Model Boat Mayhem

Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: F4TCT on October 07, 2013, 01:42:03 pm

Title: Anyone built their own CNC machine?
Post by: F4TCT on October 07, 2013, 01:42:03 pm

A the title says really, anyone built or fancies building their own CNC machine?

Fancy attempting to build one myself, so I guess the question is can anyone help?

Dan

Title: Re: Anyone built their own CNC machine?
Post by: warspite on October 07, 2013, 04:25:06 pm

the thought of sensors to determine each and every axis, circuit boards and trying to find the space never mind the cost for a cnc machine - even a mini lathe etc fills me with dread and then there is the prospect of getting windows xp to interface with it  :P , i would have no time to build boats (though i have enough problems with that task  {-) )
 
on that note - course I would - where do you fit the batteries  {-)

Title: Re: Anyone built their own CNC machine?
Post by: Martin (Admin) on October 07, 2013, 05:23:08 pm

 
I think the late, great Peter Henshaw built one from a kit....

Title: Re: Anyone built their own CNC machine?
Post by: TailUK on October 07, 2013, 05:25:03 pm

There are CNC fitting kits that be retro fitted to small milling machines (replacing the XYZ handles with stepper motors) or you could look at something like this.
 
http://www.clickncarve.co.uk/ (http://www.clickncarve.co.uk/)
 
http://www.neo7cnc.com/ (http://www.neo7cnc.com/)
 
http://www.lirtex.com/robotics/diy-cnc-machine/ (http://www.lirtex.com/robotics/diy-cnc-machine/)

Title: Re: Anyone built their own CNC machine?
Post by: StarLocAdhesives/FiveStar on October 07, 2013, 06:36:03 pm

I converted a Taig mill to cnc, and used it to make a few injection moulds , I used a FET4 driver board from a company called stepperworld , I don't think they are available anymore , I used to run it from turbocnc , programing it in Gcode worked out on graph paper

I also made a mdf cnc router from plans from hobbycnc and used one of there stepper motor and board kits to run it, its a good one to start with as its so easy
The number of old cnc lathes available because the computers are broken is great, many older ones are stepper driven and can be converted very easily to run on a pc , ebay is a good place for old mills, routers and lathes that are broken due to electrical faults

I also have a Denford easyturn cnc lathe ( that I was given back in 1997 ) it did run from a tape player, but now its running as a fully auto lathe with bar feed, power chuck and tool changer, all run from an old pc running msdos and the turbocnc software

Most of the cheap controller  boards work just as well as the more expensive ones