Small CNC mill recomendations?

liveforphysics

liveforphysics

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Joined
Oct 28, 2008
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Manhattan Beach, CA, USA
I'm looking to buy a light duty small CNC mill.

I only need 2" Z-axis, 6" Y-axis, and 10" X-axis.

The hardest material it will be cutting is aircraft aluminum, and I don't care how fast it cuts, I just need it to be accurate to ~0.04".

It's not a tool to make me money, just for hobby use, so I'm looking for as low of cost as possible. It will probibly get less than 20 hrs on the thing a year (guessing), so I'm not too fussy about having something industrial 24-7 operation quality. New or used makes no difference to me, but I would rather have something that works. I've got enough hobbies, and I see this as a tool to help other hobbies rather than being a hobby in itself (maybe wishful thinking?)

I've been shopping around, but this is an area I'm out of touch and ignorant. I found a few things, but they seemed to use ancient printer-port connections to control them, and used stone-age control software. Does such a thing exist that you simply connect with a USB cable, and it's controlled by importing a file into some simple control software and it runs live via the USB connection?


Thank you in advance for the suggestions guys!

-Luke
 
liveforphysics said:
I'm looking to buy a light duty small CNC mill.

I only need 2" Z-axis, 6" Y-axis, and 10" X-axis.

The hardest material it will be cutting is aircraft aluminum, and I don't care how fast it cuts, I just need it to be accurate to ~0.04".

It's not a tool to make me money, just for hobby use, so I'm looking for as low of cost as possible. It will probibly get less than 20 hrs on the thing a year (guessing), so I'm not too fussy about having something industrial 24-7 operation quality. New or used makes no difference to me, but I would rather have something that works. I've got enough hobbies, and I see this as a tool to help other hobbies rather than being a hobby in itself (maybe wishful thinking?)

I've been shopping around, but this is an area I'm out of touch and ignorant. I found a few things, but they seemed to use ancient printer-port connections to control them, and used stone-age control software. Does such a thing exist that you simply connect with a USB cable, and it's controlled by importing a file into some simple control software and it runs live via the USB connection?


Thank you in advance for the suggestions guys!

-Luke
Click to expand...

http://www.microkinetics.com/

Mark
 
Dunno if these will be big enough for your need Luke but they are nice lil machines, i ghere alot of model makers use them (ones that make small engines and such)

http://www.sherline.com/

I have cnc software if you need it ;)

Mastercam, Sheet Cam, Artsoft, Rhino Cam and Turbo CNC

KiM
 
The shop I work in bought full size cnc machines within the last year. Even these still use a RS-232 port for drip feeding the program.

Sorry, I also do not know anything about the hobby size equipment.

CNC equipment is painfully simple stuff, so the older comm tech is far more than adequate and can be had for less than pennies, so it seems most likely that this is what you'll find.

...Let's just say, I came to ES to find the best stuff in electric bikes.
The better question might be, what is the best hobby CNC forum?
 
liveforphysics said:
I'm looking to buy a light duty small CNC mill.

I only need 2" Z-axis, 6" Y-axis, and 10" X-axis.

The hardest material it will be cutting is aircraft aluminum, and I don't care how fast it cuts, I just need it to be accurate to ~0.04".

It's not a tool to make me money, just for hobby use, so I'm looking for as low of cost as possible. It will probibly get less than 20 hrs on the thing a year (guessing), so I'm not too fussy about having something industrial 24-7 operation quality. New or used makes no difference to me, but I would rather have something that works. I've got enough hobbies, and I see this as a tool to help other hobbies rather than being a hobby in itself (maybe wishful thinking?)
-Luke
Click to expand...

A friend of mine worked in a machine tool store during college. When I had the itch to get a CNC he adviced me to get a good quality manual milling machine and add the motors/control to it (there are kits I believe). Not exactly plug and play, but better use of $.

Since then I've had to try to limit my itch to get more tools (and ebikes, VW busses and whatnot). Some things that solved past needs without buying machine shop tools for me have been:

Get into or make friends with members in university student clubs with access to university machine shops. Likely candidates are those clubs participating in the solar challenge, ARVP (autnomous vehicles, submarines, UAV...) or build stuff of any kind. When I was in school after a few hours of safety course I got the key and 24h access to the machine shop.

Horse trade electronics work for machining with people in a professional shop. Again for this to work friends on the inside are needed.
 
