My next CNC project - a CNC router

[DavidR8]

Wow, not your handle, but the running stream of consciousness on there... Somehow, I'll navigate it. Quite the different character there.

It can be hard to follow.
One interesting thing is that because there are people from all over the world in the discord so there usually always someone online.

 

[Larry$]

I'm curious, why use a water cooled spindle? I've had both on industrial machines.
A 10 & a 12HP spindle, air cooled. No issues, run 8 to 10 hours a day for years.
A 15 HP water cooled, ran fine but the flow sensor and the cooling radiator both had problems. Not worth the added maintenance.

 

[DavidR8]

I'm curious, why use a water cooled spindle? I've had both on industrial machines.
A 10 & a 12HP spindle, air cooled. No issues, run 8 to 10 hours a day for years.
A 15 HP water cooled, ran fine but the flow sensor and the cooling radiator both had problems. Not worth the added maintenance.

I went water cooled because it’s somewhat quieter and there have been no reported issues with them.

 

[DavidR8]

More progress today.
Got the ball screws in and the X gantry on.
Still need to add the linear rails to the gantry.

Next step is a bit of a complicated one as I have to fabricate the Z axis assembly.
Going to read the instructions a few times before tackling it.

 

[DavidR8]

Tonight’s progress was mounting the bearing blocks and upper and lower linear rails on the X-axis gantry.
Lots of careful measuring and drilling. And tapping. Thank goodness for spiral taps!

 

[DavidR8]

Finally cooled off enough to get into the shop.
Made the X-axis rollers and the temporary Z-axis plate.

 

[DavidR8]

Got an aluminum Z plate made.

 

[DavidR8]

Not much progress here as I had the shop apart to move my surface grinder out.
Now I'm waiting on metric hardware for the Z axis and arrival of the new board for the grblHAL system.
I have the X and Y axis completed and everything works using a spare Arduino Mega board. When the new board arrives I'll start the permanent wiring job.

 

[Larry$]

Very professional looking!

 

[DavidR8]

Thanks @Larry$ It's coming along...just a bit slowly!