Make the Z axis

Submitted by guitar-list on Sat, 2007-07-07 10:18

tailpieces

Steps for HOWTO Build a home made CNC machine (JGRO router)

Intro

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

Step 9

Step 10

Step 11

Step 12

Step 13

Step 5: Make the Z axis

Now its time to make some moving parts. I'm going to start with the Z-axis. This is the part that moves the router up and down. It's the smallest of the axes and by making it first I can ensure the rest of the machine fits around it. The parts are mostly MDF, held together by dowels and bolts.

The router will be attached to the plate on the front, with a clamp (not made yet). I bought a Ferm 850 router from amazon.co.uk for this job (£25), it's a small laminate trimmer type router with adjustable speed. It's already been used to route out the necessary channels in the MDF.

You can see from the picture how the linear bearings roll up and down the metal pipes. The same system is used on the other two axes. It seems to be working here so hopefully the rest of the machine will work too.

Images for this step (click to open full sized image)

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Axis guide

Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 2009-12-06 18:01.

what kind of metall pipe do you used and weight of you construction and router portal esp ?

Thanks

Metal pipes

Submitted by guitar-list on Fri, 2009-12-11 07:52.

The JGRO plans specify gas pipe, which is a malleable iron pipe easy to find in the USA, but I couldn't find the equivalent in the UK so I used cold rolled steel tube for the Z and Y and hand-rail for the X axes. I have since changed the Z and Y axes to 20mm precision round rail from Zapp Automation, and I got some matching 20mm linear bearings cheap on e-bay.

As for the weight of the machine - I don't know, its MDF so its pretty light, although I changed the z axis cariage to HDPE and aluminium so its heavier than before. The JGRO plans have comprehensive 3D CAD files, you might be able to estimate the weight in a CAD program.