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My CNC

Grump

Grand Master
Joined
Aug 17, 2013
Posts
10,504
Location
Stevenage
First Name
Brian
I have the feeling I have already shown this pic as it was on my confuser ready to go, I bought a cheap Chinese import cnc machine to play with.
I was going through some sort of depression and thought my world was going to end.
I hate my job and thought about packing it in and moving to a smaller house and getting rid of my lovely sheds, so I thought I would get something to occupy me and still do something creative that I could hopefully earn a few bob from and be small enough to do on a desktop.
Here it is set up in my shed before the current improvements.
It is all in a working state and has been tested with the software emc2 working very well.

1.jpg

I had done some research on which machine to buy and looked at prices, my word some are bloody expensive but as this is just an experiment to learn about the things I thought to go cheap and be prepared to do the work I had read that I would have to do I.E. when it falls to bits know how to put it back together again.
I searched eBay for a UK dealer and found one in Portsmouth (or so I thought until the payment went to the shanghai tool co.). Sure enough no more than 3 days had gone by when my parcel arrived.
I was very pleasantly surprised when I opened it, it was extremely well packed and of excellent build quality surely I won't have all the problems I have read about.

Hold on what's that rattling in the controller box? Check that out before plugging in, sure enough a good job I did, the outlet connections were all loose, there was no earth connected and the motherboard screws were loose too but worse there was a spare nut resting across the transformer terminals which would have shorted out on switching the mains supply to it.
That done and the rest assembled I then had to configure the thing, this was a long drawn out process taking me some 2 weeks in all taking one day at a time working on both directions of each motor and fitting stop switches with new screened wiring.
This link is the cnc machine I purchased, different seller as the one I used has been banned so I count myself lucky in getting my goods

2013 Latest 3 Axis CNC Engraving Drilling Milling Machine 3020T-DJ 230W 11000RPM | eBay

Having done all that and found my leadscrew thread dimensions stepping of the motors and direction I can now think about using it.
I had been configuring as I went and learning the software while setting up and was ready to engrave with some great success.
Holding down was my next obstacle flat objects can simply be taped to the bed but lighters and watches etc need a vice to hold them in position.
With only 50mm elevation on my Z axis this was a problem too all the vices I have are too large, I made my own from hardwood which works well and holds a small watchmakers vice inside it. All was goodly until I found the need to go round a curved object I now need a fourth axis, back to China and eBay for this.

CNC F Style A-Axis, 4th-Axis, Router Rotational Rotary Axis 3-Jaw 80mm+Tailstock | eBay

Now I also need another controller and PSU to run my new axis so here we have the total spends so far and it works fine, please don't add it all up, if you do don't tell me the total I am sure I could have bought a local made good quality machine for what I have paid out and I still haven't finished yet.
More pics to follow when I can get back in my shed.
4 Axis Tb6560 Cnc Stepper Motor Driver Board 0.5A-3.5A(Peak) With Aluminum Box | eBay
LED Lights Devices Switching Power Supply 24V10A AC-DC PSU 240W 110/220/230V | eBay
4 core shielded / screened cable ideal for cnc router mill stepper motor etc | eBay
09009 Microswitch 1 Circuit 4A 250V Snap Action Roller Lever Micro Switch SPDT | eBay
 

Jim

Grand Master
Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Posts
15,617
It all sounds very interesting and confusing good luck with it mate

I couldn't have said it better Woody, i would love to be able to get into something like what Brian and David do, maybe in the future eh ... :bwink:

Please keep us informed Brian, it may be confusing but it is interesting ... :thumbs:
 

edlea

Lobbygobbler
Registered
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
Posts
4,693
Location
Blackpool
First Name
Ed
Far too complicated for me ..just wouldn't know where to start. Good luck Grump, with your new venture.
 

