20x30 inch build

karltinsly · October 10, 2015, 3:39pm

I have been working on my CNC for about three weeks, starting with printing all the parts. Here they are:

Printed parts for my MP CNC

I also printed parts to use my angle grinder as a cutoff saw for the conduit:

My angle grinder chop saw.

Here’s my nearly-completed machine. I’ve just gotten the axes moving using the LCD, but I think I need to get a real drive coupler to get the z axis working better.

Nearly completed CNC

CNC in its new home.

Still need to get it bolted down in its new home, and then start learning to use the CAM software.

Thanks, Ryan, for making this journey possible for me!

Karl

karltinsly · October 10, 2015, 3:47pm

Hmmm. Where are my pictures? I used the img button to link to the pictures on dropbox. They’re in a public folder. How do I make my pictures show up?

karltinsly · October 10, 2015, 4:14pm

Maybe as attachments?

karltinsly · October 10, 2015, 4:18pm

Maybe as smaller attachments?

asho777 · October 10, 2015, 4:33pm

Nice work, it all looks good to me.

I’m almost at the same stage, a couple more prints to do, then play around with the electronics before full assembly.

Cheers
Greg.

stevec · October 10, 2015, 9:30pm

Note that a regular pipe cutter works on steel conduit. You just have to go around it many times and need strong hands.

I love the grinder chop saw!

vicious1 · October 10, 2015, 11:42pm

I really could have used the little chop saw print when I was building the 4 head printer. Cut so many pieces I had to get a new hacksaw blade.

karltinsly · October 11, 2015, 2:39am

Northern Tool has a similar mount for an angle grinder chop saw, but I could never bring myself to spend the $25 or so for something I wouldn’t need very often. Then I saw this: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:317474. Worked perfect for my application. The clamp I printed was a little large for my harbor freight grinder, but I just wrapped in a strip of rubber pond liner I had laying around. The clamp can be sized to fit, though. Wear safety glasses!

rovida · October 12, 2015, 5:33am

Hi Karltinsly, could you please tell me where I can download the attach you have in your pictures 2015-10-10-15.48.47-Medium.jpg ?

Many thanks

karltinsly · October 12, 2015, 7:03am

Hi Rovida,

Do you mean the angle grinder mount? It’s http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:317474.

If not the grinder mount, what are you referring to?

Karl

vicious1 · October 12, 2015, 8:02am

I believe everything in the picture you are referring to are standard MPCNC parts.

https://www.v1engineering.com/blog/parts/

karltinsly · October 15, 2015, 7:20pm

SUCCESS! I finally got everything ironed out and had my first successful print (with a sharpie in the tool holder). Tomorrow I hope to do my first cut!

Can I embed a video here?

If that doesn’t work, here’s a link: https://youtu.be/kAzwxIWznHI

Woohoo!

Karl

karltinsly · October 15, 2015, 7:33pm

Trying one more time to embed the video.

karltinsly · October 16, 2015, 8:03pm

Made my first cuts!

karltinsly · October 17, 2015, 11:35am

Used a 1/2 inch harbor freight end mill, 15mm/s feedrate, 1mm depth, 65% step over. Next time I do one of these, I will oversize the slot so it can be cut with the 1/2 inch bit and still fit the t-slots, and I’ll also put the two boards together and cut the slots for both at the same time (just set the depth to 31mm). I might also speed it up some - either faster feed rate or deeper cuts. But I shouldn’t need to do this again for awhile.

The only thing left is dressing the bed.

These t-slots are awesome! They take 1/4-20 carriage bolts, which are cheap and readily available. I couldn’t find a 1/4-20 knob with a trapped nut, so I remixed my own. Here’s what I used:

T-slots: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:876395
Clamps: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:21057
Knobs: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1071520

vicious1 · October 17, 2015, 2:36pm

Nice, added them all to the videos page. Congratulations.

karltinsly · October 31, 2015, 9:06pm

Meant to be test cuts, but they came out so well, we’ll probably use them! Really liking the carve feature of ESTLCAM. I’ve used a 1/2 inch 90 degree and 1/4 inch 60 degree bit so far. I’ve ordered a set of 10, 15, 20, and 30 degree bits for finer work.

Getting your z-zero correct is key, especially for carving. I find it’s better to be too deep that than not deep enough, so I usually set my zero a few tenths of a mm below the surface.

vicious1 · November 1, 2015, 6:47am

looks like someone is about to have the machine pay for itself pretty soon. Those signs cleaned up really well. Thanks for the new vid and the inspiration to try the esltcam carve feature.

karltinsly · November 1, 2015, 6:02pm

The machine paying for itself would be great! I’m a ways from that but working steadily towards it. I also want to try this:
https://youtu.be/8YpjPi2QanQ?list=PLRK7iJu0LNR2SUYFXWXBNPtl3Bwxa6IgU (carving bas relief)

If anyone knows where I can get a good bas relief file of a llama or alpaca, please let me know!

Karl

clocey · November 2, 2015, 10:02am

GREAT WORK!!
Can you please share a few things? Which dust collector head is that? Are the files available on thingiverse? What OD did your use for the sharpie holder? What cable chain did you use? Printed or purchased?
I recently ordered the carving bits and hope to get them soon.
Curt