DIY homebuilt 3 axis CNC router, CUTTING ALUMINUM

[scottfx10]

what did this machine end up costing you? materials, steppers, electronics (sans computer), etc..

[DJhenderlong]

Nice man! fyi at the shop we have to program to cut the stock when cutting circles, so that the stock doesnt break the tool.

what spindle and steppers and controler and ball screws are you running?

[gtinoco7]

What do you think is the smallest I can engrave on aluminum? I'm looking to engrave ruler lines 0.1" apart for custom ruler as well as the numbers to go with it. Do you think I'll be able to get that precision on your machine?

[gtinoco7]

What do you think is the smallest I can engrave on aluminum? I'm looking to engrave ruler lines 0.1" apart for custom ruler as well as the numbers to go with it. Do you think I'll be able to get that precision on your machine?

[boreddism]

where can i find the plans? the ebay link doesnt work

[momusCNCdesign]

@boreddism

Sorry about the old link. If you search on ebay for "cnc router plans", it will be the listing that says "benchtop CNC" in the photograph. Or you can find me by my ebay seller id, which is momus_design.  I think you have to do an advanced search to find me by seller id.

[jdh239]

Cool, good to know. thx

[jdh239]

How do you keep the part from getting all screwed up at the end of your cut if you aren't using tabbing? You didn't show the final pass in the video.

[momusCNCdesign]

@jdh239 It actually is tabbed, but you are correct that they aren't seen in the video. There were very thin tabs that were only as thick as the last pass or two. Just enough to keep the part in place for the final pass, but easy to twist the part free from the stock and then clean up with a couple of passes with a file.

[momusCNCdesign]

It is a Ridgid R2400 laminate trimmer which is rated at 6 amps. I think that works out to somewhere between 3/4Hp to a little under 1 Hp depending on motor efficiency. I think they advertised it as 1Hp. It is surprisingly powerful for its size.

[jeffbrent]

What HP router is that?

[piniw5]

Can you please give more details about the belt, How to configure to get this speed and precision in MACH3.

[momusCNCdesign]

@piniw5

The belt is XL pitch (.200") driven by 10 tooth timing pulleys, direct drive. They are neoprene with fiberglass cords. Part of the speed also comes from keeping the mass of the gantry as low as possible while still managing to keep it very rigid and strong.

[drogersgolf]

HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE?  I HAVE AND EASY CUT-OUT NEEDED FROM 1/4" AND 3/16" 6061

[ChevyTBlover]

How do you keep the part from moving at the last few cuts?

[momusCNCdesign]

@ChevyTBlover The cut is tabbed, so at the end of the cut it leaves a couple of small partial thickness tabs that keep the part in the stock. They are actually thin enough that I can just twist the part out of the stock. Then run a file over that little area to clean it up.

[MrDrummer1992]

does any body know how to make a Manuel milling machine with a router?

[isaacHunt2]

Maybe you should considering ramping into that Aluminium, the router head clearly isn't too keen on plunge milling.

[momusCNCdesign]

Agreed! On these cuts I was also trying some free 2.5 axis CAM software to see how decent the g-code it generated was. Unfortunately, being free, it only has a straight plunge & retract.