CNC for acrylic projects

[Jaybo]

Hey Don,
What size stepper motors are you going to use?? Will the 110 oz/in model (in your post earlier) will they have enough "oomph" to pull / push the set up W/ the extra weight of the cutter your using? You also made mention that you are building yours a bit different than the plans... (other than building it out of 3/4" acrylic which isnt in the plan) could you elaborate a bit?

The x z plate looks really nice! Nice job.. sorry to hear about the finger "casualty". DOH When I get mine started (hopefully by the end of the month) I would like to stop by sometime and see yours working. (because yours WILL be working right???) If thats not to far out of the question!

Thanks for the pics.. cant wait to see this thing cut something! (hopefully something OTHER than a finger???)HHAHAHAH

 

[DonW]

Hey Don,
What size stepper motors are you going to use?? Will the 110 oz/in model (in your post earlier) will they have enough "oomph" to pull / push the set up W/ the extra weight of the cutter your using? You also made mention that you are building yours a bit different than the plans... (other than building it out of 3/4" acrylic which isnt in the plan) could you elaborate a bit?

The x z plate looks really nice! Nice job.. sorry to hear about the finger "casualty". DOH When I get mine started (hopefully by the end of the month) I would like to stop by sometime and see yours working. (because yours WILL be working right???) If thats not to far out of the question!

Thanks for the pics.. cant wait to see this thing cut something! (hopefully something OTHER than a finger???)HHAHAHAH

The 110 motors will wok fine according to Rockcliff. I sent him and email asking the same thing. For now I'd trust him just based on his experince level. Keep in mind I'm as new to making cnc's as every one else. I did step up to the bigger motors. IIRC they are 190oz. I'm not real thrilled that I dont have them yet, its been two weeks.
As far as the cutter goes the Dewalt trimmer 3.2 lbs and fixed 30K rpm. The Ridged is 3.1 lbs with the base and variable 20K to 30K rpm. So its actually a bit lighter.
The finger is just typical stupidity on my part. Until my Dad told me told how to use superglue I was a regular aat the ER.
The acrylic is scraps I have in the scrap box, If I didnt already have it I would have used mdf. The acrylic is alot more work and needs a big router to get that channel cut. Also it has to be screwed together although I would have probably used screws with the mdf also.
I think the plan is pretty well thought out, I just like to do things my way some times.
The plan uses homemade lead screw nuts. I'm using dumpter cnc antibacklash nuts. Plan uses 1/4 plain zink coated allthread, I'm using tacoma screw stainless. It alot easier to get a chunk of stainless without dinged up threads. cost was about double but double $10 is not much. The plan uses homemade motor couplers I'm using dumpster cnc. I will point out other changes as I go along if there are any.
Also as you move along make sure you cut everything in pairs all referenced from the same side. I have saw and router fences that are accurate down to .001 but if you dont have micro possitioning fences, just think about each cut carefully and how it will effect alignment. You can be off but both sides have to be off the same.

Don

 

[big t]

it is funny you mention that you had to superglue your finger back together. Was it your pretty finger?

I just superglued my pinky nail back together last week haha.

 

[DonW]

it is funny you mention that you had to superglue your finger back together. Was it your pretty finger?

I just superglued my pinky nail back together last week haha.

No it was was one that was still in tact. I wish it would have been, that one doesnt have any feeling.

I ran into a major snag with this project. The acrylic x/z axis is not going to work. Seems acrylic has a bunch of movement. I to it in the house over the week-end and it warped. Probably would have been fine with pillow blocks but with the bronze bearings there is no way.
I'm going to just make a new one tonight out of mdf and get it done quick.

Don

 

[Jaybo]

Im sorry to hear of your setback , but on a brighter note... I guess its a good thing it happened now, rather that later when everthing was together.. However, its good to know that acrylic wont work, because I thought of possibly doing mine out of the same thing. It looks cool.. but I guess its functionality over aesthetics!@:lol:

 

[big t]

I suspected that you might end up with problems with the acrylic parts. Acrylic is cast into a big mold and the tolerances are pretty bad on thickness. I know that extruded acrylic has very tight thickness tolerances but then density and stiffness are even more of a problem.

