I recently posted in the amp building section about my first results engraving an aluminum preamp faceplate with a DIY CNC machine.
http://el34world.com/Forum/index.php?topic=18907.0Since the CNC is not a tube amplifier, I'll summarize the machine build story in this section.
First, a disclaimer: The only reason this machine was able to be built for less than $100 total cash outlay is because nearly every part was obtained by salvaging scrapped industrial components over a period of years.
Manufacturers and industrial laboratories dispose of tons of high-quality completely functional machine components and control electronics every day. Depending on how much effort a company puts into their surplus disposal process, it ends up (A) in the hands of industrial remarketers, (B) in on-line auction websites, or (C) discarded in a dumpster.
I formerly worked for a business that usually followed method (C). Periodically, obsolete or scrapped machine components and controls would be collected on pallets near the loading dock. The disposal manager polled project managers and engineers to inspect and retain any equipment immediately useable by the business. The rest would be discarded. Over a period of years, a co-worker (and friend/DIY collaborator) collected an assortment of linear stages, stepper motors, drives, controls, and wiring from the discard pile. His intention was "someday" to construct a metalworking CNC machine, or to perform a CNC retrofit on a surplus Bridgeport or similar manual mill.
So unless you are lucky enough to have access to a free source of scrap high quality industrial machine parts, you will not be able to put together a machine like this for $100. The new OEM cost of the components in this machine might easily be more than 10k USD. The price for similar components offered through on-line auction sites and remarketers is still 1000's of USD.
My friend and I are both DIY constructors of vacuum tube audio gear and musical instrument amplifiers. We really like the appearance of machine engraved control panels. However, we are both afflicted with a pretty bad frugal streak that makes us avoid spending cash for CNC engraving services like Front Panel Express for our hobby projects. And neither of us felt justified buying a hobbyist-level CNC router in kit or raw-component form. This past winter, it finally occurred to us that between the two of us, we already had 98% of the components needed to make a very basic CNC engraving machine. He is by trade a machinist with controls skills, and I am a software engineer with electrical and controls engineering skills. Since we did this type of work for a living, we had all the skills needed to design, assemble, and integrate the machine, controls, and software by ourselves.
We committed to build a minimal CNC engraving machine using parts already on hand to the maximum extent possible. We would purchase only what was necessary to engrave aluminum control panels. Absolutely no money would be spent upgrading parts, tooling, or buying any software before trying to complete a real control panel. No, version one of the machine would not be capable of general metalworking, carving wood, or even be able to drill/mill holes in 1/8" (3 mm) aluminum. It was for engraving control panels. We would discuss capability upgrades only after achieving the first objective.
In part II, I'll continue with more build details.
Jon
Topic: DIY 3 axis CNC engraving machine built for 100 USD: Part I, conception (Read 11781 times)