My next CNC project - a PrintNC router

[ShawnR]

Big step today. I submitted the order for all the parts.
Linear rails
725mm HGR20 QTY (2)
425mm HGR20 QTY (2)
250mm HGR20 QTY (2)

Ball screws
825mm 1610 Ball Screw QTY (1)
525mm 1610 Ball Screw QTY (2)
300mm 1204 Ball Screw QTY (1)
HGW20CC QTY (6)

@David_R8 Where did you order these supplies from? McMaster or elsewhere? Sorry if I missed it. You might have mentioned it somewhere. I wondered about making my Plasma cutter with ball screws and 1x2 tubing instead of the gear rack. Since you mentioned that this router build could do plasma too, I am wondering if building a more rigid frame for my first build could do both router and plasma. But knowing nothing about this stuff, perhaps building the plasma like yours is worth the lessons learned in the process. It sounds, from your posts, you are learning very quickly.

I don't know much about either so just pondering out loud.

 

[DavidR8]

Hey Shawn, because I have little experience in this realm I relied on the fellow who designed and set up an arrangement with an AliExpress store to provide the vast majority of the kit parts.
There's a metric frame size calculator where you input the size of machine you want and it generates an email to the store for a quote. It is pretty comprehensive; linear rails and guides, ball screws, steppers and drivers, spindle and VFD, breakout board for LinuxCNC but lacks cabling and some other minor parts.
Check it out here.
https://wiki.printnc.info/en/home
and here
https://threedesign.store/

 

[Tom O]

You might like this
https://www.facebook.com/marketplac..."upsell_type\":null,\"grouping_info\":null}"}

 

[DavidR8]

You might like this
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/842539836686289/?ref=category_feed&referral_code=marketplace_search&referral_story_type=post&tracking={"qid":"6971484221092404603","mf_story_key":"4012190375554574","commerce_rank_obj":"{\"target_id\":4012190375554574,\"target_type\":0,\"primary_position\":138,\"ranking_signature\":1182186913545584640,\"commerce_channel\":504,\"value\":4.9691544148695e-6,\"upsell_type\":null,\"grouping_info\":null}"}

Thanks, too bad I'm on Vancouver Island
I might ping them anyway

 

[Tom O]

I could pick it up for you if that works

 

[DavidR8]

@Tom O looks like I can get a brand new one for the same price.

 

[Tom Kitta]

I will get one later on - these can indeed be had for around $50 or less. Depending on functions needed. It is an upgrade same as true motion control board.

 

[Tom O]

No problem I thought I’d put it out there.

 

[DavidR8]

So back at the beginning of the thread I said I was going to use LinuxCNC to run this machine.
I’ve been watching and reading discussions where folks really struggle with configuration and setup.
I’d been leaning toward using grbl or grblHAL because of its simplicity and active development.

Yesterday a member of the PrintNC Discord group who is an electronics engineer announced that he had designed a new breakout board that uses a Teensy 4.1 controller board. And that he was going to have 10 boards made for beta testing.
I get board #2!
View attachment 20210608_-_PrintNC_Hal_2000_-_GRBL_HAL_Controller_Beta_-_Board_Rev_A1_Final.pdf

 

[Tom O]

That should be interesting.

 

[DavidR8]

Yeah, I'm actually quite excited because the prospects of LinucCNC were not that appealing.

 

[Tom O]

Well I’ll be watching but you are quite a ways down the road with experience with this stuff I’ll grab my binoculars and try to follow along.

 

[DavidR8]

That's rather amusing that you say that as I feel as though I'm looking at a map and trying to figure out the best route to St John.

 

[Tom O]

Yeah I hear ya then they tell you “ Go west young man “

 

[Chicken lights]

That's rather amusing that you say that as I feel as though I'm looking at a map and trying to figure out the best route to St John.

Hang a left once you get to Albuquerque

 

[DavidR8]

A minor update: I managed to get the frame bolted together. Went very smoothly due in large part to the excellent drill guides.
There are four 6mm x 10mm SCHS at each connection point for a total of 24 SHCS holding the frame together.
Next step is to locate and mount the Y-axis linear rails and lead screw bearing block mounts.
This is a screenshot of what I'm talking about. Arrows pointing to the lead screw bearing blocks mounts and linear rails.

 

[DavidR8]

Good progress tonight.
Got the bearing blocks mounted and the rails and roller slides on both Y-axis.

The pieces sitting over the rail are to centre the rail on the steel.


And the roller block in place.

Next I have to cut, drill and tap the steel risers that sit on the rollers and support the gantry.

 

[DavidR8]

Today’s progress.
Got the roller mounts cut and squared up. Hit the 70mm length dead on.
Drilled to match the roller guides and tapped to attach the X-axis gantry.
Got the ball screws in and the roller mounts on.
And cut the X-axis gantry to length and drilled the mounting holes. Still need to add the linear rails to the gantry.

The next thing to build is the Z-axis. It’s a complicated assembly so I’ll need to read the instructions a few times!

 

[DavidR8]

Tonight’s progress was mounting the bearing blocks and upper and lower linear rails on the X-axis gantry.
Lots of careful measuring and drilling. And tapping. Thank goodness for spiral taps!

 

[YYCHM]

Looks to be getting a little crowded in that there shop