Homemade Milling Machine Design

[engineer steve]

In this video I show and explain the design of my new Milling Machine, Subscribe to stay tuned for the build!

[Frank S]

It often seems like it takes as long to design a machine and make sure there are no conflicting surfaces as it does to actually build the thing. The main difference is you can make tons of scrap electrons and still get to use them over and over again, not so when cutting up steel or aluminum or any materials for that matter. Once iot is truned into chips it will remain chips there is no second chance to put them back together.

[engineer steve]

That's 100% correct! If the design process is thoroughly done, which takes a lot of time, the actual building process is usually quick and easy.

[Frank S]

That's 100% correct! If the design process is thoroughly done, which takes a lot of time, the actual building process is usually quick and easy.

That is unless you have someone looking over your shoulder questioning every detail while trying to add their input, and cannot understand why you left one certain part thicker than another, You explain that is to compensate for torque and lateral forces the opposite member does not share. So he demands you thin down the part so he can have the last inth of a thou, space. It is only once you submit the completed build to testing that he realizes his idea was wrong, but will never admit it, and now wants you to triple the thickness his precious inth of a thou. no longer of concern. However when you explain to him the change will have a domino effect on several other associated parts he gives you a blank no bodies home stare. So, you remake the whole thing get it past the testing phase to 150% rated cap. with a good FOS. He decides that now it should be rated at a much higher loading cap, and the cycle starts all over again.

[uv8452]

I like your clean and thoughtful design.

[engineer steve]

Thanks, I failed to mention in the video that all the cavities will be filled with epoxy granite or concrete, that way the machine will be much more ridgid compared to a (6mm /1/4") sheetmetal body. Doing this, any vibrations from milling will be dampened significantly.