppers motors will work just fine.
Now in step three you should have drilled the motor hole and now all you have to do is mount it in
The coupler that attaches from your stepper to your threaded rod is going to be different based onstepper you have.
I made one out of aluminum but you can make one out of plastic just as long as it is wide enough.
All you have to do is drill in the center of a little piece of rodto the size of the stepper then on the other side drill 5/16 for the threaded rod.After that tap the 5/16 sideAnd glue
Image Notes1. Recycled Printer stepper motor attached
Image Notes1. Screw that attaches stepper motor2. Aluminum coupler I made The one I made use's a set screw but you can glue itin but it will be permanent.
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Step 6: Thread me pleaseNow once you have made your coupler it's timeto attach the threaded rod and glue a threaded coupler to one of the 1 1/2"x1 3/4"x1/2" square blocks
You have to make sure that the center on the threaded coupler matches the center of the threaded rod.
After you should get something like down below
Required Materials
Quantity Type Cost
3 5/8"-24x1" threaded coupler 0.60
Repeat for each axis
Image Notes1. Just a piece of rod I used to mark the center
Image Notes1. Thread coupler glued in place Sorry I didn't take a close up shot
Step 7: Gluing timeSo now you should have all three axis completed and now it's time to line them up and glue.
The base I used was a 20"x12"x1/4" piece of white acrylic I found at the plastic store
You could use smaller but I wouldn't recommend it
Once you have found a base, glue your x axis to it and then your y axis to your x axis acrylic top,then you should have something like down below.
use acrylic gluefor this step
it will glue expanded pvc as well if your wondering
After that Glue your z axis to a piece of8"x4"x1/4" acrylic sheet.
Required materials:
Quantity Type Cost
1 20"x12"x1/4" Acrylic sheet scrap
1 8"x4"x1/4" Acrylic sheet scrap
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Image Notes1. You should have something that looks like this2. Base I used
Image Notes1. Glue here using acrylic glue2. Glue all the expanded pvc to the acrylic sheet but make sure it's parallel
Step 8: Where's the Z axis :(Don't worry I didn't forget about that
Moving along
Now we want to add a mount for are rotary tool to the acrylic sheet on the z axis
I used a pipe holder and a screw clamp, you can buy both these items at a local hardware store for really cheap.
You have to cut a little lip to attach to the acrylic sheet because the pipe mount isn't going to be flat once you slide the rotary tool in because it expands.
Place the pipe mount on top of the acrylic lip and glue.
Required Materials
Quantity Type Cost
1 Pipe mount 0.40
1 Screw clamp Free
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Image Notes1. Bent in
Image Notes1. Acrylic lip I used my dremel to make this piece
Image Notes1. Acrylic lip the shape of the pipe mount2. Leave a 1/16 or more gap for the screw clamp.3. Glue together using epoxy or super glue
Step 9: A piece from the heaven'sNow that you made your z axis rotary mount it's time to set upthe posts and the acrylic sheet that connects them.
You need a square hole in the center of the 10"x16"x5/16" acrylic sheet to feed your z axis through
After you have cut that out it's time to attach a thick piece of a acrylicto support the z axis on.
After you have done that you should attach you z axis to it and make sure the acrylic piece is sticking out at least 1/16" off the edge so you can have a flat side.
Required materials:
Quantity Type Cost
1 10"x16"x5/16" Acrylic Sheet Scrap
1 1 1/2"x5"x1" Acrylic Sheet Scrap(aka thick piece)
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Image Notes1. Used a dremel with a cutting blade then cleaned it up with sanding attachment
Image Notes1. 1 1/2"x5"x1"2. Glue to the bottom of the piece you just cut out3. Then glue your 4"x8"x1/4" to the block
Step 10: Tall posts oh my!Now it's time to gluethe 1 1/2"x16"x1" posts to the z axis acrylic topand then after your done with that, you then glue it to the base.
Required Materials :
Quantity Type Cost
4 1 1/2"x16"x1" Scrap
Image Notes1. Applying pressure after I set the acrylic glue in.
Image Notes1. Glue the post to the sheet2. Glue the post to the base
Step 11: Are we done yet!The answer is no but we do happen to be mechanical donenow because of the short amount of time I had I could not add the electronics part to this instructable,so I am going dedicate an entire instructable just to the electronics part some time this week as well as a video.
