Looking for CNC machine

[droddis]

There are plenty of good plans available for free, rather than paying. Or you could buy a precut MDF kit. CNCZone forum has loads of plans to download to diy and buildyourcnc.com shows how to build a cnc router with a video diary. They also sell an expandable kit, although its a bit bigger than a desktop size. 2' x 4' routable area but can be increased to 8' x 4'. There are loads of kits on ebay.

If its for making panels then you could also look at laser engraver and cuter. You can pick one up a hobby one on ebay for around $900 - £1500. with a working area of around 200 x 220mm. The laser engraver will give smoother text can cut square inside corners.

Software:

You need a cad drawing program to draw the panels.

A CAM software to convert to G-code - (you can write this yourself in a texteditor but text is complicated.

And a controller for Windows - Mach3(payware) or linux CNC-EMC (freeware)

Hope this helps

[AndyT]

Is there any freeware for windows?
I saw Mach 3 and I think it has a G-Code converter built into it.
I have Fireworks and Google Sketchup. Can I use them to create the models?

I will be cutting thin aluminum and wood and plastic for panels and making my own PC boards. What else will I need?

[BHawthorne]

There is linux-cnc for free. I'm going mach3 with my build though. I really would suggest www.cnczone.com. I think of them as the mycockpit.org of cnc building.

[fweinrebe]

Is there any freeware for windows?

There are some freeware DOS applications as well. TurboCNC. It is normally recommended to take an old PC for your CNC controller software. Because the environment its working in becomes dirty. Therefore that Linux EMC2 options could be a great solution. There is an ISO file available on their website which has the UBUNTU 8 Linux version already packed with EMC2. No compiling needed.

TurboCNC is found here: http://www.dakeng.com/turbo.html

I have Fireworks and Google Sketchup. Can I use them to create the models?

It looks like any program that can save a DXF file (AutoCAD File format) can be used. These CAM programs normally converts from DXF to g-code.

I will be cutting thin aluminum and wood and plastic for panels and making my own PC boards. What else will I need?

You will probably need the 60 degrees tip for the PCB cutting, if you needed finer cutting. Otherwise the 30 degrees tip is used. Available from here: http://www.megauk.com/.

There is some info on the PCB Routing on this page: http://www.brusselsprout.org/PCB-Routing/

[BHawthorne]

It looks like any program that can save a DXF file (AutoCAD File format) can be used. These CAM programs normally converts from DXF to g-code.

I'm really partial to using Adobe Illustrator's DXF export function. You can do really good font work in Illustrator and convert to outlines in it. If it's something I want to do very fast and is only 2D I don't hesatate to use Illustrator vs. a regular CAD app.

2D: Illustrator -> FeatureCAM -> Mach3
3D: SolidWorks -> FeatureCAM -> Mach3

I realize that those apps are not free, but those are the ones that work best for me. I really suggest them if you can afford to go that route. MasterCAM is also a potential substitution for CAM, but I slightly prefer FeatureCAM's learning curve over MasterCAM.

[paulj]

Hi Guys,
I have a quick question if you don't mind.
I have a Dremmel Multipro tool is this any good for converting into a cnc machine?
I'm thinking that I could just use an engraving bit to do the lettering and a milling bit to cut plastic/wood or light aluminium panels.
An I on the right track here or would I have to start off by buying some other tool?

thanks

Paul

[Perik]

Hello

Most important to decide is what Jörg at Simparts talks about - what to mill and at what precision.
As soon as you think about metalwork the price of the CNC must and will increase. You can find quite affordable CNC parts on Ebay, but anyway I would have seen a 10 times maybe more increase in cost compared to the unit I have build which is based on purely Home Depot parts except the Stepper kit from www.hobbycnc.com

Have not tried Alu yet - I may be able mill soft metal at shallow depth and at low speed. So far only MDF and Acrylic. The precision is about 0,1mm over 300mm which is good enough for my needs.
The resolution is 1,75mm/200=0,00875mm. Hey, this is some good numbers, but are only achievable by high cost mechanical parts.
The size of the mill is also an important factor. I early decided to be able to put the whole MIP in the machine. The CNC had to be “open” in one direction. My working area is about 400x800mm and 150mm in vertical movement.


About the software:
I bought the combined package of Sheetcam & Mach3 from:
http://www.sheetcam.com/register.shtml £150 (UK pounds).
I had CorelDraw already in place so the 2D work is OK. Exports in HPGL format from Corel (Corel is handling DXF badly) and into Sheetcam for ToolPath and Gcode – then to Mach3 for milling. Lately added Meshcam (www.meshcam.com) ($175) to do 2-1/2D milling. For PCB (schematics & layout) I’m using Diptrace (www.diptrace.com) Free until 250 pads.
Exports in DXF-format to Sheetcam for contour path & gcode, then to Mach.

