Progress on the Harp Fabricator

Posted by Monroe Lee King Jr on December 28, 2014 at 4:14pm

3691169051?profile=original3691168970?profile=originalAfter a coupla years of thought and compromises and decisions on how to make a rigid small CNC machine this is what I've come up with.

It will be cast solid aluminum which is the only real solution for the rigidity issue. If you could do it in cast iron it would be perfect. However this seems to me to be the best compromise after a lot of thought and trials. 

This is a moving table design not a moving gantry design.

We plan to make the casting sometime after the 6th of January when I have help from the rest of my team here working on another project. 

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Replies

  • Monroe Lee King Jr January 20, 2017 at 3:56pm

    Yeah Gary will do, I'll post some video when we get that far. I'm pretty sure they do work they have 4 bearings which would make you think they could hold up? We shale see I suppose.

    Gary McCray said:

    Hi RD,

    Just a thought,

    Why not switch to a Bosch 1617 or 1618 router, they aren't too expensive and then you can get precision collets and holders from PreciseBits.com.

    That's what I have and it works great, very concentric, also the speed control on the Bosch routers is excellent.

    The only thing better is a real spindle but I am still skeptical of the Chinese cheap ones and the Itialian and German ones cost more than my entire DIY CNC machine.

    Very interesting CNC router design, what are the details on the support structure.

    Looks like you are using one of the Chinese spindles Monroe, I would very much like to know how it works out.

    Best,

    Gary

  • Monroe Lee King Jr January 20, 2017 at 3:52pm

    I love your enclosure looks high tech :)

    I've got to build a stainless enclosure for the machine and electronics to survive the coolant flying all over.

    this is a 1.5hp 24k rpm 3 phase spindle and I've got the VFD for it. One thing about high RPM's in aluminum to get it to cut properly you need to use single flute cutters.

    This is a test spindle the head will be interchangeable with a print head and a pick n place head as well as a slower spindle.

    This is just a cheap spindle motor for initial testing but I do know they made single flut cutters for these high speed spindles and that the real trick is to use them.

    You need a fairly ridged machine to use them though.

    R. D. Starwalt said:

    Excellent Monroe! Tell me about that spindle please.

    I found out about a week ago that the company that carried a high precision collet for my Rigid router ended support/production so... I have to decide where to go next for the spindle -- start over or try and modify/adapt what I have or go with something like you have.

    I put the rear top on so I can check clearances of the carriage movements.

    The front top is piano hinged to the rear and swings up for access.

    The electronics are in the side holes as you can see in the lower photo.

    -=Doug

  • Gary McCray January 20, 2017 at 2:52pm

    Hi RD,

    Just a thought,

    Why not switch to a Bosch 1617 or 1618 router, they aren't too expensive and then you can get precision collets and holders from PreciseBits.com.

    That's what I have and it works great, very concentric, also the speed control on the Bosch routers is excellent.

    The only thing better is a real spindle but I am still skeptical of the Chinese cheap ones and the Itialian and German ones cost more than my entire DIY CNC machine.

    Very interesting CNC router design, what are the details on the support structure.

    Looks like you are using one of the Chinese spindles Monroe, I would very much like to know how it works out.

    Best,

    Gary

  • R. D. Starwalt January 20, 2017 at 2:26pm

    Excellent Monroe! Tell me about that spindle please.

    I found out about a week ago that the company that carried a high precision collet for my Rigid router ended support/production so... I have to decide where to go next for the spindle -- start over or try and modify/adapt what I have or go with something like you have.

    3702344342?profile=original3702344730?profile=originalI put the rear top on so I can check clearances of the carriage movements.

    The front top is piano hinged to the rear and swings up for access.

    The electronics are in the side holes as you can see in the lower photo.

    -=Doug

  • Monroe Lee King Jr January 20, 2017 at 11:07am

    3702345030?profile=originalI haven't updated in a while but we now have 3 of the 5 axis! I need to make the bearing block for the Z axis but we are getting much closer now. I have a 5 axis stepper set up fpr testing but we will switch to servos once the bugs get worked out mechanically!

    It's shaping up pretty good!

  • Monroe Lee King Jr November 13, 2016 at 10:57pm

    Wow Doug it really looks great in the enclosure! I'm planning a stainless steel enclosure for the fabricator.

    I really like the foundation you built for the machine that looks very well designed.

    There will be so much coolant used with this machine SS enclosure will be a must.

  • R. D. Starwalt November 13, 2016 at 3:51pm

    I've got several progress pics, but the Momus has been built and modified by so many, the pics are not special.

    The website pretty much tells the story. http://www.momuscnc.com/

    I will probably put a post up here once it is reassembled and I start tuning/adjusting it.

    No way it will handle the material your unit will and it was never developed to do that.

    Momus is a wood/laminate/some aluminum fabricator. Some guys have gotten theirs accurate enough to do pcb milling.

    I will be happy if it is that tight and repetitive.

    -=Doug

    momus CNC | benchtop DIY router plans | home page
    Momus CNC provides plans and documentation to construct a DIY desktop manufacturing equipment such as our fully enclosed precision 3 axis router
  • Monroe Lee King Jr November 12, 2016 at 9:58am

    Cool Doug!

    Yeah the holes are just some cool factor But! They may be used for mounting some magnesium plates of varying thickness to dampen certain frequency vibrations once some testing gets underway.

    Magnesium has high dampening.

    Got any photos of the Momus?

  • R. D. Starwalt November 11, 2016 at 5:48am

    Will the holes in the 'U' part be used for attachments or are they for 'cool' factor?

    I doubt they would take much weight off the total system.

    Looking great Monroe!

    My Momus is also moving along slowly, but the outside of base and sound hood are done, windows are in the hood.

    I am just being obsessive with finish quality. I want someone to look at it and say 'Wow! Do you want to sell it?'

    -=Doug

  • Monroe Lee King Jr November 10, 2016 at 8:08pm

    3702322632?profile=original3702322573?profile=originalWe will need some testers out there soon! I think we need 5 good people out there to really thrash this machine and try to break it! Hopefully by February we will have the complete package ready.

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