So turn that frown upside down
Word of advise this is quite a bit of work even though it may not look like itso by the time you have this finished the electronics instructable will be beyond finished.
I will most likely add it on Tuesday or Wednesday of this week.
Part list:
Quantity Type Cost
http://www.instructables.com/id/20-CNC-Machine/
4 2"x6"x1/2" Expanded PVC 2.00
2 2"x4"x1/2" Expanded PVC 1.00
2 10" 3/8" Aluminum rod 0.75
2 12" 3/8 Aluminum rod 0.75
2 8" 3/8" Aluminum rod 0.50
1 11 1/4" 5/8"-40 threaded rod 1.00
1 9 1/4" 5/8"-40 threaded rod 0.50
1 7 1/4" 5/8"-40 threaded rod 0.25
1 6"x12"x1/4" Acrylic sheet Scrap
1 6"x10"1/4" Acrylic sheet Scrap
1 5 1/2"x5"x1/4" Acrylic sheet Scrap
15 1 1/2"x1 3/4"x1/2" Acrylic sheet Scrap
3 5/8"-24x1" threaded coupler 0.60
1 20"x12"x1/4" Acrylic sheet scrap
1 8"x4"x1/4" Acrylic sheet scrap
1 Pipe mount 0.40
1 Screw clamp Free
4 1 1/2"x16"x1" Scrap
? Scrap from Tap Plastics 12.00
Total= 19.50
I got all my plastic from tap plastics scrap bin and I got the rest of the pieces from home depotand a local metal supply shop.
Image Notes1. Almost all done!
Image Notes1. Electronics Instructable soon to come!
Step 12: RecommendationsNow the stepper motors you find in a printer would do just finebut after a while I would highly recommend to upgrade to some bigger stepper motors.
As for the expanded pvc I would replace that with Acrylic but do to the fact that I had a budget and the short amount of time I had no choice but to go with expanded pvcbut I would really recommend you use acrylic.
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Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 120 comments
randhee says: Jan 8, 2010. 11:16 PM REPLY What kind of glue?
Groszek64 says: Mar 6, 2011. 10:55 AM REPLYCH2CL2
moondoongoo says: Feb 10, 2011. 4:57 AM REPLYI'm from Argentina... My problem is that acrylic here is so expensive! it's about U$D 130 the board of around 1 m^2I really like it project, i wanted to do it 1 year ago, but... so much money ¬¬
rpicivil2011 says: Feb 15, 2011. 2:48 PM REPLYFor the slides I would suggest that you replace the acrylic parts with UHMW Polyethylene. You may or may not have a supplier near you. But you couldget a 1/2in x 3/4in x 1ft piece on mcmaster for USD 2.98, I don't know how much shipping would be but it is a place to start, pricing materials in yourarea. I would also replace the 5/8"-24 with something smaller like 5/16"-18. Or since you are in the metric world I would suggest a M8 with a Pitch of 1.25. Of course for this I would buy what ever rod was least expensive down to that diameter, I wouldn't go much smaller though, due to whipping effects.
The 1/2in x 3/4in x 1ft bar is enough to make 12x 3/4in x 1in x 1/2in thk slides (They are smaller but still adequate) plus 3x 3/4in x 1in x 1/2in thk threadedpieces. You could actually thread the UHMW instead of inserting couplers which would have a couple benefits:
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1) less backlash (assuming you make a tap using the actual rod that it will slide on)2) less friction between the threaded rod and the threaded piece, which translates to less torque needed from your steppers, and less racking of theslides.3) UHMW is softer than the steel rod, the threaded piece will be the one to where, instead of both parts, so when you start to notice a lot of backlash youonly need tor replace the one part instead of both. Though because of the super low coefficient of friction for UHMW, it will take a very long time to wearout.
The remaining parts made of acrylic and expanded PVC could be made with MDF. I recognize there will be expansion issues, but it really doesn't matterfor a machine this small built with this quality of components. Please let me explain why, before I get flamed.