Jag- when I was in college, that method worked out awesome. I wasn't even in mechanical engineering or manufacturing engineering, and I think I spent more time in the shop than any other student. Might have been the only student with more then 2 racing engine builds going on inside his door room at all times of the year as well. lol


At this point though, I'm tired of depending on other people. If I want a part for something I'm building, and it's 3am on a saturday night and I'm in my underware, I want to be able to just go make it and not need to communicate to someone else what I want, and explain the function, and arrange a time to drop-off materials and then go pick it up afterwards. Every part I do that way always seems to set me back a week on whatever I'm doing, and at this point in my life, my time is more valuable to me than the cost of a CNC machine.

If I were in Ohio, I would buy this guy in a heart beat :) $2,200 buy-it-now, with some sort of electrical problem. I have no trouble with electrical problems :)
http://cgi.ebay.com/Bridgeport-R2E4-CNC-Mill-Vertical-Machining-Center_W0QQitemZ200398541043QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBI_Mills?hash=item2ea8af10f3#ht_1931wt_950

The more I look, it seems the way to go is building your own. :(

That unit MarkCycle was kind enough to link looks like exactly what I want. Looks like a fine quality unit as well. It would just be tough to justify $4-5,000 bux on something I will run maybe 20hrs a year.

This unit seems very interesting, much too far on the toy side of things, but the price is fantastic, and I dig the interface and simple software and control setup.
http://bluumaxcnc.homestead.com/3-Axis-Mill.html


Even though I didn't want to make my own, it's got me thinking about it now... using the control setup from that bluumaxcnc guy, and using a top quality table to fit his steppers and control board upon.


Too bad HobbyCity doesn't sell Milling Machines :(
 
If you troll through CNCZone Luke you will find a shitload of home built CNC machines from basic too very complex, also links to
quality retailers that sell the controller boards and stepper motors along with linear carriages rails and threaded rod, you can buy pretty much everything in kit form all you need to make is the 'chassis' so to speak...And there are heaps of full size printable plans for this also mate, a fella with your know how would have one knocked up in a couple of weeks. Alternative there are a couple of chaps selling the entire units in kit form all you need to do is assemble them...and as i mentioned i have software already so if you go this route dont go buying any ill post you the disk or up it on my FTP space fot you too download..

KiM
 
Got some suggestions for a kit from them KiM? I will gladly take you up on your software offer for anything I need, and thank you again for the kind offer :)

Ideally, it would be great to spend under $1500 if possible :)
 
Also, I wana extend an offer to you guys, once I get a working CNC setup, I will let you know what sort of code/file my machine uses, and then if you guys wana send me materials, and the code, I will run it for you guys for free. Only rule being no production stuff, and no for-profit stuff, and no materials that will eat my tooling (like Ti, lol).
 
liveforphysics said:
Also, I wana extend an offer to you guys, once I get a working CNC setup, I will let you know what sort of code/file my machine uses, and then if you guys wana send me materials, and the code, I will run it for you guys for free. Only rule being no production stuff, and no for-profit stuff, and no materials that will eat my tooling (like Ti, lol).
Click to expand...

Generous offer there Luke...hrmz...im sure i can design a 4 motor rc reduction drive setup...:: re-installs Rhino:: hehee

I think ou will find DXF file extensions are the 'norm' too :)

KiM
 
http://www.chesteruk.net/store/centurion_3in1.htm

I found one of these things for $1,500 locally. The ad says its in like-new condition, and it's only a 2hr drive away.

Does anyone think this would be a good candidate for converting to be CNC?
 
liveforphysics said:
Also, I wana extend an offer to you guys, once I get a working CNC setup, I will let you know what sort of code/file my machine uses, and then if you guys wana send me materials, and the code, I will run it for you guys for free. Only rule being no production stuff, and no for-profit stuff, and no materials that will eat my tooling (like Ti, lol).
Click to expand...

20 hrs a year, comeon bud... really? Is that the chinese manufacturer specification on your estimated usage? = )_

You might want to look into a real industrial rig, past performance as an indicator.

-Mike
 
I knew someone would find a new gear material to replace the nylon bafang gears...

Luke when you get your Joe's CNC setup can you make me a set of 3 gears for the bafang using this source material (would be alot stronger than the stock gears)

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3729008154407365052#

Seriously though, this guy (and his machine) rock!

If your serious about the offer to help out and need a controller PC for the new MILL let me know... I have a few XPS420's and a few Dimension E510 (3GHZ) with 2-8GB (way more than you could use likely).

-Mike
 
I've been working on this project myself for awhile, I bought a mill from MicroMark and ordered plans to convert it to cnc.
As far as I know it's the cheapest way to get a decent cnc mill. If you can spend a bit more Little Machine shop has this mill for $3500
I've ordered many parts from LMS and they are great to deal with.

