Large Scale Central

My CNC Router Build

Modeling Technical Modeling
#1

I finally received all my parts for my new CNC Router so I thought I’d document the assembly and let everyone see how easy it is to build your own CNC Router.

My machine is a CRP4848 4’ x 4’ CNC Router kit from CNCRouterParts at www.cncrouterparts.com. You can purchase this machine as an entire kit or you can purchase the hardware only kit and provide your own 8020 aluminum extrusion. I choose the hardware only kit with their Nema 23 CNC electronics package and purchased the 8020 extrusions and gear rack off of e-bay. I also purchased a new Porter Cable 690 router for right now instead of a spindle because I got it on sale for 99.00. CNCRouterParts provides all the drawings and specifications for their machines for free on their web site.

I started several months ago by welding my own base to support the CNC router out of 3” angle on top with 2” square tubing for the legs with adjustable rubber feet and a center cross brace. I also put angle around the inside down lower to support a shelf. You can see from the picture what it looks like.

Today I heated the shop up and got the welded base for the machine placed and leveled. You can see in the picture the painted walls, the position of the base, and the vacuum system that needs to be hook up.

Then I started assembling the machine base that will be attached to the top of my welded base. The two main side rails are 1545 extrusions and the cross members are 1515 extrusions. This is all clamped and squared then bolted together with special fasteners purchased with the 8020 aluminum extrusions. I got as far as laying everything out, but didn’t have time to tighten everything so I’ll have to finish tomorrow after our train club meeting. Here are a couple of pictures.

Thanks for watching there’s more to come!!!

#2

Sweet! I so want one of these. Thanks for the pics. Keep em coming.

#3

Awesome. Cant wait to see what you turn out first!

#4

Cool!

#5

That site connected me to “online metals”. Looks like a great resource too. Thanks for sharing. I think this would be a great tool to have (short of a million dollar water jet!!!). I would also look forward to see how you use it. Got to be some great stuff to do with it.

#6

Make sure you use servo motors not steppers…

#7

Daniel, I hope you don’t take offense with my statement. I ran a water jet at work for a few years. I know the plant paid big bucks for it and the software. It had to be modified for their specific product, ceramic fibers.

#8

Very nice, very nice! I wish we would have the room for that size, however … can’t have everything.

#9

I got a little progress done today on my machine. I completed the assembly of the machine base and got it positioned on the welded base frame. But of course attaching the machine to the welded base took a little work. First I drilled holes in the flanges on the base for the bolts on the 1545 side rails to go through. Then I placed the machine on the frame and had to use aluminum shims to level the machine out because the welded frame wasn’t perfectly flat. With the help of a depth micrometer, long level, and my calipers I could calculate the amount of shim needed under each fastener. Now the machine base is level and square on the frame. I purchased the shims from McMaster/Carr in a set for around $50.00.

Here is a close up of the machine attached to the frame. You can see the shims partially sticking out past the frame. These will be cut off before I attach the gear rack to this side of the 1545 side rail other wise they will interfere with the Rack & Pinion drive units.

Next I pre-assembled the hardware on the guide rails that mount to the top of the 1545 side rails. Then I slid the guide rails in place but they are not fastened down yet. I also installed the rear bumper stops on the back of the 1545 side rails.

That’s all for now! Next will be the Gantry Riser assembly so say tuned.

#10

looking very nice Chuck. I wondered why you did not respond to my email. Now I can see why. Keep up the good work you’ll have her up and running in no time.

#11

Chuck,

What are you going to do with this after it’s up and running?

Make kits to sell?

#12

A little more progress today;

So far everything is going together real easy. Of course it makes it nice that I have WIFI in the house so I can set up my laptop on the work bench and go directly to CNC Router Parts web site and look at the instruction for the different assemblies. Today I got the guide rails fastened down on top of the side rails. Then I built the gantry riser assembly and got them mounted on the guide rails. The last part was mounting the actual gantry to the risers. This was really fun trying to get 8 bolts inserted into 8 holes all while trying to move a very heavy piece of 8020 extrusion for the gantry. But after a little fussing around I got all the fasteners in place and tightened up. Squaring the gantry with the table was simple only because of the instructions on CNC Router Parts web site.

