Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: The mechanical part of my router is done!

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>>somewhere around $20 total. Not too bad for such a complex project.
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>I'm assuming $200.00 ? the bearings alone (8 per axis?) would be over
>$20.00.
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Nope, $20. Early on in this project I put myself on a VERY tight
budget, and have kept to it.

I bought up "used" Rollerblade skates at local thrift stores -- $.50 -
$1 per pair, and 16 bearings per set of skates. I picked over the
bearings for the ones in the best shape, and used them. 2 pair that I
bought were basically brand new -- I assume some kid got them, fell
down, and never used them again. Needless to say, the bearings were
PERFECT. I got lucky and ended up with gold ABEC-3 bearings, too. The
ones of lower quality were used to support the end of the drive screws,
and other less critical places.

The fact that I took apart LASER printers (I'm a geek) for the stepper
motors, and sold the remaining parts on eBay *at a profit* helped my
total, too.

That total, however, does not include the stepper boards. I found some
for $10 a piece, at a local technology flea market, but I have to do
some modifications to get them to work with my PC -- they're self
contained, and use a 555 to generate pulses on board. Shouldn't be a
difficult hack, but I still have to make it happen.

>my question is regarding the bearing mounts. they look like some off
>the shelf bent metal thing. can you let us know the source ?
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Sure, Lowes and Home Depot both carry a line of sheet metal "connectors"
for woodworking, building workbenches, etc, in the woodworking section.
They're called "Simpsons Strong Tie Connectors," and I used the "gusset
angle" connector. Smashed it in my vise till it was around 120 degrees.
Couldn't be a more primitive approach, but it seems to work quite well.
They cost only about 32 cents a piece, if memory serves.

>Btw, very clever design on the anti-backlash adjustment, very clever.
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Thank you. I wish I could take credit for it, but I saw something
similar executed in brass, on one of the web forums. Lacking the
ability to do metalworking, I improvised.

>I have 2 concerns that only use will reveal. it seems that pipes
>could bend under heavy load, may or may not be a problem.
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That was a problem with the X axis -- the 3/4" pipe I used could flex a
little, which introduced rack into the gantry. I fixed it by fully
supporting the rails...that's what the 2x2 on the "outside" is doing.

On the smaller axes it doesn't appear to be a problem...and certainly
not for the type of work I intend to do.

>all in all, a great looking project and nicely executed.
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Thank you -- that means a lot to me. Especially since I've never even
seen a CNC router in person -- only photos on the web.

>I but you're busting at the seams to see chips fly !
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I'm busting at the seams to see the motors turn -- the electronic side
of the project gets started tonight!

-- Chuck Knight