Please note this only applies to std. all thread, with regular couplers and nuts. General purpose ACME rods and nuts will have much higher tolerances.But unless you salvage them from an old machinem you won't come near $20 for just those components, let alone whole machine. Especially if you useprecision ACME rods (Over USD 100 for just the parts for this machine_, yes there is a difference between, all-thread, general purpose ACME, andprecision ACME, a difference other than the price.
A) Precision
Odds are the steppers used on this project are going to be 7.5deg per step, or 48 steps/rev, Unipolar or Bipolar motors, probably with only full step mode.Yes, going half step, eighth, 1/16, etc... will improve the precision, but we are pretending that the builder doesn't have the circuitry for such things. Aseven building your own board from scratch, to handle that functionality will cost a couple dollars each at a minimum, if parts need to be purchased. Andas you can see below, fractional stepping won't really help for this machine other than part motion acceleration.
Now with the recommended threaded rod of 5/8"-24, that is equilalent to 24 revs/in * 48 steps/rev = 1152 steps/in which is 1/1152 in/step = 0.000868in/step or 0.868 mil/step or 0.868 thou/step depending on how you like to think about it, (this is an estimate, I will explain why under the Accuracy header)Now consider that the typical backlash on a plain threaded rod using a regular nut or coupler (from my own experience and measurements) is on theorder of atleast 1-10 mil (Making a custom nut, would greatly improve this number). With this in mind our effective precision is now 0.868 +/- 5 mil/stepbeing very generous.
Then factor in that the nut will occasionally stick to the rod, torquing the whole slide mechanism. This will impact precision in that the theoretical distancetraveled in this case 0.868 mil/step will in fact be 0 assuming it did not move at all. It is unlikely that it will stick for more than a few steps, but that is still acouple mil precision lost. A low friction nut would help in this case as well. Now we are 0.868 +/- 7 mil/step. Not to mention the pitch along a rod may varyto some degree.
Thrust deflection in the screw/stepper, can also be a major headache. If you have ever pushed or pulled on the spindle of a motor, you will have noticedthere is quite a bit of play. This will translate into additional backlash (not technically the correct term, but the motion is similar). This can be eliminatedthrough the use of thrust bearings. Unfortunately this project doesn't include any. The play on average in many of the steppers I have pulled out ofprinters and scanners is on the order of a 1/16th or 32nd of an inch or 62.5 and 31.25 mil respectively. That is huge. So we are left with 0.686 +/- 35mil/step.
Does MDF expand yes, I am not going to contest this fact. However, it is _never_ going to expand to such a degree over the course of a single session(barring spilling something on it on it, or generally introducing it to a 100% relative humidity environment) that you will be able to measure an appreciabledeformation from start to finish. Next because of how it is formed and used, it is probable that any expansion that does occur will happen proportionatelyalong the x and y axis of the machine. The z dimension (typically the thickness of the base) will expand more but still at an extremely slow rate. MDF ifexposed to a 30% to 90% relative humidity environment will expand ~0.3% in length and width, and in thickness up to ~5%. However, this often takesweeks or months to occur. for a 24"x24" piece that ends up being little more that a 1/16th of an inch change over the whole machine.
B) Accuracy
Accuracy on a CNC machine comes down to a few things. The theoretical distance traveled, 0.868 mil/step in this case, vs the actual distance traveled.The squareness or orthogonallity of the axis'. There are other accuracy points but for our purposes they are inconsequential, if I ever get around towriting this whole thing up as an instructable, I'll include them there.
As far as 24 rev/in on the 5/8"-24 rod, you should be skeptical as to that value. Precision ACME rod has a tolerance of +/- 9 mil travel per foot, not tomention the tolerance between each thread. This stuff is extremely expensive in relative terms and is far more accurate. I have seen regular all threadthat was nominally 5/16"-18 with 18.1 or 17.9 threads per inch. That works out to be a difference of ~ +/- 66 mil travel per foot. This can be accounted forover the lenght of the whole machine by telling the machine to move a set number of steps then measuring how far it actually went to calculate a steps/inor in/step, Depending on what the cnc program you use. However, there is no easy way to account for the fact that while it may be 18.0 tpi in one area itcould be 18.1 in an other area. I have see this happen on a 2 foot section of rod.