As far as software, if your a windows guy I've read the mach 3 from Artsoft stuff is about the best to use, but I've never tried it.
In Linux emc2 is free and it's what I plan to use when I can afford the conversion.

Not sure if this helps at all, but I thought I'd give my 2 cents :mrgreen:
 
Beauty of DIY mills you can make them HUGE rather than pay 3k for a small mill like
a few of the links posted. I could just about fit a 20in rim in mine :: light Bulb in head goes off:: OH OH OH Billet alloy rim :-|
Joes plans are easy to follow i would serious look at one luke you will get a good mill with large bed
for alot less than you will pay for a small mill, guess it comes down to
what you want to use it for, guaranteed though if you get a small mill you will have project that is just that lil too big
for it and you will be back to the machine shop kicking yourself for not getting bigger mill...

KiM
 
I'm all ready starting to think maybe an 8" x 10" x 3" would be a little better.

Originally I just wanted something to let me experiment with making custom Aluminum connecting rods for race engines, along with custom machined intake runner halves that I could weld up the sides to make intake runners.

Just a few minutes ago I got an idea to pick up some ultra thin super alloy motor lamination material, and start making some rotor laminations. Something like 8" in diameter. Maybe something like 0.3mm thick, and cutting them maybe 5 at a time, or whatever the machine would have the power to handle. Then everytime I leave for work, throw a batch in the CNC, or when i go to bed, throw a batch in, whenever I pass by the machine, throw another batch in. Then after a few weeks, or a month, or however long it takes, I will have an 8" stack of them, and I will build a stator that is 8"x8". I will wind that thing up with 20lbs of copper, or however much it takes, and use the strongest custom Nd 50 magnets for the rotor, throw some serious bearings through it on a 1.5" shaft. Mount sensors into it by design of course.

Hit it with 150v and 1,000amps, and put it on a bicycle. With LiPo that bursts 90c, a light weight 15Ah pack could easily handle 1000amp bursts. The pack could be light and small. The motor could be ~30-40lbs. The bike another 30-40lbs. It would need a drastically extended swing arm, but I think it could work out pretty well. Might run a 9 in the quarter, and be a commuter bicycle. :)
 
This mill is $1000 and local to me.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/tls/1435912892.html

It says it has a power X-axis. Dunno if it would be useful at all in making it a CNC, but maybe it would be neat.

Anybody know anything about this machine? Worth $1000 bux?
 
Maybe that $1000 mill, and this auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/3-Nema-23-Stepper-Motor-Mounts-CNC-Router-Mill-PCB_W0QQitemZ190344695947QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2c516d908b#ht_1082wt_950

and this auction

http://cgi.ebay.com/3-NEW-High-Power-Stepper-Motors-CNC-NEMA-23-Stepping_W0QQitemZ390091829283QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5ad348f023#ht_1248wt_950


And this control board:

http://bluumaxcnc.homestead.com/2064-Drive.html



Plus maybe $200 in custom brackets and things.

Seems like that would put me under $1500 with an OK machine? Anybody have some experience with something like that?

Is there something better for the $$?
 
I found a manual for that mill that's for sale locally for $1,000 bucks.

Can anyone tell me if this would be a good candidate for CNC conversion? or at least anything wrong that would make it a bad choice?

Here is the manual:

http://www.use-enco.com/Machinery/105-1110.pdf
 
liveforphysics said:
I found a manual for that mill that's for sale locally for $1,000 bucks.

Can anyone tell me if this would be a good candidate for CNC conversion? or at least anything wrong that would make it a bad choice?

Here is the manual:

http://www.use-enco.com/Machinery/105-1110.pdf
Click to expand...

I converted the same mill its sold by many companies under different brands

the biggest problem and its big are the lead screws have huge backlash so any conversion will need new ball screws to replace the lead screws to work.

I wrote my own CNC software and did the best I could to compensate for the backlash but its hell to deal with.
 

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Thank you so much for giving me a heads-up on that!

I will look for something that all ready has ball lead screws. Looks like you did a slick conversion on that one :)

Thank you for the advise :)
 
There is a way to overcome the slop in the screws. They are typically acme screws with a single brass stationary nut. If you made a replacement nut that is split, and create an opposing wedging action in the two halves, it would be a cheaper solution to ball screws (which typically have the ability to do the same thing).

I have not heard of ball screws coming standard in non cnc hobby equipment, but I have not looked extensively.
 
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