Hey everyone,
Starting my own build and I’m looking for some help with size of the frame. In the aluminium guide it says 3’x2’x2" and it sounds reasonable. However I’m unsure what this corresponds to when entering it in the calculator. Is the measurements referring to the length of the pipes, the outside of the finished frame or the build volume (what seems to be the measurement that you enter inte the Calc)?
I think it’s the recommended cutting area. So a 2’ cutting area is about 35 inch pipe.
Bigger=slower on every CNC ever built.
Don’t build the biggest machine you can fit. Build the smallest machine you can use effectively. The numbers he gives are for his machine, but in retrospect he only ever mills a 5"x4" part, no need to actually go any bigger. Aluminum has been milled on a 5’x5’ build. It comes down to how good your are at CAM. If you want a fishing boat why buy a yacht, if you want to mill aluminum quickly and easily make the thing tiny! It literally cost a few dollars to go bigger later, if for some reason you need to. Start small and learn how to use it.