DIY-CNC-1-2

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DIY CNC by csshop on April 6, 2011

Table of Contents DIY CNC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1

Intro: DIY CNC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2

Step 1: Getting Parts From Scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4

Step 2: X Axis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5

Step 3: Glue the bearings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5

Step 4: Z Axis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6

Step 5: Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7

Step 6: Putting the Xaxis and base together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8

Step 7: Lead Screw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

9

Step 8: Y Axis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Step 9: Shock Absorber & Mounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Step 10: Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Step 11: Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-CNC-1-2/

Intro: DIY CNC I've always dreamed of having a CNC and window shopped all the time on the internet. Finally, I discovered Instructables and made my own to share with others. Ninety percent of my parts were acquired from junk or unused stuff. It doesn't look pretty but it works. The first CNC was posted on "I Made It" photo contest. I took that apart to improve on my first design and I hope it helps other people. This particular CNC I believe is the easiest and cheapest way people can do it themselves. You could modify this design by replacing the Dremel with a laser engraver, pen plotter, or whatever you can think of. Video of CNC cutting wood and birds-eye view of pen plotter

Parts: Laminated Particle Board or whatever smooth flat surface wood is easy for you to work with. I used an old bathroom cabinet.; @ hardware store two feet of 1/2 inch PVC Pipe; $ @2 hardware store four 1/2 inch PVC elbows; $4 @ hardware store one foot of 1/4 inch PVC Pipe; $1 @ hardware store six inches of 1/4 inch Copper Pipe; $ @ hardware store two 1/4 inch x 20 threaded rod and three nuts to match; $10 @ hardware store Copper Pipe Hangers; $2 @ hardware store Gas Line Hose that snugly fits the threaded rod; $3/ft. @ auto parts store handful of screws and nuts & bolts 4 data staples: $1 @ hardware store glue: Gorilla Glue, Super Glue Craft Foam; $.50 @ Hobby Lobby three 4-wire, 6-wire, or 8-wire stepper motors acquired from three or four scanners or old printers, usually you can look inside the scanners and see the stepper motor, try to get the same brand; $4/each @ thrift store Arduino Uno or Duemilanova; $35 @ MakerShed three EasyDriver v4.2,4.3, or v4.4; $15/each @ SparkFun Break Away Female Headers; $1.50 @ SparkFun Break Away Headers - Straight; $2.50 @ SparkFun 10 feet of CAT5 wire; $2.60 @ HomeDepot Power Adapter Computer Fan from old computer two USB cables heat-sink from old computer Tools: Computer with the free Software installed, I used Vista Solder Iron & Solder Dremel or a cheapie $20 Rotary Tool with a milling bit and Flex Shaft Attachment Saw to cut wood Pipe Cutter Screwdriver Level Tape Measure & Ruler Pencil & Sharpie Drill & Bits


Image Notes 1. I noticed a small wobble on the Z axis. The steel tube I bought is not as good as the brass bearings from scanners.


Step 1: Getting Parts From Scanner Open scanner. The parts you need are the rods, stepper motors, and brass bearings. You can buy these parts from the internet if you don't have access to junk scanners.

Image Notes 1. all bearings are not the same

Image Notes 1. Cut 6 pieces of the 1/2" PVC pipe 2 1/2" long.

Image Notes 1. You will need 6 PVC pipes and 12 brass bearings

Image Notes 1. Assembly should be quite easy. Brass bearings should slide into the PVC pipe. A brass bearing on each ending of the pipe.


Image Notes 1. A pair of the bearings was a different size. I had to use a copper pipe because it fit perfectly.

Image Notes 1. test your bearings on the rods that they slide smoothly

Step 2: X Axis You will construct the X axis with plywood. It's just a box. You will need to cut out these pieces two 8 1/4 x 2 1/2" one 10 x 2 1/2" one 8 x 1 1/2 x 1 1/2" Construct like the picture above, making sure it's perfectly square.

Image Notes 1. fastened by two wood screws on both sides and bottom

Image Notes 1. Predrilling the holes makes it easier to assemble.

Image Notes 1. Side-view

Image Notes 1. Top-view

Step 3: Glue the bearings Use Gorilla Glue on the corner. Gorilla Glue expands 3x it's size so apply sparingly. Clamp down the PVC pipe and let dry overnight.


