It's official

[Hambone]

I've just made a verbal commitment with the manufacturer to purchase a high end, custom turnkey CNC router system.

Operational size is going to be 48" x 60" and there is a distinct possibility that I will be able to get a wireless PDA with full Run/Stop/Jog capabilities - apparently the first of it's kind! The turnkey system will include software - ArtSoft MachIII, a very full featured program. Here's the website for it: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] ETA on the system is likely to be well after the first of the year because I'm not in a real hurry for it to be here. I need time to prepare because I'm moving the entire bass shop into the 2 car garage attached to my house. It's larger and has a concrete floor but it's going to require rewiring for all of the new tools. I guess I could mention that too - I'm replacing all of the power tools in the shop and stepping things up in quality quite a bit. Here's a list of the new additions:

20" 2hp drill press
10" 5hp table saw
8" x 72" jointer
Oscillating spindle sander
16x32 drum sander
15" 3hp planer
Forced Air Filter w/remote

I'll fold in some of the tools I've got now like my drill press and disc sander but the rest will be sold or disposed of. So, anyone interested in my old thickness sander??

No, I didn't win the lottery. Certain aspects of my recent loss have made this dream come possible and it's something my wife and I discussed many times. Through shrewd shopping and really knowing what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it, this whole package - CNC table and power tools - will finish up in the $10k range or just a little more than a Ritter and a whole lot more fun.

The pics are of a similar but slightly different system

 

[spudmaster34]

I'm sorry about your loss, but I bet she would have wanted you to enjoy yourself and this cnc machine looks like it will help with that

 

[vintager]

ok, christmas comes, you can carve whole betlehem on that in few moments.

i wish you nice time with your new toy.

cheers,
mike

 

[eleonn]

So, anyone interested in my old thickness sander??

Hambone ...do you ship to South America???

 

[Greenman]

Have fun with your new toys.

 

[budman]

Congratulations. Is that the same guy who's selling the CNC machines on Ebay? Looks like it.

How much for the thickness sander? I'm serious!

 

[Hambone]

Congratulations. Is that the same guy who's selling the CNC machines on Ebay? Looks like it.

How much for the thickness sander? I'm serious!

Yep, it's the same guy. I contacted him about some special needs and it started there. I really liked his quality and attention to detail. This guy's a freakin' genius from the telecommunications industry - really high up in the industry and he's doing this as his retirment vocation.

Bud, you've got PM!

 

[pilotjones]

Congratulations. Looks cool. It's good to have something positive to look forward to!

A few considerations, if I may (all of which you might already have dealt with):

Is he selling you a system including power supplies and motor drives? If not, they are an expense to be considered.

Are you going to begin modelling in 3D, and then using CAM software to generate the G-code for the controller?

I'll assume that with the larger size of your unit, compared to the one in the auction, that he's designing in a few more mid-span supports on the shafting?

I don't like the exposed terminal strips. I'd strongly recommend covering them up if you're running at 24VDC, and it's ABSOLUTELY necessary if you run a 48V supply.

It's best to use cable track for the (z-axis and router) wires going from the table to the y-axis to the z-axis. And the wires themselves should be high-flex wires, and shielded to be suitable for servo use.

 

[Rodent]

Hi Alan,

Congrats on the new shop!

Are you sure on the 16-32 drum sander? I opted for the 22-44, as it is definitely sturdier that the Performax 16-32. More important, the extra 6" of width allows me to run wood thru at an angle without requiring me to flip it and run thru a second pass. Definitely a big plus with sertain wood species and figures.

all the best,

R

 

[mahrous]

oh my God!

i spent the past 20minutes writing a post and stupid talkbass logged me out

what i was saying is that there are so many things to consider in buying your machine and that it is a lengthy process.

the most important thing is to tailor that machine to your needs. CNCs can do everything and anything, but is it optimized to do what you want?

because CNCs are big investments (although yours is too cheap to be a CNC), they will either elevate your business and skyrocket it or will be your tomb-stone. they are extremely expensive to operate, maintain and buy tools for.

the PDA jog is not something i advice much. i have an 8 button jog that is extremely simple, straight forward and reliable. a simple press of a button rather than a touch screen that gets dirty with all the wood chips flying around etc etc.

are you getting any clamping or vacuum systems for piece fixing?

best of luck and congrats!
by the way, if you need any help with it and programming let me know. i am doing it as a full time job on a 6axes (fully interpolated 5axes with a lathe machine -rotary axis)

oh and when things get dirty, enjoy your dreams at night ... with all the codes flying around and hallucinations of piece programming and designs. hehe

hope you love yours as much as i live mine.

 

[Hambone]

oh my God!

i spent the past 20minutes writing a post and stupid talkbass logged me out

what i was saying is that there are so many things to consider in buying your machine and that it is a lengthy process.

the most important thing is to tailor that machine to your needs. CNCs can do everything and anything, but is it optimized to do what you want?

because CNCs are big investments (although yours is too cheap to be a CNC), they will either elevate your business and skyrocket it or will be your tomb-stone. they are extremely expensive to operate, maintain and buy tools for.

the PDA jog is not something i advice much. i have an 8 button jog that is extremely simple, straight forward and reliable. a simple press of a button rather than a touch screen that gets dirty with all the wood chips flying around etc etc.

are you getting any clamping or vacuum systems for piece fixing?