Well once I get my kitchen put back together, and get the floors all done I will probably start messing around with one of these machines.

 

[DonW]

Im sorry to hear of your setback , but on a brighter note... I guess its a good thing it happened now, rather that later when everthing was together.. However, its good to know that acrylic wont work, because I thought of possibly doing mine out of the same thing. It looks cool.. but I guess its functionality over aesthetics!@:lol:

Ill make a mdf one tonight. The mdf cuts like butter so it shouldnt take more than a few minutes to get it done. It took a half a day to do the acrylic, but it sure looks nice. I think If I'd just stick to the plan I could do an entire machine in two hours.

Don

 

[DonW]

I did the x and z axis plate again last night. Also found out that the motors I order were on back order and wont be in for a few months. I stopped that order and got a set of three new 282in/oz motors on ebay for $108 that about a $60 savings. These should be better anyways especialy if I ever upgrade the machine. They should be more than strong enough for anything I'd ever cut.

 

[Jaybo]

HAHAH..:lol: I knew you werent going with the 110 oz/in.. They seemed a little small.. regardless if they would work or not..

WHAT... no pics of the new x,z plate??? Come on man! This is supposed to be a "pictoral step by step"

 

[DonW]

HAHAH..:lol: I knew you werent going with the 110 oz/in.. They seemed a little small.. regardless if they would work or not..

WHAT... no pics of the new x,z plate??? Come on man! This is supposed to be a "pictoral step by step"

I didnt think anyone want to see it with all the clamps waiting for the glue to dry. I'll post some tonight mounted on the gantry that I got most of the way done last night also. Now I need to find a driver and power supply.

Don

 

[pista01]

This is a DIY forum, of course we want to see glue drying

This is a very cool project. I've been toying around with doing this for a long time myself. Too many other projects to finish first.

I've heard good things about the HobbyCNC boards?
http://www.hobbycnc.com/driverboards.php

I'm considering their 4 axis stepper 200 oz-in package

 

[DonW]

This is a DIY forum, of course we want to see glue drying

This is a very cool project. I've been toying around with doing this for a long time myself. Too many other projects to finish first.

I've heard good things about the HobbyCNC boards?
http://www.hobbycnc.com/driverboards.php

I'm considering their 4 axis stepper 200 oz-in package

I like the price but I cant bring myself to sit still long enough to solder the thing together besides my hands are to far gone to do it anymore. I'll probably just go with zylotex and get it over with. I'm waiting for a email to make sure their board can hand the load of the 3a motors.

Don

 

[pista01]

Xylotex package is second on my list.

How many volts will you be running? According to the datasheet, it can handle 2.5A / phase @ 35V. They bundle 425 oz-in motors with their kits.

 

[DonW]

Xylotex package is second on my list.

How many volts will you be running? According to the datasheet, it can handle 2.5A / phase @ 35V. They bundle 425 oz-in motors with their kits.

I'm just going to order the 3 axis board and 24v supply. Their tech support just email back. According to them it will work fine in Bi-polar series mode. They seem to have a good reputation. I'm gald the other didnt work out. I'm finding that the FET3's are more of a hastle than they are worth.

Don

 

[DonW]

Got a little more done.

 

[Katchupoy]

as always Don, great job...

 

[Scooterman]

as always Don, great job...

Ditto, what fast progress, looks almost ready to start cutting!

 

[Jaybo]

Allright Don! Now thats what I'm talkin' bout'.

Great Pics.. Lets see some more!?!?!

 

[pista01]

Looks very professional!

Have you thought about what software you will use?

 

[DonW]

Looks very professional!

Have you thought about what software you will use?

Ive got Mach3. Looks pretty good so far. I found a new snag this morning, noticed that every computer we own has NO parallel port and you cant use a adapter. I may have to go scrounge a pc that will run at least xp and mach3.
If not I'm going to have to step up to the geko drives.

Don