CNC machine, DIY

Okay i have gotten a few pms and and been asked how to build one.
I am going to be rebuilding my machine and if theirs enough people i will try to document it videos and pics.

So how many people would like to build a CNC machine for under 100$?
up to a 3 foot by 3 foot cutting area. how ever mine are only 20 x 20.
3 axis machine able to cut wood, circuit boards and copper and aluminum. (to cut metals you will need a nicer rotary tool)
The build is cheap the real money comes in when you look at rotary tools they can run you up to 10$ - 250$
could be used to make heat sinks and mounts engrave anything you can think of. can be modded into a 4 or 5 axis machine.
update
This site will help a lot but most of them on there are over complicated and or too small. but they have great advice that cannot be ignored so plz read about them first. click and keep reading all of the builds.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Three-Axis-CNC-Machine-Cheaply-and-/
The general concept for my machine, a moving gantry design. work stay put, every thing else moves.

This next one has great info on how to build your own controller for your machine. how ever this machine is to small to be of use to me but still lots of great info.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-to-Build-Desk-Top-3-Axis-CNC-Milling-Machine/
Building the machine is easy there are many different ways and designs. theirs my favorite and the most used professionally which is the moving gantry. work piece dose not move
1 axis Moving table the gantry tower only moves left and right. work table below moves forward and back.
2 axis the tower cannot move at all (except for the up and down) and the work piece is moved under the tool.
each design has good and bad parts.
2 axis one cannot due heavy objects and is by far the smallest.
1 axis is bigger than the 2, but still has weight limitations due to the work piece moving.
moving gantry biggest and most versatile. A bit harder to build, but if built correctly is stable.
update
Okay i am going to post my build. I must say this first there is good reason to rebuild my machine, I had entered a contest to build to most usefull thing you could in 1 week and under 100$. So its not the best looking but it works.

I won the contest, 3ds max was my prize oh and 100$ cash prize.





I bought this controller for 50$ http://www.cncgeeker.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=1, i sold my home built one to a friend, i used the photo etching to make my first board.

New Video

Later today i will post a video of it jogging around. Unfortunately i am living in an apartment so they get kinda mad when this is milling. I have to drive one of the many abandoned factory here in mi and run my comp and the machine out the back of my car. I love when the cops show up asking me why i am trespassing and they see me running my machine they laugh and ask me to leave when i am done. Looking for a new place.

OMG YESS!!!

I would love that! Any links where you got your info from, while I wiat for the tut?

New pics and links added!

Oh I would definitely follow this, I need something to start as a project and this would be more than useful!

You say this could cut a heatsink, so it can cut 3 dimensional shapes? or would you have to do it in two halves?

2 half's with out using a mod i made and sold to a friend, ill see if i can get pics. i made a mount to attach a my drill to my work piece and had it spin and and just told the thing to cut and it did it. so it depends on how you want to go about doing this. you can make a 4 axis machine and give it control over the rotation but for what i am doing it is not needed.
I used a high speed hammer drill.
!stupid simple works!

Now THATS diy creativity right there! :gj:

AWESOME job! thanks for the help too!! +rep! :gj:

If any questions feel free to contact me over skype. And yes you can hook a high powered laser to it and make it into a laser etcher and engraver.

HOLYCRAP!!!!

Under 100$ you say!!???

Omg, please make a tutorial hahaha


Actually, you can probably make these and sell them here lol

Kiyoukan, i love your avatar!

If i were to sell these i would only sell the electronics and motors and PSU. with detailed blue prints to build the machine i could send pre built but shipping would murder. as far as my my avatar thanks. right now i am talking to one of the fourms members walking him threw building one. To do this under $100 you must be willing to make your own controller. if you buy it pre made off ebay it will run you around $60-$70 pre made controller $30-$40 for 3 stepper motors. $10-$20 for a PSU. $??????$ for the rotary tool you want to use. that's the break down. those figures include shipping. so you can save about $50 building your own controller. to buy one with all components besides wood would run you around $175-$250.

jogging video updated. i have it running at the speed i cut wood which is kinda slow. but if and when i get a high powered laser its going to be a little more fun.