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Any one else built your own router?

PGSigns

New Member
I decided to build a router to add to the shop. I think I have read most everything I could find on available routers and build your own info. What I have designed is a 50"X100" work area 6" Z and space to add a fourth axis. The steel got here today and I'll post pics as I go. Looks like a fun project. I am researching software now so any thoughts of what works well please pass them on. So far I am looking at Mach 3 along with V-carve.
Thanks
Jimmy
 

iSign

New Member
you're a brave man... that's all I got to say. I couldn't imagine taking on a challenge like that, but I wish you the best of luck.

I once read about a design for building a router that starts with hand fabricating various temporary components out of wood, which then get assembled with all your gears, belts, motors, spindles, gantry, and so on, and so forth... until you have a working CNC machine limited only by the inferior durability of these temporary wooden parts...


...then you proceed to use the working model to machine the metal replacements. The wooden parts are just durable enough for the short term lifespan of serving their only function of machining their own metal replacement parts!!

I imagine you've already heard about that approach, but I just wanted to mention it for anyone who hasn't because it seems like such an amazing concept.
 

skyhigh

New Member
Pretty cool Jimmy. Let me know how you make out. Looking forward to seeing your pictures in progress.

A close relative of mine built his own cnc plasma table a while back. That comes in handy also. If you don't have one yourself, this is the next best thing....LOL
 

Conor Knoxx

New Member
what plans / type / etc are you building on Geiger?

It does look like a daunting task, but broken down into small, individual tasks, I think its quite do-able, and would be a lot of fun!

Personally, I've been looking real hard at the http://www.mechmate.com/ (which someone mentioned here in a previous thread)

quite a few up and running, and seems like a real sturdy design. they are suggesting about $4k to build one.
 

Techman

New Member
I built one.. It was good for my mission. In the end you will have twice the amount of money you first planned into it. That's the truth. Someone will say they built one for $3 grand but they actually have much more than that.

Actually when listening to some one tell about their home built and discuss the low cost and great savings.. believe this.... Open mouth, all lies, except when breathing. For example. One point they always leave out is the computer. You do not want your tweaked computer out in the production area. So you will need another computer.

Cons to a small home built. It is slow. It is time consuming to run. . Slow means waiting long time for work done. Dirt gets every where. Did I mention slow?

If I was planning on doing a lot more router usage I would use this home built model to build a real router. Or better yet, I would save up and buy a real router. (Take this with a box of salt because home built machine designs are rapidly improving.) For example. there is a recent design out using 80/20 extrusions that is amazing. It is strong, accurate, light and fast. The challenge is you must have access to power tools.

Right now a real router will cost just a little more than a home built. But as in almost anything the hardware is not the real cost. The time and learning curve is where it hurts the most. After I spent the money in parts for my little baby a gerber sabre 4x4 went up for sale across town for $5 grand complete.

I spent a lot of time learning about the various drivers, post processors, software and hardware. I spent a lot of time adapting and improvising this and that to make it all work together. It was something I wanted to do anyway. I had a specific mission in mind. When completed It could have cost me more in displaced lost work. But that is another subject.

Do not ignore this fact. CAD software diving a cnc router is nothing like running corel draw and a cutter. Any one who down plays this fact is exaggerating. You could get it cutting parts with in a short time. But, getting it to do professional work will take a long time.

Yes, your software needs will factor as well. The software comes along with great prices. You think Flexi or signlab is high.. Just wait. Or you can go the hobby route and find some adequate lower cost softs around. Look at Mach 3 for example.

When I completed my little home built using hand power tools it several weeks of time and many hours researching online and remaking a few parts.. Suddenly another working XYZ router came up for sale just down the street. It had software and goodies to boot. He wanted it gone and the price was a few thousand more than I had into my small home built. The problem was it was like buying a semi when you have a room for a bike.

Right now there are lots of real nice cnc machines going cheap. If I really wanted to pursue this router deal I would get a loan or save up and wait until I could pounce on a desperation sale.

