Dad's new Homebuilt CNC Mill

[wolfpackjeeper]

I swear, I am a smart guy, and I know that Dad is smarter than I am, but he continues to surprise me with some of the stuff he is able to design and build from scratch. No plans. Don't get me wrong. Lots of guys have added CNC control to a pre built machine, I have not seen anyone build the whole thing from scratch.

He already has a homebuilt CNC controlled router that can 3d carve on a 30x24in area. Uses it for all kinds of neat stuff. Built that and bought the controls for well under a grand.

We have always wanted a mill too. It is the only piece of machinery that we dont have. And after looking around we had settled on a mid sized grizzily. Looking at one that would have a 7x20in ish working area.

Well, Dad decided he could do better on his own. He bought a piece of heavy 10" channel, and some flat steel for the column. Then he bought an Enco XY table and reworked the drive system to take out almost all of the backlash. He is currently using the spindal and motor from a Lindsey Lathe he built years ago because it is what he had handy to get it running before I got home to visit last weekend. It is still in a rough, mocked up stage, but it is working.

The coolest part is that since he also operates his own aluminum sand foundry, he can make a lot of the parts and fittings he wants to work his design out. Use the CNC router to carve in machinist wax, use that as a pattern in the foundry, then use the mill to finish it.

 

[wolfpackjeeper]

It is probably a little more than *halfway to* what he would considered a finished, working mill. He will need to pull it back apart to install some shims that he designed. And he still needs to design the bracket to mount the spindal drive motor and top stepper motor.

The last one should be a video, but I am not sure if it works. The mil computer at the office does not want to play it.

 

[AIbandit]

That's pretty awesome

 

[wolfpackjeeper]

What is really funny is how much quiter it is compared ot the CNC router setup. He designed that to use finish routers as the spindal motor and spindal cranium. We have to wear earpro to run that thing for any length of time, especially if the project is a hardwood piece. The mill was not that loud at all.

 

[Lowrange2]

That's cool as hell! There's a hell of a lot of radius' in that program!

No e-stop?

 

[wolfpackjeeper]

there is a way to put an e-stop in, and he will probably wire it for one. But for the most part there is no reason to be touching the machine. The Program is setup to let you jog the machine for manual control. All the normal milling operations you can do with the keyboard.

The milling portion of the software actually has a lot of quick functions for standard tool paths. I think the program displayed was for a 1in circle .1in deep.

 

[Lowrange2]

Looked to be a gradual spiral out to 1inch. Awesome!

 

[Lowrange2]

Ah, I just looked over at the right side of the screen and saw the spiral. lol