best of luck and congrats!
by the way, if you need any help with it and programming let me know. i am doing it as a full time job on a 6axes (fully interpolated 5axes with a lathe machine -rotary axis)

oh and when things get dirty, enjoy your dreams at night ... with all the codes flying around and hallucinations of piece programming and designs. hehe

hope you love yours as much as i live mine.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Rodent]

Just a word of caution to all the US persons here (US citizen in or out of the US, US green card holder, or any person within the territory of the US)

discussions on CNC where the number of axis is greater than three is considered to be Export Controlled information. Discussion of this information with any non-US person, and any person who represents a non-US company is prohibited without a specific export license detailing the boundaries of what information can be 'exported'

to be somewhat safe from the potential of wearing an ugly orange jumpsuit, it is best to refer to your axis capacity simply as "multi axis" and refrain from any wording that could imply definition of any axis beyond three

all the best,

R

 

[Hambone]

Just a word of caution to all the US persons here (US citizen in or out of the US, US green card holder, or any person within the territory of the US)

discussions on CNC where the number of axis is greater than three is considered to be Export Controlled information. Discussion of this information with any non-US person, and any person who represents a non-US company is prohibited without a specific export license detailing the boundaries of what information can be 'exported'

to be somewhat safe from the potential of wearing an ugly orange jumpsuit, it is best to refer to your axis capacity simply as "multi axis" and refrain from any wording that could imply definition of any axis beyond three

all the best,

R

Whew, just under the wire! I'm only talking about 2 1/2 D not 3

 

[pilotjones]

Alan, Just x and y axes and the router--no z then?

BTW I wouldn't call the router an axis, it's a tool (it's not controllable/positionable). This probably holds legally also. So even a Cartesian x-y-z setup would still be three axes. My company has exported machines with x-y-z robots with no problems, although they weren't CNC machining units.


Funny how it's normal business to buy Japanese 6-axis robots in the US day in and day out. But that would be import, not export.

 

[Rodent]

3-axis is OK

anything more is a no-no without an export license ... I noted this since this board is international in its audience

all the best,

R

 

[Hambone]

Alan, Just x and y axes and the router--no z then?

BTW I wouldn't call the router an axis, it's a tool (it's not controllable/positionable). This probably holds legally also. So even a Cartesian x-y-z setup would still be three axes. My company has exported machines with x-y-z robots with no problems, although they weren't CNC machining units.


Funny how it's normal business to buy Japanese 6-axis robots in the US day in and day out. But that would be import, not export.

No, no, 2-1/2 D is a simple way of saying 3 axis - X,Y,Z - with the "live" z axis only being employed when 2 or more tool paths overlap. Other than that the z axis is only employed to enter and exit the material at the start and end of a cut. Whether that's a ramped entry or a simple plunge is determined in the software. In 2 1/2 D one only uses outline contours combined with depth settings. A full 3 D plot would require surface maps to be made by digitizing an existing object (reverse engineering) or from a 3D file created for conversion to tool paths. If I build anything with a carved top like the Bonsai bass, I'll do the carving another way or I'll use Scott French's method and do the concentric cuts on the router table.

 

[Hambone]

Is he selling you a system including power supplies and motor drives? If not, they are an expense to be considered.

Yes, I've requested a turnkey system with me providing the PC to drive it. In this I'm upgrading the motor's themselves to over double the power of the ones shown in the pics. That also requires a different motor mount that isn't show.

Are you going to begin modelling in 3D, and then using CAM software to generate the G-code for the controller?

No, most of my modeling will be done in 2-D leaving the depths to be entered before sending the file to the machine. Yes, this is a G-code system. When I get to needing a full live Z-axis, it will only be a matter of adding to or upgrading the software I already have. I purposely design production files to be very simple and easy to run but I won't need to run anything as complex as mapped surfaces until my own bass designs go in that direction. I've got a bunch of tricks and shortcuts I've learned over the years both on my own and working with some very talented multi-axis guys. That's my ace-in-the hole for training. I've got several friends that will help me with that when and if I need it.

I'll assume that with the larger size of your unit, compared to the one in the auction, that he's designing in a few more mid-span supports on the shafting?

Absolutely. I think the illustrated skeleton on his auction is something in the 24" x 36" range with some pretty small motors. There's more beef in the larger machine with my own requirements being built in on top of that.

I don't like the exposed terminal strips. I'd strongly recommend covering them up if you're running at 24VDC, and it's ABSOLUTELY necessary if you run a 48V supply.

It's best to use cable track for the (z-axis and router) wires going from the table to the y-axis to the z-axis. And the wires themselves should be high-flex wires, and shielded to be suitable for servo use.

I addressed that with him and there are covers for it and flex track for the harness. The terminals were left exposed during assembly when the pics were taken.


On PM I've been taking some flak for this decision and I'm beginning to resent it bigtime. I shouldn't have to justify my purchasing decisions when it's me that will be living with the machine.

 

[budman]

On PM I've been taking some flak for this decision and I'm beginning to resent it bigtime. I shouldn't have to justify my purchasing decisions when it's me that will be living with the machine.

Surely you can't be serious. Who gives a rat's behind what you spend your money on?

 

[spudmaster34]

yeah, no body should be upset about you getting this, it is a decission you have made and it is none of our buissiness.

 

[Bassstud1]

I don't beleive that any body is suggesting that he should or should not buy a specific machine. Just trying to make sure he doesn't think he is getting the same machine as a Haas, Mazak or Okuma Maching center for a fraction of the price. I'm sure that he can make his machine work but it might take a bit longet to make the parts and they may not have the accuracy of a more expensive machine. Good Luck for him.