My old CNC machine
This was big a big beast - 8' x 4' x 4' or 2400mm x 1200mm x 1200mm.
I made it in 2004.
I dismantled it in May 2011.
I designed and built it myself.
I have a disability which prevents me using most tools.
So I got aluminium cut to length, with holes drilled in it.
Then construction was mostly with 3/8" bolts and 2 spanners.
Like a kid's Mechano construction set.
I made it in 2004.
I dismantled it in May 2011.
I designed and built it myself.
I have a disability which prevents me using most tools.
So I got aluminium cut to length, with holes drilled in it.
Then construction was mostly with 3/8" bolts and 2 spanners.
Like a kid's Mechano construction set.
What is CNC?
Perhaps you've heard of CAD/CAM - drawing something on a computer, and having a machine making it?
CNC is the machine part of that.
CAD - computer aided design
CAM - computer aided manufacturing
CNC - computer numeric control
As well as the CNC machine you see above, I designed and built the controlling electronics, and wrote software to complete the system.
So actually I built a complete CAD/CAM system.
Below is a more modern language (OpenScad) which is very much like the one I wrote.
CNC is the machine part of that.
CAD - computer aided design
CAM - computer aided manufacturing
CNC - computer numeric control
As well as the CNC machine you see above, I designed and built the controlling electronics, and wrote software to complete the system.
So actually I built a complete CAD/CAM system.
Below is a more modern language (OpenScad) which is very much like the one I wrote.
Before CNC
My work had a certain hand-carved look.
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After CNC
This was my first cut - clean, neat, straight.
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Out with the old, in with the new
On the work surface of the old CNC machine you can see the tiny work surface of my new CNC machine.
The old is 8' x 4' or 2400mm x 1200mm. The new is 120mm x 120mm.
The old machine moved a router in 3d to carve things from wood.
The new machine moves a plastic extruder to build things up from thin strands of molten plastic.
Unlike the old CNC machine which I designed and built myself, the new CNC machine is a MakerBot Thing-o-matic 3d printer that I assembled from a kit. I am making my own modifications.
The old is 8' x 4' or 2400mm x 1200mm. The new is 120mm x 120mm.
The old machine moved a router in 3d to carve things from wood.
The new machine moves a plastic extruder to build things up from thin strands of molten plastic.
Unlike the old CNC machine which I designed and built myself, the new CNC machine is a MakerBot Thing-o-matic 3d printer that I assembled from a kit. I am making my own modifications.
And here is my first 3d print on my Thing-o-matic 3d printer
Printed in ABS plastic using the OpenScad program I wrote above
I particularly enjoy creating apparently complex solids using simple shapes combined with simple rules.
I particularly enjoy creating apparently complex solids using simple shapes combined with simple rules.
Animated AutoCAD design drawing of my old CNC machine
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New CNC machine - Thing-o-matic 3d printer starting to print a coaster
The square around the outside is not part of the design. It is to get the plastic flowing properly before starting the print.
The whole print took about 12 minutes. This video is the first two and a half minutes.
- Making the Thing-o-matic was fun.
- Writing the computer program to make this coaster was fun.
- But the most fun for easily-amused me is watching it print out.
The whole print took about 12 minutes. This video is the first two and a half minutes.