GJMATHEWS
09-22-2009, 03:15 PM
Well guys, I am taking the plunge. Today I started the designs for a 4 Spindle/3 Axis CNC Router that I will be building over the next few months. This will be a machine with a small footprint of 36 by 48 inches and will have either rotozips or dremels for spindles.
The design includes features from all 3 machines that we currently have in our shop. Our ShopBot, our CAMaster and our 10 Spindle Machine. I have also adapted some of the features from Joe's CNC and Joe's CNC Hybrid.
Onexia was kind enough to stop by our place and provide a demonstration of the JENCNC smart steppers and JENCNC software.
I am leaning toward Mach3 or WINCNC for the control software. Onexia assured me that either one will run the smart steppers. We'll see!
The steppers the fellow setup that day were plugged right into my computer and ran on my desk using code from the Cremation Urn I made. Controllers are right on the stepper/servo and RS 232 9 Pin cables that you make or they supply, daisy chain together to complete the setup. There are also 7 I/O on each stepper that can be used to send signals for things like Tool measure, spindle on/off through a relay and what not. It was a pretty cool day.
I have started a Blog over at The Creek, (Sawmillcreek.org) for those not familiar. There I will post photos of my successes and my failures over the coming months.
We are making the base this evening from MDF. Not a torsion box design like Joe's, but 6 pieces of MDF glued up in a press to provide a solid level playing field with vibration dampening abilities to boot. After that, we plan on wrapping the sides of that with a 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick wall of aluminum, or corian. We have to see what we have more of in the shop!
We are planning on linear glides all the way around and spur gears and racks like the Shopbot we have, to transfer the stepper outputs to the X, Y and Z.
The sole purpose of this machine is twofold. One is proof of concept, two is to manufacture small wood on-lays for detail work on furniture.
God, I have a great job!
The design includes features from all 3 machines that we currently have in our shop. Our ShopBot, our CAMaster and our 10 Spindle Machine. I have also adapted some of the features from Joe's CNC and Joe's CNC Hybrid.
Onexia was kind enough to stop by our place and provide a demonstration of the JENCNC smart steppers and JENCNC software.
I am leaning toward Mach3 or WINCNC for the control software. Onexia assured me that either one will run the smart steppers. We'll see!
The steppers the fellow setup that day were plugged right into my computer and ran on my desk using code from the Cremation Urn I made. Controllers are right on the stepper/servo and RS 232 9 Pin cables that you make or they supply, daisy chain together to complete the setup. There are also 7 I/O on each stepper that can be used to send signals for things like Tool measure, spindle on/off through a relay and what not. It was a pretty cool day.
I have started a Blog over at The Creek, (Sawmillcreek.org) for those not familiar. There I will post photos of my successes and my failures over the coming months.
We are making the base this evening from MDF. Not a torsion box design like Joe's, but 6 pieces of MDF glued up in a press to provide a solid level playing field with vibration dampening abilities to boot. After that, we plan on wrapping the sides of that with a 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick wall of aluminum, or corian. We have to see what we have more of in the shop!
We are planning on linear glides all the way around and spur gears and racks like the Shopbot we have, to transfer the stepper outputs to the X, Y and Z.
The sole purpose of this machine is twofold. One is proof of concept, two is to manufacture small wood on-lays for detail work on furniture.
God, I have a great job!