Build Your Own CNC Machine

Build Your Own CNC Machine

by Patrick Hood-Daniel, James Floyd Kelly
Released November 2009
Publisher(s): Apress
ISBN: 9781430224891

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Book description

CNC expert Patrick Hood-Daniel and best-selling author James Kelly team up to show you how to construct your very own CNC machine. Then they go on to show you how to use it, how to document your designs in Computer-Aided Design programs, and how to output your designs as specifications and tool paths that feed into the CNC machine, controlling it as it builds whatever parts your imagination can dream up.

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. Dedication
  3. About the Authors
  4. About the Technical Reviewers
  5. Acknowledgments
  6. Introduction
  7. 1. Your CNC Machine
    1. What is CNC?
      1. Industrial Uses
      2. Personal Uses
    2. Your DIY CNC Machine
    3. What's Next?
  8. 2. Hardware and Tools
    1. The Tools
    2. The Electronics Vendors
    3. What's Next?
  9. 3. Tips and Advice
    1. Cut Once
        1. Measure twice, cut once
        2. Measure twice, cut once
    2. Protect Yourself
    3. Protect Your Lungs
    4. Label Parts
    5. MDF Sheets and Sizes
    6. Limit Your Cuts
    7. Time Your Cuts
    8. Encouragement
    9. What's Next?
  10. 4. Movement Using Rails
    1. Bearing-Rail Assembly
    2. Riding the Rail
    3. Tips and Advice
    4. What's Next?
  11. 5. Joining Methods
    1. Two Pieces of MDF
    2. Method 1: Cross Dowels
    3. Method 2: Bolt, Washer, and Nut
    4. Which Method Is Best?
    5. Building a Jig to Drill
    6. What's Next?
  12. 6. The Electronics
    1. The Required Components
    2. Preparing the Stepper Motor Wires
    3. Preparing the Power Supply
    4. Preparing the Breakout Board
    5. Providing Power to the Stepper Motor Drivers
    6. Wiring Motor Drivers to the Breakout Board
    7. Connecting Power to Motor Drivers
    8. Connecting Stepper Motors to Motor Drivers
    9. Wiring the Cooling Fan
    10. Testing the Electronics
    11. What's Next?
  13. 7. X-Axis, Part 1
    1. The X-Axis MDF Parts
    2. The X-Axis Table
    3. Cutting Rails for Tabletop Sides
    4. Summary of Work
    5. What's Next?
  14. 8. X-Axis, Part 2
    1. Drilling the Table
    2. Drilling Holes for Legs
    3. Cutting the Table Ends
    4. Summary of Work
    5. Hardware Required
    6. What's Next?
  15. 9. X-Axis, Part 3
    1. Drilling the Table Ends (Legs)
    2. Drilling and Mounting the Rail
    3. Attaching the Table Legs
    4. Cutting the X-Axis Lead Screw
    5. Summary of Work
    6. Hardware Required
    7. What's Next?
  16. 10. Y-Axis, Part 1
    1. The Y-Axis MDF Parts
      1. Parts Q and R: The Y-Axis Gantry Sides
      2. Building BRAs for Gantry Sides
    2. Summary of Work
    3. Hardware Required
    4. What's Next?
  17. 11. Y-Axis, Part 2
    1. The Y-Axis MDF Parts
    2. Attaching BRAs and Gantry Sides
    3. Part P: The Y-Axis Gantry Bottom Support
    4. Summary of Work
    5. Hardware Required
    6. What's Next?
  18. 12. Y-Axis, Part 3
    1. The Y-Axis MDF Parts
    2. The Rail Support
    3. Finishing the Y-Axis Frame
    4. Tips on Final Frame Assembly
    5. Summary of Work
    6. Hardware Required
    7. What's Next?
  19. 13. Preparing for the Z-Axis
    1. The Y-Axis BRA Supports
    2. Cutting and Drilling Parts C and D
    3. Measuring for the Z-Axis
    4. Summary of Work
    5. Hardware Required
    6. What's Next?
  20. 14. Z-Axis, Part 1
    1. The Z-Axis MDF Parts
    2. Part F: The Z-Axis Rail Support
    3. Parts W and X: The Z-Axis Bearing Supports
    4. Z-Axis Bearing-Rail Assemblies
    5. Summary of Work
    6. Hardware Required
    7. What's Next?
  21. 15. Z-Axis, Part 2
    1. Preparing to Drill
    2. Drilling Part F: The Z-Axis Rail Support
    3. Drilling Parts W and X: The Z-Axis Bearing Supports
    4. Mounting the Z-Axis Bearing-Rail Assemblies
    5. Summary of Work
    6. Hardware Required
    7. What's Next?
  22. 16. Z-Axis, Part 3
    1. Cutting the Z-Axis Rail Support Rails
      1. Cutting and Drilling Parts M and N
      2. Cutting and Drilling Part V
    2. Assembling the Z-Axis
    3. Attaching the Z-Axis to the Machine
    4. Summary of Work
    5. Hardware Required
    6. What's Next?
  23. 17. Mounting the Electronics
    1. Cutting and Drilling the Motor Mounts
    2. Mounting Your Router
    3. Summary of Work
    4. Hardware Required
    5. What's Next?
  24. 18. Software and Testing
    1. CAD, CAM, and Control Software
    2. The Mach3 Control Software
    3. Downloading and Installing Mach3
    4. Configuring Mach3
      1. Ports and Pins
      2. Motor Outputs
      3. Input Signals
      4. Motor Tuning and Setup
      5. Configuring the Default Motor Units
    5. Testing Your Machine
    6. Testing the Router
    7. School Starts
    8. What's Next?
  25. 19. Where to Go from Here
    1. Getting Familiar with CAD
    2. Getting Familiar with CAM
    3. Installing an Emergency Stop
    4. Adding Limit Switches
    5. Adding a Solid State Relay
    6. Protecting and Painting Your Machine
    7. What's Next?

Product information

  • Title: Build Your Own CNC Machine
  • Author(s): Patrick Hood-Daniel, James Floyd Kelly
  • Release date: November 2009
  • Publisher(s): Apress
  • ISBN: 9781430224891