Homebrew CNC Engraver

For my 'second' post, I guess I can show my "homebrew" CNC machine. A little unsure how to show the pics
here, but will give it a try. The machine frame is made of 1-in black-iron pipe. Saw this style from THIS website and decided to give it a try. My machine uses the 'Arduino-UNO' module. It uses the 'grbl' software ver 9. The step/direction commands from the Arduino are passed to three controller cards that I made using PIC processors. The PIC's pass the necessary driver step sequence to some "Dual-H-Bridge" drivers that in turn, drive the stepper(bipolar) motors.
I found quite a few interesting issues that had to be dealt with, and found it quite enjoyable to work on. Shown is an very old 'dremel tool' that I had, and used for a bit for testing and checking out milling/engraving . I have received my new 3-speed spindle , but don't have it mounted yet. Other more important things to do first, but hope to have it done in the next month or two. My X axis(left& right) is about 450 mm. The Y axis (front&rear) is about 150 mm and the Z axis is about 75-80 mm.

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I use a program called 'inkscape' to do the drawing of the work-piece. There is a plug-in on the software that converts this image to the required 'g-code' file for the machine. I have found that I do have to check the file for 'grbl' compatibility and I'm still learning how this should work for best results.

Here are a pic of my new spindle mounted on the machine. I just finished this up today after
getting caught up from the last weeks 'ham radio' field day operation.
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Hope this all shows up okay.
cheers

kd8wdave,

This is so cool and looking forward to seeing your next version with the 3-speed spindle. I am also interested in the various homemade tools using the 'Arduino-UNO' module and the 'grbl' software after seeing John Saunders' YouTube channel NYCCNC on his adaptations. It is on my "to do" list.

Thank you for the posting!
Regards, Paul

Thanks kd8wdave! I've added your CNC Engraver to our CNC and Electronics categories, as well as to your builder page: kd8wdave's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/cnc-engraver-2"><img src="http://www.homemadetools.net/uploads/120970/cnc-engraver-2.jpeg" /></a></div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/cnc-engraver-2">CNC Engraver</a> <span> by <a href="/builder/kd8wdave">kd8wdave</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/cnc">CNC</a>, <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/engraver">engraver</a>, <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/arduino">Arduino</a>, <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/motor">motor</a>, <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/controller">controller</a></div> </div> </div> </div>

Hey Dave:
Amazing to see you on here; just so's you know, on here I am proff11, as Paul Jones was already taken. Glad to see you enjoying yourself. Don't be afraid to put up pictures of The Last Spindle; I may print them out and frame them.("See what Grandpa used to do before we all learned to speak Mandarin.")

Thanks Paul, I'll be getting to it after FD is over. I made three hold-down clamps today. Tomorrow is radio/network checkout with another ham. Have to make sure all our station gear will network together for the upcoming contest.

cheers

Great job! A homemade tool partly inspired by homemadetools.net. :)

Hi kd8wdave,

Very impressive! Your CNC Engraver is the 'Tool of the Week'!

You'll be receiving one of our official HomemadeTools.net T-shirts:

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Just let me have (via PM) your details (size, color choice, and mailing address) and we'll get things processed directly.

Congrats!

Ken

This thread has been moved to the Must Read subforum. Congrats (and thanks) to kd8wdave for making such a valuable contribution!

Toi cung dang muon lam mot may phay CNC dieu khien bang modul arduino uno nhung khong biet phai bat dau nhu the nao? xin cho mot loi khuyen , cam on

Sometimes I use Inkscape to make DXF files to be converted into G-Code. I have the gcodetools plugin for my copy of Inkscape, but I can't say I'm a big fan of it. So I use other applications for post processing, depending on the kind of job it is. I like that spindle. I have one of those Chinese "500 Watt" air cooled spindles and I am not entirely sold on it. It works, but the top RPM is awfully slow. As best as I can tell it is no where near 500 Watts either. More like 100 Watts according to measurements I've taken. Congratulations on winning tool of the Week. I don't think my CNC machine even got honorable mention on this site. Maybe the next one that I build will?

I never got the Gcodetools Inkscape extension to work very well for me ever. I find the whole software side of CNC to be troublesome. Someday I am going to have to break down and buy some CAM software that actually works.

Thanks for posting, great project!! It encourages me to to do my CNC engraver also.
I have most of the pieces, I have a Dumore #44 tool post grinder that I bought at a Tool Swap two months ago and then this month
I bought a big drill press XY table. I need to motorized the XY table mount the grinder and do the Arduino what could be simpler?

Ralph

Well X Y tables probably do have backlash. Compensating for that can be somewhat non-trivial. You'd still need a Z axis too. While they can be fairly easy to make ( I managed to come up with a practically free for me and easy to build design ) they're still not nothing. I am not familiar with the gory details of a Dumore #44 tool post grinder but I can imagine it has any number of things that make it less than the ideal spindle for a CNC machine. Does it take standard ER collets? Also Arduino's themselves do not really power stepper motors. Stepper motor drivers do that. Just the high current low DC voltage power supply itself can be a chore to figure out. Most opt for a cheap Chinese SMPS these days but it is not without its drawbacks. I'm using one now but I'd rather a plain filtered rectified transformer. They can be pricey though. Quite honestly looking at it from the other side building a CNC machine is nothing compared to making G Code to run on a CNC machine. That can be a real PITA. Especially if you're looking for customary unit support that actually works. I'm convinced foreigners botch that up intentionally just to be spiteful these days.