ponch37300

I was on my local craigslist today(think I need to block that site from my computer so I stop buying stuff!) and found 2 perske spindles the guy wanted to get rid of for cheap. I didn't really know what they were so I googled them and a bunch of CNC tables came up. So I emailed him and asked what he wanted for them and long story short after a couple emails he said 175 a peice, not sure the model number but they are a couple thousand and up new and these have never been used. So I figured worst case I would throw them on ebay and make a couple bucks.

But before I get rid of them I would like to look into making a CNC router table. I've started doing some research on building one and what all it will take but was wondering if anyone on here has attempted this before. I have built some pretty complicated things before out of metal so the table won't be to much of a problem for me. The new stuff to me is the cnc part and somewhat the linear travel. I'm pretty sure I will be able to figure out the linear travel with some servo motors and belt driven carrages.

So has anyone built a cnc router table and if so do you have any advice? Or has anyone used a cnc router table and have any advice about building one? And if you do have one any pictures you might want to share? I know this is going to be a pretty big and complicated build but I would like to at least look into it and see what it's going to take before I sell these router spindles on ebay.

I'm going to look into building a shaper table also with the other one, I was going to build a router table but maybe I'll supersize it into a 7 HP shaper! Have some research to do with this one also.

Thanks for any advice you might be able to share on this, even if it's telling me I'm crazy!

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Thanks for your help, Scott

John in Tennessee

Sears has one and there is one more. I'm not sure what the brand is.

woodnthings

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...&aq=f&oq=&aqi=
You can spend a few hours lookin at these! bill

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Never stand directly in front of a horse or tablesaw that's running!
If you're not making dust, you're gathering it. After I reread my own posts, I agree with myself even more.

ponch37300

I know. I have been!!!

I've found some good sites and found a cnc forum site. After looking at mcmaster-carr at linear parts it would be pretty expensive but think I can use some bearings and metal angle to save some costs. Saw some that use chain drives which would be nice because I have some good sources for surplus sprockets and chains. I will keep looking in the next couple weeks and see if I can get a parts list together and price everything out. I found one site where a guy built one for around 400 bucks out of wood and aluminum and some creative parts and he has videos of every step.

I'm pretty sure I'll at least make an attempt at building the table and linear motion parts and then work on the cnc part as a learning experience. Would like to try and make this a router/plasma cnc table, kill 2 birds with one stone.

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Thanks for your help, Scott

wes

I thought cnc was verbotten here.

Anyway, I built my own machine. I designed it using Corel Draw of all things. It worked well for that purpose. I was able to see how the gantries would work by grouping parts and dragging them across the screen.

The rails for my x gantry cost 700.00 a piece (x4) and each one of the linear bearings cost about 75 if I remember right. The machine uses 8 of them. My brother works for GE aviation as a jig and fixture guy and he took two weeks to shoot the rails on using their tools. (they allowed him to do it I guess to see if he was really that good) and he is.

I found an IA (intelligent actuator) on ebay for my z axis. This is a ball screw axis.

There is nothing easy about building the table. Many guys who build their own tables send them out to companies that can anneal (sp?) them. They heat the table up to take the stress off of the welds.

You will find that almost all of the steel that you can purchase at your local foundry will be warped. You will have to machine each piece flat.

There are a lot of pieces to consider when putting the electronics together. One thing is to NOT buy too big of a stepper motor. The most popular stepper driver (gecko) isn't capable of going past 8 amps and a lot of the bigger motors draw more than 8.

I have about 12 grand in my home built machine but I had 4 machines before this one. I got to see first hand what works and what doesn't. I had a 30K machine (twice) that shook like it had palsy. They took the first one back and gave me another one. It shook too. I have a friend in another city who has this brand and they were never able to take the shake out of his machine. (40k with tool changer)

If you are serious about building a machine, I will be happy to point you to all of the sources for materials to build one. I have made some great friends due to building my own machine. You will find that it is a very small and tight knit bunch of people out there who are more than willing to help out.

PM me and I will be happy to talk with you.
you can see a picture of my home built cnc on the front page of my website www.doorbot.net also try www.cnczone.com you will find all of the information you need there.

BTW, I think you have to have a VFD to run those spindles. It controls the spindle by varying the frequency to the spindle ergo Variable Frequency Device. My vfd and Colombo spindle cost me about 4500.00. I probably could have gotten it cheaper but thats another story altogether.

Don't build a chain drive machine. You will be disappointed by the amount of backlash that you get.

warm regards,
Wes.

ps. Is this post ok? Does it pass muster?

cabinetman

CNC is not verboten here. The post is just fine. The problem IMO was your attitude, ego trip, and "your way was the only way".

After reading about the money you spent, it made me think about how much I spent on motorcycles, race cars, BMW's and Porsche's (I'm just too reserved to discuss the amounts).

Gus Dering

I have not built one but I have a fairly good one and know first hand how much fun they are when they work well.
But you seem like a guy that would have fun doing it and I hope you can pull it off.

If you can stay away from the chain and sprocket idea. The only way the work coming off the router is going to be accurate is to eliminate all the gear lash you can.

I assume you are headed for a 3 axis machine with an overhead gantry and a stationary table. Your Y axis will probably be the longest and should be the heaviest drive. Rack and pinion gears may be the best choice there. The X and Z axis would be fine with a ball screw drive.
There are a lot of routers with ball screws on all three axis and the better ones have larger diameter shafts than the cheaper ones. If you can scare up those parts somewhere you will have yourself a machine.

I wish I could be of more help but I can stand on the sidelines and shake the pom poms for you.

John in Tennessee

Take a few stiff drinks before looking at this lind and this one is used.

http://nashville.craigslist.org/tls/1451194114.html

ponch37300

Thanks for all the replies and advice guys. That is a nice machine you have Wes. I am not looking to spend thousands of dollars on this, just trying to build something for my garage since I got these spindles for very cheap. I have looked into a VFD for the spindles and they can be found pretty resonable used. As for the table I am going to have to figure something out for the linear travel and drive. I can't afford(and would be crazy to for my personal use) to spend 5000 on that. I will try and figure out a economical way to do this and still have some precision to it. I will look at all the links you guys posted and do some more research tonight.

Scott

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Thanks for your help, Scott