Step 4: Z Axis You need to cut out the following plywood pieces for the Z axis: one 3 1/2 x 5" one 4 1/4 x 3 1/2" one 4 1/2 x 2 1/2"

Image Notes 1. Option two if using shaft and bearing. Image Notes 1. Assembly may be different. I ran out of bearings and shaft for my Z axis. I went to the hardware store and bought screw shaft and stainless steel tube

Image Notes


Image Notes

1. Use copper pipe hangers to secure the bearings in place.

1. gas hose

Image Notes 1. Shape the copper pipe hanger slightly to the size of the nut. Secure as shown with wood screws.

Image Notes 1. This hole is for the Dremel's Flex Shaft to go through.

Image Notes 1. This back board is secured with wood screws.

Step 5: Base Cut two PVC pipes to 8 1/4". On the elbow there will be a crease, draw a pencil mark. Measure the 3/4" from the top and you will have your center-point. Drill holes in PVC elbow. The holes should be the same size of your shaft.


Image Notes 1. This is wrong. It's 8 x 7 3/4".

Step 6: Putting the Xaxis and base together The table is 8 x 7 3/4". Screw the table to the PVC pipe. Make sure everything is square. Do not glue PVC pipes together just yet. Make sure everything slides freely. You may have to adjust it.

Image Notes 1. Bottom-view


Step 7: Lead Screw When installing lead screw, you have to notch out the PVC pipe. Use pipe hanger to hold the nut.

Image Notes 1. Nut and hanger installed in the center of the X axis.


Image Notes 1. I mounted this extra board so I can mount the stepper motor.

Step 8: Y Axis Installing the shaft in this step. There's no right or wrong way to do this. It's just the way I did it. As long as everything is square. 1. Measure from the base up, mark and drill. The first screw is a guide. 2. Place shaft and mark the second drill hole.

Step 9: Shock Absorber & Mounts 1. I cut and glued four pieces of craft foam to the bottom.


Image Notes 1. The motor screw was replaced with a longer one to penetrate through the wood. 2. A dab of super glue to keep it from sliding out.

Step 10: Hardware Wiring Schematic 1. Download and follow the full size (921px × 1,280px) schematic. Xaxis Step 1 = D2 Dir 1 = D5

Yaxis Step 2 = D3 Dir 2 = D6

Zaxis Step 3 = D4 Dir 3 = D7

Schmalz's EasyDriver EasyDriver v4.4 is the same as 4.3 and 4.2 except pot's min-max is correct. 1. Check your pot's min/max current with a multimeter. Make sure your min/max are correct before adding motor. I have mine at 50%. 2. MIN is 150mA/phase. MAX is 750mA/phase. Defaults to 5V for Vcc (logic supply), settable to 3.3V.


TP1 - VREF input to driver Valid range 1.0V to Vcc At VREF of 5V max current will be 833mA At VREF of 3.3V max current will be 550mA At VREF of 1V max current will be 166mA Minimum current gives smoothest microsteps. Maximum current gives highest torque. Vcc output is MAX 70mA used by EasyDriver. The rest you can use for your motor. Supply 7-30V DC power to JP1 that powers the motor. EasyDriver can power any voltage of stepper motor. Do not connect or disconnect motor while EasyDriver is powered. Power Supply The higher the voltage, the higher the torque at high speeds. Stepper Motor Specs 1. Find the specs or datasheet for your motors. Either by Google or if you buy them they may have it. 2. You can use 4-wire, 6-wire or 8-wire stepper motors with the EasyDriver. The only kind you can't use is 5-wire stepper motors. (They need uni-polar drivers.) My motors are EM-257 & EM-258. Current 0.7 Resistance (ohms) 10 Torque (in-oz) 44.4 Wires 4 Steps/Revolution 200 Step Size (degrees) 1.8 NEMA frame size 17 Cooling System 1. Take a heat-sink and cut with a saw to size of the EasyDriver IC for each one. 2. Add a dab of thermal compound. 3. Secure with rubberband. 4. Make a fan for EasyDrivers. If your computer fan has a RPM wire, ignore it.

Image Notes 1. EasyDriver v4.4 is the same as 4.3 except pot's min-max is correct 2. Put heatsinks here. Mine would only run for 30 minutes without them.


