Author Topic: CNC tools for the home shop!  (Read 9281 times)

Offline backyard_cnc

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CNC tools for the home shop!
« on: November 22, 2008, 01:09:27 AM »
Hi all,

here's a few shots of my small CNC toyz! A  desktop mill, very nice, well built and precise, much more machine than say a minimill or a Sherline/TAIG mill ! Also a great little CNC router which gets lots of use doing custom carved oak signwork! A sample of which is visible behind the milling machine. I have a small CNC lathe as well but it still has a few bugs to be worked out as time permits.

Gerald

Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: CNC tools for the home shop!
« Reply #1 on: November 22, 2008, 02:18:05 AM »
Hey Gerald,

Glad you started posting. You got some nice toys going on there. Is that mill CNC only?

Eric
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Offline dsquire

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Re: CNC tools for the home shop!
« Reply #2 on: November 22, 2008, 02:26:45 AM »
Gerald

I guess that I must be following you around. You have the pictures up here that I asked about in your other post. Nice Mill and Router. Did you build the cncrouter yourself or is it a commercial bit? It looks like it is a sturdy bit of machine. I am thinking that it is built of aluminum or steel. Very nice.

cheers :beer:

Don
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Offline backyard_cnc

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Re: CNC tools for the home shop!
« Reply #3 on: November 22, 2008, 02:47:23 AM »
Gerald

I guess that I must be following you around. You have the pictures up here that I asked about in your other post. Nice Mill and Router. Did you build the cncrouter yourself or is it a commercial bit? It looks like it is a sturdy bit of machine. I am thinking that it is built of aluminum or steel. Very nice.

cheers :beer:

Don

Mostly Al but some all the rails are steel. It was produced by a chap with a commercial machine shop about 3~4 years ago. He did quite a few and sold them on ebay. Unfortunately they are no longer available as they were quite well built. I have been well pleased with it. Very sturdy and reasonable fast, only problem is only about 18 by 18" cut area. I can get 100ipm rapids no problem . I generally carve oak to .250 inch with a V bit at 35~40 IPM. Can go a little faster maybe but with small spindles is a risk. I just made a new mounting plate and got a BOSCH PR20 router on there so I may do some tests and see if I can up the cut speeds to maybe 45IPM without risking dropped steps. I am working on another larger router project (maybe 24" by 30" work envelope) but mostly gathering and making parts so far.

So many projects so little time and money!

Gerald

Offline backyard_cnc

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Re: CNC tools for the home shop!
« Reply #4 on: November 22, 2008, 02:52:47 AM »
Hey Gerald,

Glad you started posting. You got some nice toys going on there. Is that mill CNC only?

Eric

Eric the mill is CNC only but i do as much manual machining with it as full CNC. I consider it to be a mouse controlled manual mill with power feed and DRO on all axis. There are times when I wish it had actual cranks but software is easy enough to use for simple moves and cuts. I am looking at maybe getting a decent sized tabletop mill to get a little more axis travel. If I could find a good used BRIDGEPORT locally I would try and grab it for sure. That's the trouble with tools, you always want a bigger one!

Gerald

Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: CNC tools for the home shop!
« Reply #5 on: November 22, 2008, 02:58:21 AM »
... That's the trouble with tools, you always want a bigger one!

Gerald


Yeah tell me about it, I am planning to demo the garage to build a bigger one for more room. I am going to convert my X2 shortly to CNC to build more things to pay for a bigger mill so I can do more to pay for a CNC conversion... see where this is going?

Eric
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Offline Darren

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Re: CNC tools for the home shop!
« Reply #6 on: November 22, 2008, 08:49:21 AM »
Thanks Gerald, some ideas there to think about.....more things to do !!!
You will find it a distinct help… if you know and look as if you know what you are doing. (IRS training manual)

Offline backyard_cnc

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Re: CNC tools for the home shop!
« Reply #7 on: November 22, 2008, 12:49:17 PM »
Quote

Yeah tell me about it, I am planning to demo the garage to build a bigger one for more room. I am going to convert my X2 shortly to CNC to build more things to pay for a bigger mill so I can do more to pay for a CNC conversion... see where this is going?

Eric

Eric,

I had considered doing a CNC of my X2 but don't think I will. I did start though and made the motor mount for the X axis. It may become a power feed at some point.

Gerald
« Last Edit: November 22, 2008, 01:01:08 PM by Brass_Machine »