Reconfig of the Carol/Don/Brent CNC or as I like to call it, the Big CDB.

[Brent Dowell]

Projects beget projects. As part of my guitar project, I need to use my cnc to help me build some jigs. Unfortunately my old OX was a little small for the task.

On the upside, I did get the OX running, so theres that. Still on the upper part of the upside, I've got the CNC That Carol Started and Don got built and running.

I figured if I was going to use it, it was a good time to redo things a bit to meet my needs. What I'm going to do differently is:

• Convert it to a grbl controller.
  Mach 3 is fine, but I've never used it and just dont feel like learning another system.
  I also don't want to have to have a pc directly connected to the machine to run it. I've got a bunch of pc's laying around and one less machine to take care of is a bonus.
• Adding a raspberry pi to the mix
  This will let me us CNCJS to run it. I can control it and run it directly from a tablet, use my phone as a pendant for jogging, etc.
  Will allow me to add a web cam for timelapse recording and monitoring.
• Reconfigure the base
  My shop is small and Anytime I can add shelves or storage to project I'm all in for it.
• Enclose the electronics
  My shop can get pretty dusty at times, so I'm going to enclose the electronics and use filtered positive pressure ventilation to keep the insides dust free.
• Add some 3d printed doodads here and there, lol.

So first step is to get a handle on what the wiring does.
This is probably a work in progress, and it's messy, but It helps me understand all the components I need to account for. This in no way reflects how things will be layed out physically. Just kind of figuring out what I need and where they connect.



What I'm planning on doing for the cabinet.
I'm going to build an electronics enclosure with positive pressure ventilation for dust control and recess it slightly.
Drawers for storage of all items. Thats just a rough drawing, I'll probably have some narrower drawers on top and deeper ones on the bottom.
On the right side at the back will be a cubby for material storage.




As part of the prep I went and looked for all the Carol and Don CNC Threads I could find. Let me know if I missed anything.

Carols Threads

Owning the ShopBot

Since Rob wanted to know and because I didn't want to thread-jack the on-going cnc builds. Going back about 15 years or so, I owned a 4'x8' work area ShopBot. It was my first venture into CNC machines. And it was a blast! I got it to make the router jigs I had invented and was selling. I...

familywoodworking.org

More CNC

This is for Rob. Just spent a hour at openbuilds.com lusting over OX CNC machines. Remember, I am not responsible for your credit cards.

familywoodworking.org

A new CNC build.

Been working up to this for a while. Pulling the trigger. The machine will be based on the Computer Router Parts machine. http://www.cncrouterparts.com/index.php I have an email out to them with the first of a bazillion questions. I saw the real thing last Monday. Was very impressed...

familywoodworking.org

New CNC Build - Day 5

Order is in! :beer: :bounce: :champagne: I am officially excited!

familywoodworking.org

Work holding systems

I have looked at your photos of holding your projects to the CNC table for milling and see and read about different systems. Then Brent pointed out he is copying Jason's holding system. So some discussion is in order. Dan and Bill seem to be screwing the workpiece directly to the table...

familywoodworking.org

Back to my CNC - finally!

Spent part of Saturday assembling my CNC. My head has not been into it for months, so a slow start. And ran into a problem. Today I figured it out. WooHoo! I put some hold downs on the wrong face of an extrusion. Will sort that out this next Saturday. Time to get excited about this again!

familywoodworking.org

What I did this weekend on my CNC

Front view. Back side of the gantry. Lots of parts from 5 different boxes. The boxes are empty and there are no parts left over. Yesss! Next up is to measure the base front edge relative to the z-axis to determine the size of the rolling cabinet this will be mounted on. Tweak the all...

familywoodworking.org

Another step on the CNC build

It maybe isn't the biggest deal but I got so stoked with it I forgot pictures. As you know, I am planning a 4th axis motor to turn a lathe. You all just saw Leo's video of his rotary axis. Mine is a repurposed mini lathe that will be powered with a NEMA motor. Today I got my hands on a dead...

familywoodworking.org

More CNC questions

I know Leo made leg extenders for his machine to get the table at a height he likes. I'd like to make my cabinet the right height to begin with. And I know we had a discussion a long time ago about the composition of the table. But I still have questions. So the base is made up of the 8040...

familywoodworking.org

Progress!

