Gauging Interest in the CNC Machine
Since we may be contracting 3rd party to make PCBs and supply parts for the CNC, I'd like to gauge how much real interest there is in buying one of these machines, when we're done.
Keep in mind that this is not a commitment, just think to yourself to see how serious you would be, and comment yay or nay.
Update June 8th, 20122:
Ok, just counting heads. So far it's 17 people. Let me know if I missed anyone.
My personal budget for this is $1000-$1200, so any higher, and I'm out, but of course would continue to do my best to get this done for everyone!
Here's a list of "yays" so far (again no commitment assumed):
| Dany Thivierge |
| Monroe |
| Ellison Chan |
| Kevin Bouchard |
| Eric Tweet |
| Eoin |
| yovio |
| John C. |
| Fred |
| Ruwan |
| Raversspesh |
| 924aussie Alan |
| Terry |
| arashi |
| Dave C |
| Nick Joyce |
| Andrew Adams |
Drive System Survey
Franco Scipioni has set up a survey to gauge interest in which system we want to have on the system.
Access the survey here:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2SRRRWT
To summarize:
Servo System:
- has rotational encoders to allow exact motor control
- position encoders, so that tool head can be positioned precisely
- uses DC motors
- requires development or use of a custom circuit board to drive the motors
- more expensive solution
Stepper System
- no rotational encoders, so will not allow exact motor control
- position encoders, may still be possible
- uses stepper motors
- no custom circuit boards needed, motor systems easily available
- cheaper than servo system
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ellison Chan on -
What's the actual web site where you got the gerber files from RD? I'll just send him the link. My guy at SOC is pretty good with Eagle, add what you got to the top of the discussion, and I'll send them to him to see what he thinks.
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Permalink Reply by Dustin on -
Having done some more research on current CNC systems, I'm really looking forward to this system. Anything I can do to help. I have a little CAD experience (solidworks / autodesk), solid C programming skills, and some electrical engineering experience.
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Permalink Reply by Dustin on
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Incidentally, how do I get my name on the "Yes" list at the front of this thread? I'm super interested, so I don't want to get left out. Thanks.
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Permalink Reply by Kevin Bouchard on -
Dustin, check out the drawings thread and tell me if you think you can help with the CAD. Or if you have any design suggestions...
It'd probably be good if I at least had someone to check the assemblies in solidworks and tell me if I missed something or made an error. Currently on Solidworks 2010.
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Permalink Reply by cjeastman on
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Count me in. I have a Hermes Vanguard 7000 that I am currently working on.
Cornelius Eastman
Anchorage, Alaska
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Permalink Reply by Mike Boland on -
An interesting project and you can count me as another IN.
Have been looking at something like this for a while as a workshop need but the cheap ones on line are just that.
If this thing will be capable of doing light alloys, then it has real uses.
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DistributorPermalink Reply by Dany Thivierge on -
Ok, Back from vacation! :) Happy to see that we are making progress in the CNC area. Slow but still the project is still alive. Monroe, did you start to build the prototype following Kevin drawings? Would love to see the wood version of it!
When do we need to make a decision on the control boards and other parts? Let's pick something and move on, I see too many projects always waiting for the perfect planet alignment and never getting done. I appreciate all the inputs and hard work that was put in this so far but I want us to be able to have something before end of the year. Would be nice to be able to craft stuff for holiday season! hehe
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Permalink Reply by R. D. Starwalt on
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"new" board? The ELM Chan/UHU derivatives have been around about 8 to 10 years. The high power variation of the UHU was the last developed. There has been so little movement on the CNC Zone discussion group that someone posted in the last week or so wondering if the group was dead/inactive.
IMHO a price driven project will require group sweat equity... not just PC interaction. Unless we can find a contract board house that will build for $75/axis, less controller chip, we will have to spread the work load around with bare boards, parts, and testing. We can get $8/bare board from EAS with 50 boards (I bought 3 @ $10/bare board for evaluation - good quality BTW).
These 'simple' boards utilize a PC parallel port approach with software like TurboCNC and others.
If a PC does not have a parallel port, a USB to parallel adapter would have to be used. We really need some concensus on the software. That completely drives (pardon the pun) the kind of electronics we will go with.
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Permalink Reply by Ellison Chan on
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I think we should come up with two alternatives, one is the servo board and the other just a plain stepper solution, with the stepper solution being the cheaper alternative. I'm personally feeling that servos are overkill for my applications.
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Permalink Reply by Ellison Chan on
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That sounds like a plan. We can choose one of the stepper bundles, in the Specs Brainstorming thread. I can chip in some money for buying it too. Like Dany said we can paypal you some money, and then you can buy one of the ebay sets.
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The two-choice solution is best, I agree.
I researched cheap stepper choices years ago and settled with LiniStepper kits sold by James Newton. You can do all three axis for $90 (motor control boards only).
I use them in my small machine but there are many, many users on larger systems. Look over their site and links.
The actual machine really dictates the minimum motor/controller needed to move things around. Once moving, the next questions to ask are what kind of material/cuts/tools are going to used. Those answers drive how much more torque you need to do the job
The $1000 to $1300 target might be achieved with steppers. Servos? The jury is still out..
I am still commited to seeing a prototype running by any means I can assist with.
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DistributorPermalink Reply by Dany Thivierge on -
Ready to send paypal to you sir! :)
just indicate where and I will chip in! tell us how much you really need, this is where we will really see who's in and who's just looking around. When it's time to start paying the user count usually goes down!
but i'm still all in!
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