I’ve been doing woodworking for several years now and the past few years have seen others in the craft using CNC machines to expand their creativity and capabilities using this fascinating tool in ways that could not have been dreamed about 100 years ago.
About five or six years ago, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and purchased a “desktop” CNC kit thinking a new world was around the bend. Little did I know that that world would be filled with so much frustration, anger, and fear. I did the minimal research on the topic before jumping in and spending ~$750 for my first machine. BIG MISTAKE! At every turn, it seemed as if something wasn’t working or the machine’s capabilities were far less than what I needed it to do.
Time marches on and I’ve still got the creative visions in my head of things that I could do with a CNC, but my previous purchase just isn’t going to get them done. I’m still in the stage of “I don’t want to spend a small fortune in case I don’t like this.” though. To mitigate this, I’ve decided to build my own machine.
This blog series serves two purposes. The first is a written document that will keep me somewhat accountable to myself. The second is to help others if they feel they want to try and build their own CNC also.
Why build a CNC from scratch?
There are about as many different off-the-shelf CNC kits as there are fish in the ocean. (Ok, maybe not that many, but there are a lot.) While some kits are well-engineered, others have serious limitations that can lead to frustration rather than creativity.
All of the machines that fellow woodworkers are using come in at different price points with a basic belt-driven machine starting around $450 on sale. But these lower-end machines would most likely lead to the same or similar issues that I mentioned previously in the introduction.
If you want a kit that minimizes frustration (though no machine is completely hassle-free), expect to spend between $1,400 and $2,500. And even with these higher priced kits, you may or may not get every feature that you want or need. It may be acceptably stiff and rigid, but the working area is too small or vice versa.
The main reason that I decided to build my own CNC machine is that I don’t have $2000 to spend on something I may or may not like or even use. I do have an old machine that is already technically useless and sitting in the corner of the shop that I can probably salvage a lot of parts from to use in a new build. Also, building from scratch will be an opportunity to learn and understand the engineering behind these amazing machines.
Project scope
The scope or goals of this project are pretty simple; build a more reliable machine that has a larger working area than the one that I have now and doesn’t cost $1000 … in fact, I want to keep the entire build under $700. I know, if I’d save a little more, I could buy a new machine. Don’t judge me!
Budget
I will be using as many parts from my old CNC machine as possible to keep the cost to a minimum which lets me spend what little budget I am allowing myself on ensuring the frame and drive system are solid. This includes the stepper motors, all of the electronics, and the Dewalt 611 router that came with my CNC originally.
Materials and other features
For the frame, I will be using aluminum extrusions and plates wherever possible to keep the weight down while still being rigid. The drive system will use screws – either ball or lead screws … I haven’t made that decision at this point. And GONE are the wheels from my old machine! I’ll be using linear rails to add strength and simplify construction.
Tools and Equipment
As I previously stated, I’ve been doing woodworking for years now and have amassed a wide variety of tools for that craft. I don’t have any special metal working tools nor do I have the budget to purchase those tools. That being said, the only option is to be able to build the new CNC machine with woodworking tools such as a table saw, bandsaw, miter saw, drill press, etc. … tools in a woodworking shop.
I have yet to learn how to use CAD software so instead, I’ll rely on hand drawn plans and careful measurement techniques, ensuring accuracy using the tools I have. I’ll be posting those as I go along in this series where appropriate … along with build photos for clarity.
Next steps
I already have a working idea in mind of the machine that I am going to build, but haven’t fleshed out any hard details. The first step is to get something down on paper and start the process of selecting/purchasing the materials for the frame.
Follow along with me on my quest to build a working CNC machine! I will be opening up the comments for you to ask questions and offer suggestions or insights at a later time. This CNC won’t build itself – time to figure sh*@ out!