But remember. The hardware is not the real cost. It is the learning curve. It is the mental ability. It takes a real commitment. And then you have to have a good place to run it. The dust and chip load is unbelievable. It gets every where. This is something you do not want to run in the garage. The wife will let you know first minute how strong your marriage is about the third trip into the house tracking your mess behind you if you try the garage route.


Using an old cutter to convert into a router... the only parts you could use is the motors. Those could be too weak at 50 oz. You will need 300 oz.

Over all.. search out a deal for a "real" router. All the work is done. Just pick it up, set it up and then spend the next year learning how to run the software. You will save your self hundreds of hours and lots of cash in the long run.
 

PGSigns

New Member
Well today I got most the frame done and would of finished it if not for a lack of a spare blade for the horizontal band saw. Techman I may have a little more experience doing machine work and working with multi axis positioning than most of the folks on here so this thing does not scare me any. I still work a full time job and one of the things I have done in the last couple of years is built an electron beam welder with 4 axis positioning and all the hardware to fly it on the NASA C9 to prove we can weld in space. We flew it 5 times over a 2 1/2 year period and proved the proccess and it's ability to make parts simular to STL. I'll post some pics of that if I can find some on my laptop. I planned this build the same way I have to do everything at work for a flight test, I just don't know any other way to do things. So it should be stout, fast and accurate.
Jimmy
 

Techman

New Member
have fun my friend. I know you will. Especially with your experience.. In a past life I worked in machine shop in New Smyrna beach Florida. We made parts for space flight every day there. The precision they demanded was intense to say the least. Those were the days before cnc too. All by machining hand...
 

PGSigns

New Member
I learned to cut metal by hand in the mid 70's and have stayed with it ever since. All machinist should be brought up that way. That is the same era I was first exposed to making signs and all layouts were done by hand. That was my job, drawing letters on plywood or metal sheets to be cut out. I really enjoyed it. I have a nice set up with a lathe, mill and most everything else for doing metal work that I have collected up over the last 30 or so years. I have learned a lot from the group here and maybe this project will return the favor and I can pass along some of what I know.
Jimmy
:popcorn:
 

PGSigns

New Member
Got a lot done and have the frame all welded and getting started on the rails. Take a look and let me know what you think.
Thanks
Jimmy
 

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Jester1167

Premium Subscriber
The more weight you put into the frame and gantry the better. It helps dampen the vibrations, which intern will give you smoother cuts and bits will last longer.
 

PGSigns

New Member
I was thinking the same thing on the weight. All the box tube is 1/4" wall and the angle for the shelf on the bottom is 1 1/2 X 1/4" The cross braces for the table are 3 X3/8" angle. It may be close to a 1000 pounds so far.
Jimmy
 

PGSigns

New Member
Progress report for last night. I was time to hand work the beds for the X axis rails. I coated them with machine blue and used one of the guide rails to span from side to side and put sand paper under the rail and high spotted the rails. The tops were better than I thought they were going to be so taking down the high spots with the grinder only took about 20 minutes. I then put 120 grit paper for my DA and stuck it to the bottom of the rail and used it to sand the top of the beds flat. That took about two hours. Now while checking the flatness from side to side the few spots that I can get a feller gage under are less than .005 and I can shim that when I do the final bolting of the rails. Started mounting the first rail and got every other hole drilled, tapped and a bolt in it. Goal is to have both rails bolted and aligned by the end of the week.
Jimmy
 
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PGSigns

New Member
Have made some progress. I have painted most of it and gotten a lot done on the gantry. I am still waiting on the rails and blocks for the Y axis and they are due tomorrow. I have started on some of the wiring while waiting on other parts to get here. I hope to have the money together next week to order the motors and drives.
Jimmy
 

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Border

New Member
Have made some progress. I have painted most of it and gotten a lot done on the gantry. I am still waiting on the rails and blocks for the Y axis and they are due tomorrow. I have started on some of the wiring while waiting on other parts to get here. I hope to have the money together next week to order the motors and drives.
Jimmy

Impressive work so far!
:thumb:
 
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