Image Notes 1. Mount a computer fan near EasyDrivers. Mine is powered by USB but you can use whatever.


Step 11: Software 1. Go to this Instructables for the software.

Related Instructables

DIY CNC Software by csshop

How to wire an arduino-based 3-axis CNC machine by aggrav8d

SADbot: the Seasonally Affected Drawing robot by dustynrobots

Easy to Build Desk Top 3 Axis CNC Milling Machine by Tom McWire

CNC made from old stuff (Photos) by csshop

Mostly selfreproducing 3axis CNC milling machine(SHELVED PROJECT) by ebidk

Comments 36 comments Add Comment

arrrrgon says:

May 2, 2011. 2:09 PM REPLY Can I use something besides the easydriver for this project. Sparkfun is sold out of them and I don't know how long it will be before they get more. Pololu.com sells the a4988 bipolar driver, any chance this would work?

csshop says:

May 2, 2011. 4:23 PM REPLY

Yes that would work. They work the same. The only difference is EasyDriver uses a different IC.

HeilandStark says:

Apr 21, 2011. 7:35 AM REPLY Hi, I'm working on another projects (following another instructable) but as this seems to be fresher I would like to share and ask: I bought for 20€ this driver on ebay: ? CNC 5 Axis interface board -V5 features? ? CNC Stepper Motor Driver 5 Axis Interface Board adapter ? It can connection 5 drivers and control 5 motors in the same time; ? It is with 4-wire limit switch to insure our safty movement; ? It is with relay port to control the cnc spindle; ? Power voltage is 5VDC and support with MACH3 etc. software the Parameters of Electrical VCC 4.5 -5.5V VI 0 - VCC VO 0 - VCC IO MAX 35MA Is this enough? I also have three stepper motors (20€) (coming from an old copier and still from ebay). The driver is provided with a USB port but I think i should power motors from another source right? Thanks for help. HS Salvatore


csshop says:

Apr 21, 2011. 6:52 PM REPLY

No, it seems like you are missing stepper drivers. USB powers the interface board but the stepper drivers will have power inputs for your motors. Thanks for your interest.

HeilandStark says:

Apr 26, 2011. 1:44 PM REPLY Hey thanks a lot. That seems it was too simple. I though I bought this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc-PH8CFusI but actually this should be a "all in one" (Driver + Stepper drivers). I'll check out your instructable to see how going forward. Ciao HS

tigerbomb8 says:

Apr 25, 2011. 8:36 PM REPLY

you should buy some thermal tape form sparkfun

Verga says:

Apr 20, 2011. 1:05 PM REPLY Very nice Ibble. Combining your steps and price list with some of the otehr ibbles out there will probably pretty much guarantee a good machine. The only suggestion I have is you might want to provide some links for the other ibbles.

Vick Jr says:

Apr 19, 2011. 7:10 AM REPLY I like you're construction materials. Most people might actually have access to PVC and scanners, unlike the materials used in other CNC projects. Would a motor shield powered by an ATX PSU work to control the X and Y steppers if I use a regular DC motor for the z axis? Also, out of curiosity, what if the scanner uses a DC motor and rotary or linear optical encoders to determine the position? Would that system be usable? I saw that you had some 3D models. Did you use CAD or something similar to design this? Those files might be useful to post.

csshop says:

Apr 19, 2011. 8:57 PM REPLY

A good ATX DIY website.

csshop says:

Apr 19, 2011. 6:21 PM REPLY

Thanks for liking the CNC. The motor shjeld is a good replacement considering the price. There are a lot of DIYers using the ATX. A good setup imo is two stepper motors and instead of a DC motor use a med/large servo. Yes, it's usable as long as you know how to integrate it into Arduino. That would make a nice instructable if you get around to it.. The 3D pictures were created sometime after I built the CNC in Google SketchUp. I'm still working on the 3D model. I do plan to post the CAD file hopefully in near future.

seprice40 says:

Apr 18, 2011. 5:40 PM REPLY How could one increase the area of the entire machine? I want it to take large sheets of foam and this original is not big enough. thanks steve

csshop says:

Apr 18, 2011. 6:18 PM REPLY

what is the area you want to cut? then i can get you the part measurement for you.

seprice40 says:

Apr 18, 2011. 7:12 PM REPLY

Could you get me part dimensions for two different dimensions? the dimensions are: 24" wide by 60" long or 24" wide by 36" long Total area:1440 inches or 864 inches depth of my foam is 1/8" to 1/4" varying with project Also is there any programming or software issues I would have with this differently sized CNC? thank you so much! Steve Price

csshop says: I'm still crunching the numbers for your size but I'll get back to you when I'm finished. No issue with software that I know of. I ran a test 24ftx24ft and didn't have a problem.


