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Thread: My new toy....

  1. #1
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    Default My new toy....

    Hello all,

    Last week i bought a CNC style engraving machine which i will be retrofitting to be a "true" CNC machine. For now it's a serial controlled machine. Via a plugin in Autocad you can draw up a drawing and output using the plugin via the Serial port of the pc.
    Very slowly and as an engraver you can only enter 1 depth and then engrave/cut that depth. When converting it to full CNC then i am able to cut stuff up really bad.

    Since i only have a background in electronics (and lots of it faded in my memory....) i will have to learn new stuff (which i like) but don't know jack sh*t about right now.

    Have ordered a new Kress Spindle (1050W FME-1) with a variable RPM of 5 - 25K and some drillbit stuff. I ordered 2 and 3 mm drillbit (3 flute endmill) , a special 3mm mill for aluminium and a 3mm one for plastic. It's a relatively small machine, fitting my wallet.
    I will be able to do 30x30cm stuff and the Z-axis is around 10 to 15cms.

    Picture of the machine:

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Don't mention the funny spindle, it's a very cheap dremel clone, but was the only thing i had that i was able to fit in the 43mm tool holder, with some yellow plastic plates.
    But i was able to somewhat engrave text onto a pcb copper layer... but the spindle was to weak to go deeper that 0,5mm hahaha.... the new spindle will solve that i am sure.

    When the spindle is in, i will try to draw a retardo face or Photonlexicon in Autocad 2005 and try to engrave it in a block of HPME500 (very hard plastic stuff...like ABS or Nylon).
    Another moneypit has entered my house....
    I didn't fail !
    I just found out 10,000 ways that didn't work.

  2. #2
    soforene's Avatar
    soforene is offline The Troll formerly known as Herbert Von Poople-Futtocks
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    Thumbs up

    Recession ?

    What Recession !?!

    Congrats Dmitri.
    You can never have enough toys.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by soforene View Post
    Recession ?

    What Recession !?!

    Congrats Dmitri.
    You can never have enough toys.
    Thanks Soforene, it was either the toys or a nice woman ;-(
    Can't seem to have both for some silly reason hahaha...
    I didn't fail !
    I just found out 10,000 ways that didn't work.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by hobbybob View Post
    Thanks Soforene, it was either the toys or a nice woman ;-(
    Can't seem to have both for some silly reason hahaha...
    Naaa.... chicks *totally* dig a CNC


    Looks nice Dimitri!
    If/when you get some new drivers fitted; get Mach3
    The free version lets you output up to 250 lines of G-code, but that's plenty for basic things.
    - There is no such word as "can't" -
    - 60% of the time it works every time -

  5. #5
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    Nice... i knew it was a good buy... now i know for sure ;-)
    I will start the retrofit with a cheap 3axis cnc stepper driver board i just purchased in china an hour ago. It's all optocouplers and stuff so the parallel port is safe.

    After that i will buy 3x Geckodrive 251 (50V, 3.5A each) to drive the motors which are relatively weak....
    I was recommended cnc-usb by a lot of dutch mill freaks.
    Together with the software cheaper than just the mach3 software.
    And you can connect it to a USB port so i can use a laptop for the mill (have some lying around..) which isn't recommended.

    On the other hand, i will however start with Mach3 and the cheap stepper board.
    Nice thing i like about mach3 is that you can customize a lot.
    Now i will have to learn a CAM program too as well as a CAD program.

    I do have an older version of Autocad 2005, but i think that is overkill for what i do / plan on doing with it (make laser stuff).
    Which software do you recommend ?
    I didn't fail !
    I just found out 10,000 ways that didn't work.

  6. #6
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    Chicks only dig CNC if they have lots of chick pulling LED's flashing randomly!

    Nice toy.
    This space for rent.

  7. #7
    swamidog's Avatar
    swamidog is online now Jr. Woodchuckington Janitor III, Esq.
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    everybody dance now!

    (with sincere apologies to cnc music factory)

    Quote Originally Posted by dnar View Post
    Chicks only dig CNC if they have lots of chick pulling LED's flashing randomly!

    Nice toy.
    suppose you're thinkin' about a plate o' shrimp. Suddenly someone'll say, like, plate, or shrimp, or plate o' shrimp out of the blue, no explanation. No point in lookin' for one, either. It's all part of a cosmic unconciousness.

  8. #8
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    Gecko - the best but expensive.
    To be honest... a standard Chinese stepper driver is good enough and will cost 1/2-1/3 of the price of a single Gecko.
    If I had the cash, I'd get Gecko's all over. If I was looking to save £££ -> Generic...

    Brill stuff here; really good value:
    http://www.diycnc.co.uk/

    If you want a USB controller for Mach3, SmoothStep is mega, if a little pricey.
    As you said, laptop parallel ports are out - 3.3V...

    But: Mach3 Mach3 Mach3!

    You can do more or less everything you need (simple shapes and holes and whatnot) from "wizards" or cycles from a Mach3 'workspace'.
    If you ever want more info on that side of things, give me a ring
    - There is no such word as "can't" -
    - 60% of the time it works every time -

  9. #9
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    and for the more complex things, what do you use to draw ?
    I can maybe buy a smoothstepper card, unused and new for 99 euros.

    furthermore the geckos i can buy for 40 pounds each. which is not cheap, but also not that expensive. since they are really good.
    I didn't fail !
    I just found out 10,000 ways that didn't work.

  10. #10
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    New Geckos for £40?
    Bargain - get them.

    What CAD software do I use?
    ProEngineer WildFire 4.0
    (Recently renamed to Creol or something daft)
    But I only use that because I bought it for my studies... So perhaps not the best choice if you're using it fresh just for CNC work.

    Stick with AutoCAD...
    - There is no such word as "can't" -
    - 60% of the time it works every time -

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