Right angles are very important when doing cnc, I'm sure someone could write a program that allowed you to enter the relative angles of your axis' and itwould calculate the g-code to account for the skew. But as far as I know functionality for this is almost none existant. Now it seems that the main concernfor using MDF is its propensity to expand. Warping on this scale, with a reasonably thick piece of material is for practical purposes non-existant. Now oneway to handle this issue is to simply only attach each axis slide assembly on one end and allow the other to be free. You could also have a slot and bolton the other end that would allow for it to be secured while cutting and when need be it could be adjusted. The Z access is suspended, and can easily becalibrated for each different job (usually it would be anyway), so as long as the 4 legs supporting the top are identical they should in theory haveexpanded/contracted at the same rate, thuse only lifting and lowering the z axis slides. Any deviation from vertical that occurs is going to be less than therunout of the tool and spindle.
This really belongs under precision but it has components here as well. The finally runout on the tool and spindle assembly, which in this case is thedremel and z axis slide. Because of how the z axis slide is supported. A cantilever beam for any engineers out there. There is a propensity for the wholeassembly to deflect/bend. So when the cutter is moving through a piece force is exerted against the arm and it moves.
_Conclusion_
At the end of the day MDF for this type of project should be perfectly acceptable. The only structural parts that wood or mdf couldn't replace is bearings,bushings, and rods. As there is simply too much friction. Yes it will expand, and maybe warp a tad, but it won't happen while you are using it. And if youbuild your machine with that in mind you should be able to adjust the frames and and slides to acount for it, when the humidity changes. There is alwayssealing the MDF also which essentially lock your machine to one size within tolerances for motion I listed above.
I hope this is helpful, good luck with your project.
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natman says: Jan 16, 2011. 2:56 PM REPLYi might have missed this some where but how do you connect it to the computer to actually use it???
KungFuChicken says: Jan 9, 2011. 10:12 PM REPLYYou mentioned you was selling this as a kit? Is it available now?
Pizzapie500 says: Jan 8, 2011. 7:42 AM REPLYWhat materials can this cut through?
Z.K. says: Jan 2, 2011. 10:03 PM REPLYWhere can I get this expanded PVC? I found some at http://www.budgetrobotics.com/shop/?shop=1&cat=103, but the thickest they have is 6mm which isabout 1/4". I suppose I could bolt two together and use it that way. I really doubt this will be a $20 project though unless one already has all the materials.Still, this is a very good instructable and gives me some good ideas.
Techbuilder says: Jan 2, 2011. 10:14 PM REPLYHi Z.K.I get this a lot and people don't really believe it buti did this under 20 dollars.
Expanded PVC is extremely cheap at a plastic shophowever not online.I did everything around my house and ordered nothing online because with the shipping alone it would be over 20 dollars.Most plastic shops will have scrap pieces of acrylic for 1.70 a pound and pvc for even cheaper, just call around.This is the type of project that requires you to search and put effort in, if you didn't then everyone would be making a 20 dollar cnc machine. My advice toyou is to do a lot of calling and don't be afraid to look around and stay away from the internet if you want to cut costs. If you happen to live in an area thatdoesn't have these resources then go on machining forums and see if anyone has any scrap material there willing to sell to you for dirt cheap.
Best regards,
Techbuilder
Giorgiodeste says: Dec 30, 2010. 4:55 AM REPLYYOU ARE great ! I don't know if it works, I can't see how it works, BUT let me tell you, this is a GREAT machine, Yes, my personal congratulation for yourideas and for the simplicity you are able to use during the project....you are a great DIY GUY - BRAVOCongratulation
hondaman900 says: Dec 7, 2010. 8:42 PM REPLYIntriguing new CNC startup on kickstarter.com. Interesting way to go, but looks like a good source of parts for this project. One of their controller/motor kitscould work well with this design.
microwizard says: Apr 9, 2010. 7:36 AM REPLYIt would be nice to have so much acrylic sheets as "scrap" :-P
medalhead says: Dec 3, 2010. 1:18 PM REPLYYeah :D
hinow41 says: Jan 5, 2010. 4:57 PM REPLY you needn't use acrylic. steel, al, wood, pvc, would all make do
Minifig666 says: Oct 10, 2010. 12:52 PM REPLYWood can be a problem though as over time it can warp and become less accurate.
paulsayles says: Nov 20, 2010. 10:24 AM REPLYWell sealed mdf would be a good alternative
hightekrednek2396 says: Nov 25, 2010. 6:36 PM REPLYor if you really had the money tand time and paetiense you could try and make carbon fiber parts but that would defeat the 20 dollar purpose
http://www.instructables.com/id/20-CNC-Machine/
wii552 says: Dec 19, 2009. 6:21 AM REPLYcould wood be used instead of plastic for most things?