Tomorrow I have to pick-up some hardware I had to special order for my gear racks, so hopefully I’ll get the side gear racks mounted along with the guide rails on the gantry. I also plan on cutting all the holes in my electronics box so I can get everything mounted in it. Here are a couple of pictures from today.

Thanks for watching, Chuck

#13

Chuck,

Is it done, yet?

#14

when I ran a router table we wrote a program with a big fly cutter to level the table out to the rails to make the table flat with the rails. we built gas station panel which you ship flat and bend on site, lucabond panels which was plastic sandwiched between 2 al panels about .020 thick really neat stuff… around here router table and water jet run $150 hr that’s why I choose water over router, cleaner and square corners if needed plus the water jet places get my parts faster…

the reason I say servo over stepper is a stepper can lose it place under load were a servo will go to it distance said too, I used both and servo cost a little more but worth it. just my 2 cents worth…

#15

Chuck what are you planning on using for your router bed ?
I have a 5’x9’ router and I made my bed out of 1.25 fiberglass grating. I love it, because real easy
to fasten various spoil boards, or other parts we run by the hundreds.
Easy to see though for misc alignment issues.
I routed the surface of the grate off to insure a flat surface.

#16

Dennis,

I hope you had REAL GOOD VENTILATION when routing off the fiberglass grating. Those tiny fiberglass fragments would otherwise cause real havoc with your lungs. I would think worse than cutting PT lumber on a table saw.

Bob C.

#17

Bob Cope said:

Dennis,

I hope you had REAL GOOD VENTILATION when routing off the fiberglass grating. Those tiny fiberglass fragments would otherwise cause real havoc with your lungs. I would think worse than cutting PT lumber on a table saw.

Bob C.

Crap

Anyone wanna trade a set of lungs

Any pic updates Chuck?

#18

Actually I have the machine all togther and realized I don’t have any updated pictures so I need to go out tomorrow and take some then I will post them. I’m working on the electronics portion of the machine now. All the motors and cables have been run and I just got the computer all cleaned up with the proper software loaded. So hopefully I’ll be able to get everything hooked up this weekend and get the machine moving on it’s own.

Daniel@ this machine has stepper motors. My large commercial machine had stepper motors also and I never had a problem loosing steps. As long as the machine and software are fine tuned properly you don’t loose steps. Besides his machine is for fun not commercial use.

Dennis@ my spoil board will consist of a 3/4" cabinet grade plywood as the base with a 3/4" MDF top. That way I can surface plane the MDF as I cut into it when making parts and replace it when it gets too thin. I have been following another thread on the CNCZone web page and will copy the person’s fastening system with a series of holes placed on a 2" x 2" grid with thread inserts at the bottom of the holes. That way I can hold down different sizes of projects.

Most of my projects will be wood or plastic related. Parts, signs, buildings pretty much anything I can design or someone needs.

It’s getting closer, I just wish the weather would start getting warmer, the cost of heating my shop is killing my budget.

Chuck

#19

Hallelujah the machine moves!!! Today started off by heating the shop and mounting the electronics control box to the machine. Then I got all the cables hooked up to the control box. The final step was connecting the computer to the control box and turning everything on. Walla everything moved just like it was suppose to. The first picture shows a close-up of the machine. I still have to install the cable tracks and route all of the cables.

The next picture shows the electronics control box mounted to the side of the machine. I made a wood brace that attached to the top and bottom steel frame on the machine then I attached the control box to that. Quite the mess with all those cables laying everywhere.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cncrr/IMG_9294_1_1.JPG )

The final picture shows an overview of the machine and the computer. I got the bottom shelf painted and installed. I also found a couple packages of anti-fatigue mats that I purchased a few years back and put them together around the machine. Makes it easier on the feet and my back. The computer will eventually be moved against the side wall but for now it’s just fine. I still have some fine tuning to do in my Mach 3 program before I’ll be happy but at least the machine is running.

Next will be the spoil board base and the MDF but I think I’ll wait until after all this deep freeze passes. With the wind blowing today it was a nice -11 degrees outside and I could only get the shop warmed up to 55 degrees. Brrrrrrr!!

Thanks for watching.

Chuck

#20

Chuck,

How you gonna handle all the chips coming off this baby?