CNC Router

[WmRMeyers]

Hi All,

Building a small traction engine and I wanted to engrave the words around the smokebox door and for the main badge, so thought I would dip my toe into the world of CNC and bought a CNC engraver/router. OK it is very cheap and might not be up to the job, but this is a steep learning curve for me as only ever used manual machines before this point. I bought a Sain Smart CNC Router 3018-Pro.

So, here is a video of the kit arriving and me assembling the machine. Will share more as I learn.

Now I'm learning about G-Code, tool paths and how to set up the machine for different materials.

Silly question for you: what is the frame of the machine made out of? Acrylic?

Bill

[editor@glue-it.com]

Silly question for you: what is the frame of the machine made out of? Acrylic?

Bill

It's like a Bakelite and smells like bakelite when you drill it. Best regards, Nigel

[editor@glue-it.com]

Just made a video to explain how to align the head parallel and square to the table using a set of feeler gauges and some easy to make pointers.

[editor@glue-it.com]

I've always like the Kant Twist Clamp design and so thought I would make this my first proper CNC project.


Sand bags on the aluminium sheet to damp down some of the vibration.

and I now have some tiny parts



Now I just need to make the bearings, jaws and thread....

[editor@glue-it.com]

I've now made up all of the bearings, jaws and screw to assemble a kant-twist clamp.



I need to change the riveted design for the next one, but this has been a great fun project.

[mklotz]

Very nice work as usual, Nigel. I have some of the commercial ones and find them very useful.

As your design evolves, you may want to consider V-grooves in the jaws. There are many useful options; parallel or perpendicular to the main screw, or both. Grooves in both jaws are nice but even if only in one jaw are still useful when clamping things with a rounded profile.

Clamps with interchangeable jaws are another design option. A shoulder bolt and nut in place of the rivet would make interchanges easy.

Plastic jaws and, dare I say it, wooden jaws are also a possibility for avoiding marring the clamped object.

[editor@glue-it.com]

Very nice work as usual, Nigel. I have some of the commercial ones and find them very useful.

As your design evolves, you may want to consider V-grooves in the jaws. There are many useful options; parallel or perpendicular to the main screw, or both. Grooves in both jaws are nice but even if only in one jaw are still useful when clamping things with a rounded profile.

Clamps with interchangeable jaws are another design option. A shoulder bolt and nut in place of the rivet would make interchanges easy.

Plastic jaws and, dare I say it, wooden jaws are also a possibility for avoiding marring the clamped object.

Hi Marv, thanks for the kind words. I've been thinking about a few different options. Wooden jaws would be good as I have an oak jaw engineers clamp that comes into it's own sometimes. Also, I think bolts would be better in a few places actually. I'll have a think and another go. Cheers, Nigel

[editor@glue-it.com]

The sand bag damping of the table when machining aluminium works a treat, here I demonstrate it:

[DIYer]

Thanks editor@glue-it.com! We've added your Kant-Twist Clamp to our Clamps category,
as well as to your builder page: editor@glue-it.com's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Kant-Twist Clamp by editor@glue-it.com

tags: clamp

[editor@glue-it.com]

This router has been a battle of upgrades mods and learning. Engraving brass has been a problem, but I just made a sprung 60° D-bit holder and the results will this are superb. Here is a video of the design of this smaller cutter holder.