Penpal

Grand Master
Joined
May 26, 2013
Posts
25,340
Location
Canberra AUSTRALIA
First Name
Peter
Hi Grump,

First thankyou for the thought stimulation and your sincere desire to give us your take on your purchases together with your experiences so far. Alas the programming would appear to separate me from diving in at this stage in my life. It is stimulating to find some of the things I do with my manually controlled Taiwanese Mill Drill because I always feel my unit gives me a partial upper body work out every time I use it with a Router Bit at high speed since there is only one best way to cut and enter the cut I not only have to manually wind in but out and back for the next cut. To operate best I keep the Gibs firmish for accuracy.


Even as a Sparky in a former life Computers still have heaps of trained experts inside dying to do my bidding if only I learned which buttons to tap when and in what order. Much like my SUV and its 15 light system on the dashboard that indicate sensors and this is only the start, my first car an A Model Ford even had a plate glass windscreen in the 50,s when I had it, however it had this marvellous in my eyes a hand lever to advance and retard the spark especially wrist and arm and head saving on the odd occasion hand cranking or even every time you started the car.

Look forward to future sessions on the forum from you that so far are putting in perspective how, what when and why.

Many thaks and kind regards Peter.:goesred:
 

Jimjam66

Chief Battonager
Registered
Joined
Jan 27, 2013
Posts
3,775
Location
Basingstoke, Hampshire
That's a very neat little machine, Grump. Good value at £475. What CAD/CAM software are you using (i.e. to create the drawing and tool paths for the NC file you feed to EMC2)? My free uses of CAMBAM are almost up and I'm exploring alternatives before I pay my money for the license.

You're going to have to throw away the board that came with your CNC and replace it with the four-axis board when you put in the A-axis, but that's not very difficult to do. It should be a straight transfer of wiring for each stepper motor because the current board is almost certainly also a TB6560. If you're looking for some help bring it along to the Open House and we can play with it there.

I'm not sure how you are going to fit the actual A-axis components, because they are 100mm deep (with a 49mm centre) and your Z-axis only has a 60mm travel? Unless you mount the head and tail stock units either end of the machine on the workbench? That might allow you to get the right level for your centres.

For work holding you might consider something like the clamping kits on this page. (About six items down.). They have bolts that slide into the T-channels on your lathe bed and various bits you attach to keep your work secure. Chronos is not the only place to try, there's also Warco, Amadeal and a few others. You need to know the width at base and throat of your T-slots so you get the right kit.
 

Grump

Grand Master
Joined
Aug 17, 2013
Posts
10,504
Location
Stevenage
First Name
Brian
That's a very neat little machine, Grump. Good value at £475. What CAD/CAM software are you using (i.e. to create the drawing and tool paths for the NC file you feed to EMC2)? My free uses of CAMBAM are almost up and I'm exploring alternatives before I pay my money for the license.

I use Inkscape, Pycam and F-engrave all free software, suited my requirements so far

You're going to have to throw away the board that came with your CNC and replace it with the four-axis board when you put in the A-axis, but that's not very difficult to do. It should be a straight transfer of wiring for each stepper motor because the current board is almost certainly also a TB6560. If you're looking for some help bring it along to the Open House and we can play with it there.
Already done not shown in that pic, will update pics later date, look at eBay links in post.

I'm not sure how you are going to fit the actual A-axis components, because they are 100mm deep (with a 49mm centre) and your Z-axis only has a 60mm travel? Unless you mount the head and tail stock units either end of the machine on the workbench? That might allow you to get the right level for your centres.

I have rigged up a board with a sliding rail fits below the machine and moves back and forth gives me fine adjustment. I use two electrical glands to mount pens betweet centres.

For work holding you might consider something like the clamping kits on this page. (About six items down.). They have bolts that slide into the T-channels on your lathe bed and various bits you attach to keep your work secure. Chronos is not the only place to try, there's also Warco, Amadeal and a few others. You need to know the width at base and throat of your T-slots so you get the right kit.

I have some of those but still needed a vice for certain items which I have made using the same techique of holding down, pic to follow at a later date.
 
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