Building a CNCRouterParts CRP4896

[Glenn Vaughn]

I have had the kit for sevveral weeks but needed to prepare the shed and build a sturdy table for the machine. After three weekends it was time to get started. My capable assistant and I spent about 10 hours this weeekend assembling the machine. When starting the Gantry we discovered that two crucial parts had been omitted stopping assebly before the Y and ZX axis' could be assembled. We got the X axis motors mounted after tweaking the alignment of the gantry risers to the rails.

I contacted CNCRouterParts this morning and the missing parts were shipped within an hour - Great Customer Srvice!!

If you have not seen one of these machines, they are built loke a tank - the kit weighs over 400 pounds and has no "flimsy" parts. It uses hundreds of 8020 T-Bolts to assemble the machine. There is still quite a bit of planning to do before it is complete (Electronics mounting, water supply for the spiondle and dust collection). We wee able to run the gantry up and down the table - very smooth.

Looking forward to next weekend and doing the Y and Z.

[Jim Underwood]

Now how in the world can we verify? No pix! Must have pix! Feed the beast!

[Glenn Vaughn]

I knew the photos request was coming. Too cold right now to go take them. I will have some in a couple of days - supposed to snow tonight and tomorrow.

[Glenn Vaughn]

Well I went out and braved the cold and wind. Took a couple of pictures (not very goog ones). The shed still needs to be emptied since it will be dedicated to the CNC Router. The carriages on top of the gantry were just assembled and tested there - that is not the final position.

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[Jim Underwood]

A thing of beauty...

You use a shoehorn to get it in there though?

[Glenn Vaughn]

It is a bit tight - shed is 12 X 18 inside dimension.

[Mike Heidrick]

Got to love that kit!! You going nema23 or 34?

I run a couple G540s on my machine (Joes CastCNC R&P) and built a G540 controller for a buddies cncrp 4848. Here is a pic to see my G540 setup. Have since added to it for a second G540 (5,6,7,8 axis) and a chinese spindle and VFD each in other Nema 4/12 enclosures. I mounted my controllers on unistrut bolted to the steel base.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e169/BloomingtonMike/Cast%20CNC/box1.jpg (http://s39.photobucket.com/user/BloomingtonMike/media/Cast%20CNC/box1.jpg.html)

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e169/BloomingtonMike/Cast%20CNC/P2283847.jpg (http://s39.photobucket.com/user/BloomingtonMike/media/Cast%20CNC/P2283847.jpg.html)

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e169/BloomingtonMike/Cast%20CNC/cncdrw.jpg (http://s39.photobucket.com/user/BloomingtonMike/media/Cast%20CNC/cncdrw.jpg.html)

[Jim Underwood]

12x18! And here I thought my 16x20 shop was too small for one of these.

[Richard Coers]

I hope you plan on insulating and heating that shed Glenn. That steel and aluminum are going to sweat like crazy when the humidity and temperature comes up. Not to mention all the electronics. It also won't be good for all those steel fasteners. Then if you consider the expansion rate for aluminum. It's .00001", per inch, per degree of temperature change. So a 96" piece of aluminum will expand around a 1/16" with a 60 degree temperature rise. (And I know you will get a lot more temp change than that in Colorado.) If you have everything snugged up now, it will be much tighter this summer. You could even have fastener trouble with the aluminum shrinking and expanding under the steel bolts. Also the steel rail for the bearings will not expand as much as the aluminum, so it will not stay straight as the 8020 expands under it, and the bolts hold tight. Time to call in the spray foam insulation guy!

[Mike Heidrick]

All bolts and Steel are mounted in T slots and T nuts.

[Glenn Vaughn]

Plan is to build a "real" shop this fall. Where I am located in COlorado is pretty mild most of the time - 15 degree spreads are common. The shed is semi insulated with foam sheeting. Right now my main shop is my garage and I don;t have enough room there for the CNC. I would have to move my SawStop and a few other pieces out to mak room (might do this later).

Condensation has never been a problem in the shed. I am in an area that is between Arod and desert. Last year we got a little over 8 inches of rain total. I have lived here for 25 years and have only seen dew a few times. Fog is rare as well.