WoooHoo! Tonight I got the CNC switch plate cut out on the laser. We did it in cardboard for proof of concept. I discovered a new definition for CAD. Cardboard Assisted Design. :rofl: The plate fits. I will make the screw holes smaller and then cut it out in acrylic. You can see the...

familywoodworking.org

More progress!

I love simple, eloquent solutions. So I was designing a vacuum hold down table for the CNC. Actually there will be two of them. I am working on the vertical one. I got some vacuum ball valves from MP Power. Then came the plumbing. The table is HDPE plastic. Thought about routing a...

familywoodworking.org

CNC Cabinet starting to come together

When Larry, Glen and Jim were here a while back they saw a bit of the CNC cabinet build I have been working on as time and health issues permit. A while ago I showed a picture of the cardboard template for the switch panel. Last night I got it cut out in red acrylic. The laser does such an...

familywoodworking.org

Latest in CNC cabinet

Control panel and vertical vacuum table. Wish it was all connected on the back! But it is coming along. CPU is installed along with electrical boxes. Waiting on fuse panel and fuses and more valves. The plate beneath the switched will get 2 master control vacuum valves, one for the...

familywoodworking.org

CNC cabinet update with pix

Been busy this week. Got some stuff done. Here is the front of the cabinet. Closer shot of the control panel. On the inside, lots of plumbing. First, from the vacuum pump. Snagged at a yard sale, cleaned up, new paint, new mufflers, a filter, and good to go. Behind the vacuum table...

familywoodworking.org

Another piece of the puzzle

Today I unpacked this: Inside was this: And then we have this: A water cooled spindle with inverter form China. Thanks, Leo. But there are a few complications. A little one: The two screws for the wire clamp are missing. Leo, any idea what size they should be? A bigger problem...

familywoodworking.org

Spindle cooling system

So, the new water cooled spindle arrived. Been designing the cooling system. - 7-10 gallon reservoir (probably a plastic trash can) with a submersible pond pump...

familywoodworking.org

Dons Threads

CNC conundrum...

AS you all know Carol was in the process of building a CNC and was able to get the bones put together before she got ill...... when she knew she was terminal we had many discussions as to what was to be done with all of her "Cool Tools" as she called them. Most of the shop went to a young man...

familywoodworking.org

The New Carol CNC.... design.

Well taking all the extrusions that we unloaded from the trailer I was able to come up with design. Pardone my poor drawing my sketchup skills are a bit rusty and I am still learning the newest version. The first phase will be to build the base so I have a place to assemble the machine. Keep in...

familywoodworking.org

New CNC build.

OK time to stop designing and get to building. Today I was able in spite of a large list of projects, sneak in a day of shop time and made great progress. I didn't bother taking picture of every painful step, I was too busy enjoying my self with the build. I know I wont be able to do much on...

familywoodworking.org

 

[Darren Wright]

I've been waiting to steal this...

 

[Leo Voisine]

Awesome - another CNC router. Make my heart feel good

 

[Brent Dowell]

Well, Time to get started on the base cabinet.
Here's the basic design. There'll be some more interior parts going on, but for today, I'm just going to get started on the joinery.




Ryan talked me into Mortise and tenon, so I pulled out the old general. Been a long time since I've used this machine.

Not unhappy with the results on this test piece so far.

 

[Brent Dowell]

Test joint works, now to cut the wood and do all the layouts.

 

[Brent Dowell]

Mortises and Tenons cut and dry fit done. Now I need to clean out a spot next to the machine in order to glue it up, lol. There's a lot of moving stuff around thats going to be happening soon.
Basically, This needs to go on the other side of the table saw, and it's going to be easier to get it there before it's built than after.


