It’s been over 2 years since I got my Burly kit.
It’s still in the box.
I’ve run the gamut from thinking It was too complicated for me to ever figure out how to operate and I should just sell it to building the darn thing.
Right now, I’m in the build the darn thing mode.
Right now, I’m getting ready to build the table and have a couple things I’d appreciate your input.
Thinking 30X18 or 24X24.
I’m still a little vague on what I might want to do with it.
Maybe some signs, carvings, and rings for my wife’s craft show jewelry business.
Couple questions, for now.
Do you put wheels on your table?
Of the two sizes of machine, which makes more sense.
I would go 24x24. I like wheels on my carts, but it will be light enough to move without wheels. Don’t sweat it.
I would suggest you look at the CNC machine as the project. Don’t think of it as a tool to make a project. Pay attention to having fun making progress (what step can I finish today? Even if it is just buying a can of paint) and if you end up with a robot at the end, then you’ve finished the puzzle.
Thinking of it this way may make some of your decisions easier.
When you’re finished and you learn more about the machine, you will find ways to make more joy and project ideas will flood your brain.
Thanks for the prompt response, Jeffeb3.
I’ve not doubted my abilities to build the machine structure.
The electronics baffle me a bit.
And design software and other softwares to operate may as well be Mandarin.
Do you mind expounding on your preference for 24X24?
The machine is only as strong as it’s weakest axis. 30" is over the recommended size for the MPCNC (although there are several successful ones). 24"x24" is easier for a beginner, and you will be able to do quite a lot with a machine that size (many, many hobby machines are smaller than that).
The electronics and software are the hardest part for a lot of people. But we lay out a good plan for you. We have probably made it easier in the years since you bought your kit. As long as you don’t need anything advanced, it will be surprisingly easy. If it isn’t, don’t pull out your hair, just come tell us what you’ve done and what didn’t work the way you expected and we’ll get you on the right track.
When in doubt just post a question. We are here to help. You’re not going to get super aggressive “ITS WRITTEN IN THE BUILD GUIDE!” I screwed up my build twice…well posted 2 of my screw ups. Once with belt sizes and then the wiring. The worse thing that will happen is overlord might move or change the tag of the question.
I would go with the 30 x 18, just for more sign opinions. And i really like these wheels
The first project I did with mine was posters for my daughter’s girl scout troop to color. My older daughter did a bunch of designs and my wife found some on the girl scout website.
Less than two years ago, I was in your position @larryfoster and even though @jeffeb3 didn’t give me that advice at the time - it’s how I’ve approached the whole build of my LR2, and I’ve had a ball. Heck it’s been finished a year and I haven’t fired a proper shot in anger with it yet, and I’m going to upgrade it to the LR3 in the foreseeable future. I figure the cost of doing that is insignificant over what will be a three year project and I can’t believe how much I have learned just hanging round these guys!
From a zero knowledge base, I’ve bought a printer kit, assembled it, made a pretty fair fist of figuring how to make it work, learned to draw and make my own stuff, built the LR3 and am fairly sure that I could now make it go without too many dramas - when figure out how to make it stop I’ll let you know. Just as they did with the printer, I am sure the projects will just appear out of nowhere when the time is right.
I’ve done all that quite astonishingly with less money than many people would have spent on cigarettes in that time.
