Originally Posted by
Rob Wright
Jim - I must respectfully disagree that the Joe's CNC is slow. I run mine at 300ipm rapids, cut 3D at 225 ipm. This is with the "standard" 2 turns per inch lead screws. There is an option now for 1 turn per inch lead screws that will double the speed. Since these systems use steppers that have much better torque at lower speed, these new lead screws work out very well. There is also a few builders on the Joescnc.com forum that have rack and pinion drive that are 4x8 machines that have approached 1200 ipm. Also belt drive is not the end all - there are some issues with belt stretch. I followed the build of automatedwoodworks log on cnczone.com and it is a great machine - but there is a fair amount of welding, and the linear slides that he uses are a couple dollars each. All of this adds up quickly in the world of CNC
Rob, thanks for chiming in, always good to hear from those who have been there and done that. Those are some amazing numbers and kudos to you for achieving that kind of speed. If I may, how did you deal with the whip of the lead screws that seem to plague these systems? I have read many a posts over at cnczone where this was a major problem. And dont get me wrong, Im not saying that belt drive is the end all of CNC, in fact I didnt mean that at all. I was just saying that I have come across more success with them than failures.
Im very into this thread and look forward to hearing some more about your machine and any others. Its very cool stuff!!
If at first you don't succeed, look in the trash for the instructions.