CNC Router

Description

To celebrate the new year the space decided to get a CNC Milling machine.

Based on usage requirements and budget we selected a suitable progression with the use of openbuilds [1] standard profiles.

After the initial cost, upgrades are minimal price and can significantly improve the machines capabilities; but 'from stock' it will handle aluminium... It is designed to be a CNC plate maker after all!

Pledges

A pledge tracker can be found on this google sheet [2]

Design

The first machine is a 'out of the box' C Beam Machine kit [3]. This is a X/Y table machine based on the C Beam aluminum profile which offers better stability and accuracy than OX type v slot or shapeoko.

This kit will be used to make the plates for its own upgrades into our specific 1000mm x 750mm gantry style machine with dual X drive based on this design. [4]

Parts Status

We have purchased the majority of parts from Colin at robocutters.co.uk[5], he offered a wealth of advice, a great discount and is genuinely interested in supporting Hackspaces.

• A C Beam machine kit
• 3 NEMA 23 Motors
• 1 1000mm linear actuator kit
• 1 750mm linear actuator kit
• 4 750mm 60 aluminium profiles
• 16 wheel kits

From China we ordered as a kit:

• 800W 60mm mount water cooled spindle
• 1.5kW VFD
• 12 VPump
• Various collets

From other sources:

• 6 C.P type limit switches (swwils)
• Radiator (swwils)
• 4 Core spindle cable (swwils)
• RUMBA Board + Drivers (Martyn)

Build

• Spindle and VFD have arrived
• Limit switches have arrived

Software

Chillipeppr with JSON server proposed.

Chillipeppr currently does not have a dedicated RUMBA / Marlin workspace, however a marlin interpolater is functional [6], [7]

However best advice seems to be go for a tinyG / GRBL or the newer Due (32 bit!) based TinyG2 with a 4 axis shield [8]. Using Martyn's drivers will cut cost significantly.