I'm pretty sure that if anyone here had made their own CNC router/mill they'd have posted about it, but I've been planning one for well over a year now and I'm finally ready to move to the actually making it stage. I originally planned to do this last summer, but researching the tech and understanding the process has taken a lot longer than I initially realised.  Although the basic principal is very simple (an X, Y and Z axis with a tool stuck on the end (yes, john)), the implementation requires a fair bit of thought and planning - not least because even at the modest scale I'm planning the costs are pretty significant (about ~£90 for guide rails alone, probably about £150 for motors and then another £70 or so for drivers and a PSU, perhaps more).

My current plan is to make a frame from welded steel box section this week (yay universities!) , then pair that with some sbr16 supported rail from China and some stepper motors/drivers and, initially, an arduino running GRBL.

But if anyone (Ant? Chris?) has looked into doing something similar I'd love to hear your thoughts.

 

What for? What're you going to make?

Gort.

Everything.

Never looked into one but I look forward to seeing your results!

Me too! Have to finish off the CAD design for the frame today and make sure it's going to hold up to the forces involved. 

My current plan is:

1. Frame out of welded box steel
2. Rails [on order from china]
3 .mounting plates (for motors, bearings, rods etc): laser cut from either MDF or plywood.
4. ???
5. Profit

That should get the machine more or less up and running, and allow me to mill new mounting plates (very slowly, the wood mounting plates won't be that great) out of aluminium. Using the machine to build the  machine. It's like Skynet or something.

Profit.

I'd like one. How much?

For you... $1,000.

Plus shipping. And handling fees.

That sounds a bit high for just everything. Maybe I'll see if I can find a better price somewhere else.

Or you could wait for the new version due out next year: Everything + 1.

So here's a very rough plan of my X and Y frame. Lots of bits either missing or simplified, and I'm also a bit worried about how much the Y axis is going to weigh if I make it out of steel. Might need to switch to aluminium for that part. But at least I've got the dimensions sussed and have something to work from for welding shit up (hopefully tomorrow).

 

http://www.marchantdice.com/

If I had a spare 20 grand I'd buy one :(

I am the manager of a workshop that has these.

DMU 60
Mori Seiki SV50
Milltap 700
Mazak 410
ANCA TX7+

Big smiles.

Well that kind of puts my little project to shame :((

What do you guys make with them?

We are a prototyping and testing department for one of the largest cutting tools manufacturers in the world.

We manufacture prototypes and we test them in steels and composite materials. We also support customers if they have difficult applications.

I was directly involved in designing and developing the drill in the first video, including, simulation and the creation of the 3D models in NX.

Holycrap that's my (current) dream job.

Where are you based and are you looking for any (paid) summer interns?  (dance)

We are based at the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Sheffield. We have a work experience student for the summer and we are just taking on a new apprentice. (sorry). Go to Sandvik.com and register your C.V.

More info, Steve in the video is a good friend of mine, and the AMRC is 100 metres from us.

Aww, Sheffield is too far away :(

That's some damn fine looking kit there, though. Wish we had an AMRC typle place up here :(

So jealous...