This is the status at the moment and I'm satisfied with the results so far.
About to finalize the MCP these days.

The whole case is about time & money which are some of the most important factors for all of us.



Happy milling

[riche543]

Heres another link that might help you

http://buildyourcnc.com/latest.aspx im just about to start building this one ,

[vcimmino]

Well, I think that building a CNC is an hobby itself. You need to learn a lot of mechanics, electronics, other than have many basic tools already available even if you already have some complete plans. If your hobby is the simulation I don't think you'll afford the hard work needed.

Thus said I'm sure that you won't regret in buying one prebuilt, both artigianal or industrial, as you'll spend your time in learning how to use it (that has an it's own long learning curve) instead of becoming mad to make one your own and maybe to discover thereafter that you are not satifacted of it's tollerances.

I think that without spending a fortune you can find an aluminium CNC based on 2A stepper motors like mine, with good strenght to cut and mill plastics, wood and maybe alu itself for around 1500-2000$ ready to use. Then you will have to spend more for softwares depending on the target of your works. Mach3 is an easy and almost cheap choice of software interfacing. You can also give a look at EMC2 that is a linux free software with very good feedback.

To design you can use Illustrator, Corel, Autocad or any other basic 2D drawing tool and then import in a specialized CAM software to create the milling paths (There are a lot around, many already said here, I use Artcam and VisualMill) that EMC2 and/or Mach3 will recognize. If you need to cut real 3D objects then you'll need maybe Rhino or Solidworks or 3DStudio, but be aware that the 3 axis machines can't create all the paths that a true 3D object need to have milled. So you should have a 4th and maybe a 5th axe as well.

To end with, tollerances are important, but hey, don't ever think that any hobbistic CNC will really cut at 0.01mm true resolution. Many factors are crossing themselves in milling centesimal perfect paths. You won't ever made them going all togheter the same way, but for casuality, and If I were in any CNC owner I just would be happy if the cuts are in the 0.05mm range error. That error wouldn't be visible anyway but measuring it.
I would anyway choose a good milling with high torque power (500W>) and high quality bits that will improve the final quality of your work. But you will learn all of this yourself as you'll start working with a CNC machine.

I hope to have given you useful informations. Ask more if you need.

[BHawthorne]

Well, I think that building a CNC is an hobby itself. You need to learn a lot of mechanics, electronics, other than have many basic tools already available even if you already have some complete plans. If your hobby is the simulation I don't think you'll afford the hard work needed.

I find that CNC and simpits are complimentary hobbies. It's just another tool to be used in further refining your simpit. It really depends upon how you approach simpit building though. Someone people are happy to just put things together once and it's how it is. In that situation it makes more sense to just have someone cut the parts for you. If you're constantly refining things and find that fun though, it would justify a CNC machine. In order to do it right though you will have to drop $1500-2500 on a CNC machine plan/kit and parts. That's a lot better than dropping $7,000 - $15,000 on a turn-key CNC solution though. If you want a router table that'll do all the big shell parts look at the MechMate (free plans) and ShopBot (Turn-key). If you want to cut smaller metal parts for gauges/insturments and electorics boards get a X2 mini mill and CNC retorfit it or get the Seig X2 (turn-key) CNC. There are also cheap mini lathes that'll do your turning work from Harbor Frieght. I don't suggest CNC kit for that. I'd just manually turn the parts on it.

Router Table: MechMate or ShopBot
Mini Mill: Harbor Frieght X2 or Seig X2

but be aware that the 3 axis machines can't create all the paths that a true 3D object need to have milled. So you should have a 4th and maybe a 5th axe as well.

Actually, 3-axis mills can cut 5-axis parts just fine. Since time is not much of a $$$$'s factor in hobby CNC I suggest the person merely reorientate the part in the vise or tooling to be cut in 3-axis. No need to drop a bunch more money on a 4th and 5th axis for your CNC when you can just remount the part your machining in the orientation needed to get it cut in that 4th and 5th axis with the 3 axis setup. Only thing it'll cost you is zeroing in the part X,Y,Z 0 in the new orientation and another seperate G-code for the new cuts. At work we only have 2 4-axis machines, so I am used to doing multiple programs for a part so it could merely be done on a 3 axis with proper tooling. The 4-axis machiens are only used on runs that have time constraints for shipment + are complex parts. You can do 5-axis work just fine on a 3-axis, it just requires the machinist to remount the part in the vise/tooling several times.