NewB007 says: Dec 31, 2009. 9:40 AM REPLYWood expands and contracts with humidity (and non-uniformly depending on grain), so you wouldn't maintain the tolerances needed for most CNCmachines.
That said, if you live somewhere with a constant (or complete lack of) humidity, such as in the desert somewhere, wood that has been fully cured (and/orfully weather-sealed) may work just fine. For anywhere else, I suppose if there were enough play between the wood parts and the rods, then you may beable to make it work with a sacrifice in quality of the finished product and the risk of binding up of the threaded rods and couplers.
If you aren't after high quality reproduction of your design (accuracy), then wood may be fine there, also. Basically, this is a M-16 vs. AK-47 argument. One has tighter tolerances and higher accuracy, and the other has looser tolerances and lower accuracy. In the end, if it is good enough to do the job,that is all that matters. Binding would be the only risk here.
tanmanknex says: Jan 3, 2010. 7:58 AM REPLY in Utah it means yes!!!
sssssbooom says: Mar 21, 2010. 10:44 PM REPLYI disagree, In the past 2 weeks we have had snow, rain, wind, and 60 degree weather. And my doors lock is harder to lock in the winter. So Idon't think the humidity is constant at all.
CharMio says: Jun 30, 2010. 6:55 AM REPLYdisagreeing with a scientifically proven fact, i like your style! (wood takes more than two weeks to expand)
3DMHuff says: Oct 9, 2010. 1:49 PM REPLYSo, if I hang a piece of oak and an equal size piece of balsa from the ceiling of my (partially insulated) shop and measure it daily, it willtake two weeks to notice any change and each piece will be the same? I would think the balsa would start showing a change within afew days and the oak would take several weeks. Someone with more time on their hands should try that, then make an instuctable soI can figure out how to measure the moisture content in wood.
NewB007 says: Oct 12, 2010. 5:33 PM REPLYWell, to be precise, the expansion of wood due to changes in moisture content due to humidity is a dynamic process. Thevariables include: wood variety, surface area of exposed grain, grain orientation, and the difference between the moisture contentof the wood and the humidity of the air (and therefore the diffusion rate), among other things. Putting any sort of "time until" labelon this would also require stating a coresponding % increase or reduction in length/width/thickness (whichever dimension isdesired--they may not expand the same amount).
In short, this all depends on how accurately you want to (and can!) measure the changes.
3DMHuff says: Oct 12, 2010. 6:52 PM REPLYThis subject is bothering me. I know a lot of people that that are master craftsman in woodworking and they all have differentopinions when I ask about this. Some say if I lay the wood with the grain in the same direction as much as possible, it will befine. Others say if I build it with grains criss-crossing it will work fine. So I asked the best wood craftsman I personally know, myGrandfather. He said, "What the hell do you need a CNC machine for?" I fear he is right.
sssssbooom says: Jun 30, 2010. 9:55 AM REPLYThe two weeks is only explaining how often the weather changes. "if you live somewhere with a constant (or complete lack of)humidity, such as in the desert somewhere," Utah is not one of those. I never stated that wood expand faster then 2 weeks.
tanmanknex says: Jun 30, 2010. 10:17 AM REPLYI don't know what I was thinking when I wrote that so... Yeah. Anyway, the humidity where I live usually is pretty constant, thoughtoday during Marching Band it felt like Louisiana. Or Georgia. Or some other southeastern state where it's really humid. Humidityis the one thing I can't stand, weatherwise.
sssssbooom says: Jun 30, 2010. 9:51 PM REPLYYou wrote it 6 months ago, I barely remember replying. Well until CharMio misunderstood my reply lol. :)
socalcovey says: Mar 3, 2010. 3:55 AM REPLYIn Washington it means NO!
http://www.instructables.com/id/20-CNC-Machine/
69fordf100 says: Oct 2, 2010. 11:57 AM REPLYwhere do you find a pipe mount?
sadiablo says: Sep 8, 2010. 6:37 AM REPLYNice ible :) I'm in the planning and budgeting stage at the moment and have my steppers and controllers on order. Just a couple of quick queries on theconstruction of your magnificent machine.