Apr 19, 2011. 5:45 PM REPLY

seprice40 says:

Apr 19, 2011. 6:15 PM REPLY how would 24ftx24ft fit on your machine? Or did you just simulate it on the software? Keep in mind that the dimensions I sent you were the sheets of foam I would be placing on the machine to cut my designs out of. Thank you so much for your time and help! Steve Price [email protected]

123ralph123 says:

Apr 19, 2011. 10:04 AM REPLY

cool maar groot

dchall8 says:

Apr 10, 2011. 11:22 AM REPLY I can see from the pictures that this is an excellent idea for a project; however, in my opinion this Instructable is about 1/4 complete. The highlight is the parts list with prices and sources. If everyone did that this site would be a lot better. So I was excited when I saw that, but soon found that there was very little detail as to assembly. I don't think I could make this from the pictures. Don't you need software? It is computer controlled after all. Do you know why so many of your pictures are washed out? Is there a setting messed up on your camera? What is the motivation to make a CNC? What can I do with it? That should be in the introduction. I think I would use one to make stencils for screen printing t-shirts, but I"m not sure how that would work.

stringstretcher says:

Apr 19, 2011. 6:49 AM REPLY If you are interested in building a CNC machine, the internet has TONS of info at the touch of a button. I built mine by watching the videos at www.buildyourcnc.com This instructable has taken a very simple approach, showing that it does not have to be difficult or expensive to make one. I had no plans whatsoever, no experience, built it with hand tools in less than a week and it is accurate to .1 mm or better. I use mine to cut signs, parts for machines, my telescope mount... goodness... what CAN one do with a CNC??? Once you have built one, you will realize that the limitation is you, not the machine! I love mine.

csshop says:

Apr 10, 2011. 5:16 PM REPLY Thanks for the suggestions. It's a complex project . I figured I would break it up into different instructables-construction, hardware, and software. Since people may want to use different hardware and software than me. I'll update it so it will be more user friendly. I am not a good photographer, never was and never will be.:))

colincolin30 says:

Apr 10, 2011. 4:56 AM REPLY Hi , I built a CNC and used large stepper motors but found it did not have enough voltage to run the motors. What voltage are you using? Can you email me direct with the voltage used or possibly the circuit please. [email protected] regards Colin

csshop says:

Apr 10, 2011. 5:42 PM REPLY Hello Colin What kind of stepper motor is it:4,5,6 wires? What kind of stepper driver are you using? With mine I used EasyDriver and Arduino. EasyDriver requires a 7V to 30V supply to power the motor and can power any voltage of stepper motor. I run mine at 9volts. I was using 12volt but it didn't make a differerence in performance other than temperature.

colincolin30 says:

Apr 15, 2011. 7:04 PM REPLY Hi csshop, the motors are 6 wire and the motor driver boards are from Oatley electronics in sydney. I tried running them on a 12 volt gel cell battery but the motors did not seem to have enough power. I buy the motors on ebay ($75) for the three and the label on them is is mirabella. I looked up the web site but they no longer list that model of motor. I guess my next option is to make up a bigger power supply and give that a go. thats for the help colin

legless says:

Apr 18, 2011. 11:43 PM REPLY Are they 12V motors? Oatley sells 12V, 24V and 36V motors. Ask the guys at Oatley about power requirements. They are usually really helpful.


colincolin30 says:

Apr 19, 2011. 12:52 AM REPLY

Hi Legless, Not sure what the voltage is on the motors. I did not get them from Oatley, they were bought on eBay. thanks for your interest colin

switch62 says:

Apr 18, 2011. 4:08 AM REPLY Hi Colin, I also bought steppers off ebay. I haven't done anything with them yet. I found some data sheets but I can't remember if I found the exact ones. If you can find data for similar model of stepper (one that has the same dimensions and look) you can get an idea of currents needed to drive the stepper. I would try some experimentation. Small steppers will need 0.6 to 1.6 A depending on the model. The voltage is not as important as the current. It just needs to be enough to drive the right amount of current through the coil. If you measure the coil resistance (R) and multiply by the coil current (I) you'll get the voltage needed to drive the coils. So if your coils are 4.5 ohm and you want 1.6A, you'll need 7.2V across the coils. You need to account for voltage drops across your drivers, so you will need a bit more. Your power supply will need to handle the current for all the steppers. In this case with 3 steppers, 3 x 1.6A = 4.8A What would be better is to have a higher voltage, 2-3 times higher, and a constant current source (Oatley sell the boards). This allows for a very rapid rise in current without going over the limit. This gives the motor a good kick on each step. If you can pogram the current source then start with a low current say 0.5 A and raise it until you get a good response from the stepper. Just don't go too high or you could burn out the coils. You'll also have to check if the stepper gets too hot (to touch) under load when running for some time. If it does you'll need to reduce the current or get a bigger stepper.

colincolin30 says:

Apr 18, 2011. 5:47 AM REPLY

hi Switch 62, many thanks for taking the time to help me. I'll try what you suggested. regards Colin

csshop says:

Apr 15, 2011. 7:26 PM REPLY The power supply listed under parts Is 3-12v 1300mA. You are lacking in mA. I had trouble running mine with a 300mA supply.

mossDboss says:

Apr 14, 2011. 12:54 AM REPLY are your running at 9v or 7v? If I understand the easydriver correctly the power to the motor comes from M+. I am very confused about this driver is the max output to the stepper 5v, from the EasyDriver website "Depending upon what voltage you use into the M+ pin, the voltage regulator needs to drop that down to 5V (and throw the rest away as heat). So the higher the M+ voltage, the hotter that regulator will get." So does this mean no matter what your steppers will only receive 5v? also what does this mean "If you want to supply your own logic power to the EasyDriver, cut jumper SJ1, and supply 3.3V or 5V into pin 1 of JP4."

csshop says:

Apr 14, 2011. 4:35 AM REPLY Yes you are right the EasyDriver takes the voltage down to 5v and dissipates the rest. The variable max current is from about 150mA/phase to 750mA/phase. The mA is what matters, too little won't work and too much motor life will diminish. So my stepper motor is rated at a nominal voltage 7v and I'm guessing the low end is 3.5v. 4.5v is the midrange. Three stepper motors, so i should be running a 10.5v power supply. I do use 9v since I only have a 9v power supply. I still keep the pot in the middle since i haven't got around to testing with a multimeter. Hmm "If you want to supply your own logic power to the EasyDriver, Why would someone want that option." that's a tough one.

seprice40 says:

Apr 17, 2011. 6:39 PM REPLY

Has anyone tried and/or used this driver (http://cgi.ebay.com/CNC-TB6560-3-Axis-Stepper-Motor-Driver-Controller-Board/250781815058?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a63c2d112#ht_2632wt_983) instead of the easydrivers?

louis.kli says:

Apr 14, 2011. 10:54 AM REPLY

I will be making this project as soon as I get my hands on all the parts!

shivalwolf says: Very nice design looks easy to build to. I have been wanting my own little CNC machine so i can quickly make up PCB's without the well printing part. Would this CNC be accurate enough to make up PCB's?


Apr 13, 2011. 7:26 PM REPLY

csshop says:

Apr 13, 2011. 10:36 PM REPLY Thanks for asking. I don't have PCB to test on so I used a blank CD. I noticed a small wobble on the Z axis. The steel tube I bought is not as good as the brass bearings from scanners. In my opinion, it's accurate enough for PCB. I pested a pic of the result.

ronanry says:

Apr 10, 2011. 4:41 AM REPLY

Great instructable...however, do you have any software to run it ?

csshop says:

Apr 10, 2011. 8:47 PM REPLY

Thanks, here's a link to the software instructable.

Kaptain Kool says: Good Job!


Apr 10, 2011. 4:59 AM REPLY

DIY-CNC-1-2

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