Luke Scharf wrote: > John Kasunich wrote: >> I could go on and on... what about coolant? Metal cutting almost >> demands some form of coolant or cutting lube. Even if you are just >> hitting the work with a spritz of WD-40 every so often, it makes a >> mess that needs to be totally cleaned up before putting wood on the >> machine. >> > > I think I'll drop the idea of working with metal, for now -- that's > not a pressing need. > > I've been looking at the website for solsylva home-built machines, and > they look simple and cheap enough that it's a way I could get started > learning the technology on a system that can do useful things, without > blowing the budget. It doesn't look like it could do metal, but it > looks like I could build it for a reasonable investment in > time-and-money and see how it ends up from there. > > It looks like I could make some really neat wooden/plastic parts with > the 13x13 fixed-gantry machine or maybe more with one of the bigger > machines. If I were to build the wrong machine, it looks like I could > reuse most of the parts that I would buy. If I really need to do > metal, I can re-evaluate my needs at that point. > Also, I currently have a Dremel, a trim-router, and a plunge-router, > any one of which that I'd be happy to sacrifice for a project like this. > > Does this seem like a good way to get started? > > Thanks, > -Luke > Luke,
You might go look at the buildyourcnc.com site. ... My favorite site to drule over is shopbottools.com. If you are looking at something in inexpensive kit form, take a look at either buildyourcnc.com or mikebeck.org ... Mike charges about $500 for the gantry kit and $500 for the electronics and motors. Patrick at buildyourcnc.com is a little more, but the rig is a little larger. I suggest reviewing both of their sites. There are other good ones out there, but for folks with a more limited budget, these are some of the best I have seen. buildyourcnc.com is basically a 4'x2' milling surface, with an upgrade option to 4'x8' - with the big option I suggest getting the 4th stepper and lead screw to use 2 on the long axis. For the real DIY and want a heavy duty (and heavy) rig, check out mechmate.com -- free plans on making a commercial class rig! Their standard is to use 4 NEMA-34 steppers with 1:3.6 geared shafts, motors rated at about 600 in-oz each seem popular there. No lead screws, but rack and pinion gears instead. Talking with a guy that has done signs for years, he has found his 'wood class' router works well with aluminum. I don't think it would be much with steel. He basically takes shallower cuts , and since he uses a variable speed router, lowers the rpm as well. Talking with folks at ShopBottools.com, it seems that a favorite replacement router is a 3.5hp class Milwaukee. It is slightly smaller than the PorterCable, but it is variable speed and makes the shop quieter. They are about the same price ($3-400 or so). If you are planning to do a LOT of MDF, Patrick at buildyourcnc.com suggests diamond coated rather than carbide bits. They seem to last longer for him. He cuts a lot of MDF. A good place to look for bits is onsrud.com -- not cheap but good and data on tool selection on their web site is great whether or not you use their tools. Onsrud also makes commercial class routers. I hope this might help some ... No, I have not purchased from any of these directly, and get no consideration from them either. They seem like straight up folks from talking with them. ... Jack ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ SF.Net email is Sponsored by MIX09, March 18-20, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The future of the web can't happen without you. Join us at MIX09 to help pave the way to the Next Web now. Learn more and register at http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;208669438;13503038;i?http://2009.visitmix.com/ _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
