This is my first experience with a CNC, and against everyone’s recommendations, I went the direction of a 4ft x 4ft build, rather than the 2ft x 2ft that the kit was designed for. I haven’t begun wiring/belts yet, so I’m assuming that’s where the challenges will begin to appear. Looking forward to getting this thing dirty!
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We will see how it works out together. My 4x4 build is the bottom work table as a basic dimension. I go in 2.5" from the corners for the corner feet. So work area is about 725mmx725 when all is assembled.
I do have mid-span supports in but am still tweaking the heights of the corner tubes and will adjust a bit for the router now that I have it installed.
Initial movements don’t show appreciable sag.
Welcome. Looking forward to future developments.
I figure I could always disassemble and make the unit smaller, if I need to. It’d be much more painful to rebuild a table to be bigger though. Go big or go home!
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A very nice, neat board. Your table looks super.
If you would like to lighten the cable guide for the gantry, I used PVC corner/edge moulding that I picked up at Lowes. It is stiff enough to carry the cables but is very light. I printed the motor clips to hold it.
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I can share the STL.
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I’ll definitely keep this in mind. Currently, the 2x2 I have to support the gantry wiring doesn’t seem to be an issue. But, if I plan on improving the quality/consistency of cuts, I’ll probably be making improvements like that. I think the first thing I’ll tweak is the belt thickness; it feels like it could be bulkier for a bigger build like this.
Are you using GT2 belts?
What kind of tubing did you end up using?
If using stainless steel do you think you would need the center supports?
Lastly, is the wood above the steppers just for cable management? It looks so functional.