There are some other cross pieces that will be going in, but those will be put in using pocket screws, There'll also be some 1/2" ply skins going on so whatever mistakes I've made will be hidden and they will provide additional structural rigidity.

 

[Brent Dowell]

Gluing Up. Happy with the squareness of the corners. I have to say it's nice when your tools are square and you can rely on them to do what they should.


Right side Frame


Added a crossbar to the left side frame. Was going to put it in eventually, but it just made sense to do it now to make the assembly easier.

 

[Toni Ciuraneta]

 

[Brent Dowell]

All glued up and assembled. The end on the left uses floating tenons and screws.

I really only did the mortis and tenons because it was an opportunity to use them. I kind of failed to fully utilize them on the two top left crossmembers, but hey, at least the glue up was easy.

I will say that it has no detectable flex at this point and feels pretty solid.

Now if the 8 packages that have been sitting on the other side of the sierra nevadas would make it here, I'd be able to make more progress.

As it is, I'm probably going to need to get my ox moved out of the shop at some point to clear up room for things. It's actually sitting on my old router table, which I think I might just tear down and remove the ox. Need to give it a think.

 

[Brent Dowell]

And the eagle has landed on the new base.

At Ryans Urging, I got some of these heavy duty leveling casters. I'm impressed, they work really well.



I setup a home made gantry of sorts with an old chain hoist to do the heavy work.


That made pretty quick work of moving it over. And here it is on the new base.

 

[Darren Wright]

The Ox looks green with envy.

 

[Brent Dowell]

The Ox looks green with envy.

That it does, lol.

 

[Don Baer]

you cheated, I had to wrestle that beast by hand....lol

 

[Brent Dowell]

you cheated, I had to wrestle that beast by hand....lol

I gave it a thought, but it is heavy all assembled like that. I could get the front edge lifted, if I had the gantry all the way to the other side, but that was about it.

I was pretty happy with my bit of redneck engineering and that I had all the components just laying around. That little chain hoist has come in handy more than once over the years.

 

[Darren Wright]

In that last pic, the board running front to back in the center of the bottom left of the cnc frame. Hope it can be removed for that 4th axis/rotary you're going to want to mount there.

 

[Brent Dowell]

In that last pic, the board running front to back in the center of the bottom left of the cnc frame. Hope it can be removed for that 4th axis/rotary you're going to want to mount there.
View attachment 124370

Yeah, it's just held in by pocket screws.

That is the place that I think the rotary was supposed to go. I guess how much space I need for the rotary depends on whats used, but should the centerline be right at the same height as the spoil board?

 

[Darren Wright]

Yeah, it's just held in by pocket screws.

That is the place that I think the rotary was supposed to go. I guess how much space I need for the rotary depends on whats used, but should the centerline be right at the same height as the spoil board?

Center line will be middle of the chuck or spindle's centerline, however it is mounted. If you have it removable you can make it what-ever height/swing is, but if it stays attached I'd think you'd want the rotary below the spoil board where a piece of spoil board could go over it giving you the full width of the bed for flat work. Swing would be the distance side to side of your frame, how far the centerline is above the rotary's bed, or max distance to for the spindle travel, which ever is smaller.

 

[Leo Voisine]

A piece of sweetness in the works right there.

 

[Toni Ciuraneta]

At 2450Kg per caster it is a bit overkill isn’t it? Even if they were 245Kg. Maybe you took the saying “in case of doubt build it stout” too far

 

[Brent Dowell]

Well, I keep seeming to tear it down just a little bit more, lol.

At 2450Kg per caster it is a bit overkill isn’t it? Even if they were 245Kg. Maybe you took the saying “in case of doubt build it stout” too far

Hmm, I think the machine as configured is probably around 350 pounds or 147 kilograms? The base, probably another 50 kilos? Not sure how much I'll stuff in storage under there, but lets say another 100 kilos.

So all added up probably 300 kilos total. I find sometimes these casters don't really live up to their specs, so this is good, and they are amazingly small for that capacity.