1. With the measurements you have used what is the useable cutting area?
And2. Is there any reason you couldn't screw and glue the joins for extra stability and strength?
Any help would be muchly appreciated
simon661 says: Sep 5, 2010. 4:58 PM REPLYBTW To all canadians that live in toronto. I got 4 stepper motor for $10. I bought it from Active Surplus. They have a lot of tools you will need to build this cncmachine.
mman1506 says: Sep 5, 2010. 7:28 PM REPLYgo active
simon661 says: Sep 5, 2010. 3:59 PM REPLYI need the PDF file :( To bad im not a pro member.
kyle brinkerhoff says: Sep 1, 2010. 9:12 AM REPLYhey really cool idea for you ! write a plugin for sketchup that will translate a sketch into a depthmap and use that to control your cnc machine! thats what i didand it made it super easy use my own cnc machine.
livingbios says: Sep 3, 2010. 7:40 AM REPLYCould you explain this? Is this plugin for sketchup literally sending the step sequences? I'm really not understanding how this would play out.
kyle brinkerhoff says: Sep 3, 2010. 11:31 AM REPLYthis method of control works like this: ruby script---->export to external aplication(self written)---->commands sent via serial-----> interpretation bymicrocontroller----> MOVEMENT | V feedback of position to app via serial
treflip says: Aug 30, 2010. 9:21 PM REPLYDid you ever offer the kits?
nazgults says: Aug 5, 2010. 7:21 AM REPLYWhich type of the scanner is this?
filjoa says: Jul 11, 2010. 3:27 AM REPLYHi nice project... what hardware you use? best regards
pyrorower says: Apr 20, 2010. 10:07 AM REPLYIf you attach the proper tip, couldn't you also use this for metal part fabrication?
amdivoff says: Mar 21, 2010. 8:34 AM REPLY? what tool would you guys recommend to use to get clean cuts on the sheets
Bowtie41 says: Mar 26, 2010. 12:49 PM REPLYI reverse the blade on either a circular or table saw with good results.Don't forget to put it back right when you are done!!!
http://www.instructables.com/id/20-CNC-Machine/
socalcovey says: Mar 3, 2010. 3:47 AM REPLYhey..now don't panic...but you may want to read the sentence again...it says "two holes each three quarters of an inch from the edge from the center line" not"a half of an inch" ?
frmco says: Jan 8, 2010. 6:28 PM REPLYThis is a wonderfull peace of work and I am a model airplane maker and a finish carpenter and also facinated by cnc machines. yours is state of the art. Ionly wish that I could have been able to communicate with you and get help going through building it completely with the electronics. But I still would like tothank you for all the information provided. I shall be looking for more info. if you should post them in future. Great work.
dpsilver says: Mar 1, 2010. 6:56 PM REPLYthe electronics are simple for a 5 wire motor set up ive built my own and tested all three axis now im making the actual machine
fruitkid101 says: Feb 15, 2010. 11:45 AM REPLYHey guys I dont have any stepper motors but will the small $6 ones from adafruit industries work?
Techbuilder says: Feb 27, 2010. 8:37 AM REPLYSorry to inform you but those don't have nearly enough torque to drive anything really other then something as light as foam.
You have to either find some old printers with some large sized steppers oryou will have to purchase them.
jamesshin10 says: Jan 9, 2010. 6:03 AM REPLY umm u said here that we need to locate a old printer can u indicate a specific type cause i have a hard time finding a 5 pins stepper motor.. plss help..
electrotech says: Feb 26, 2010. 4:28 PM REPLYThe five pin stepper motor is unipolar, the four pin motor you have is a bipolar. These are easy to run using a L293D IC. You can download the datasheet on line.
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