CNC Building Blocks Project

[AJ Quick]

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ajq ... ing-blocks

We are proud to announce our new "CNC Building Blocks" project on Kickstarter. This project is the culmination of months of work in developing these plastic injection molded parts to make simple DIY CNC Machines. You can join the project on Kickstarter and pledge money to obtain your own set. We are also releasing our first set of CNC Electronics on Kickstarter. These electronics use high powered stepper motor control chips and do all the controls on one compact board!

If you pledge to the Kickstarter project, and don't want to make your own CNC from scratch... we will be selling partial kits after the Kickstarter project finishes. But you have to buy the CNC Building Blocks and electronics on Kickstarter!

Let me know if you have any questions.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ajq ... ing-blocks

[GVardaman]

Thanks for the quick reply!
So, I didn't see another topic for this, but since you mentioned the building block parts...
For the electronics, are they also an upgrade? I was wondering if they controlled via USB or would allow for Mac support?
I am hoping you will be offering the individual components here in the future for those who would like to upgrade (if I wanted the linear sliders but not the Z axis, for example.)
Thanks again!
Best,
Guy

[AJ Quick]

The electronics are an upgrade.. but they are controlled the same way as the old. USB control requires extensive hardware and software development (you need to write your own Mach3 style program to control the board). Mac support is also pretty much out the window still as no one has CNC software for Mac that I know of.

The individual parts will be available in the future, but all parts would be desirable as upgrades. For now, they will only be available on the Kickstarter.

[GVardaman]

Cool, thanks. I went to support the Building Blocks, but the picture of the two z axes side-by-side stopped me. The image makes it look like the holes are closer together on the new part's face - will my router mount still fit?
This is a part that some have broken from tightening too hard around the router and so a prime candidate for upgrading as well, but I was hoping I could swap parts out and get to it.
Sorry to keep this linear bearing thread open and going, maybe these posts can be moved to a new topic about the upgraded parts?
I was also curious about shipping for the parts (seems like you already have a nice start on them, so perhaps the delay from funding to shipping will not be long?)
Do you have a its of which specific parts would be left out for the prior backers, coming in at the $150 or higher levels (who opt for the refund/rebate)?
Any videos or pics showing the new parts retrofitted on the existing a chines? I would love to see the differences this will make in the speed and overall performance (with that huge weight loss at the z carrier, I'm sure it will be much easier on the motors.)
Thanks again.
Best,
Guy

[AJ Quick]

Cool, thanks. I went to support the Building Blocks, but the picture of the two z axes side-by-side stopped me. The image makes it look like the holes are closer together on the new part's face - will my router mount still fit?

They are in fact a little bit different.

Current mounting holes are 1-1/2" x 2".
Future mounting holes are 1" x 2".

This was unfortunately neccessary as the new z-axis is something like 1.5" narrower. (Meaning you will be gaining travel in the side to side directions!)

This is a part that some have broken from tightening too hard around the router and so a prime candidate for upgrading as well, but I was hoping I could swap parts out and get to it.

Yeah. A few people have required replacement router mounts on the original design. We'll be improving our mounts on the new CNC Building Blocks bolt pattern. Instead of cast plastic, we'll probably mill the plastic out of large sheets. Or in the very least use a more flexible cast plastic.

I was also curious about shipping for the parts (seems like you already have a nice start on them, so perhaps the delay from funding to shipping will not be long?)

We only have 3 Z-axis' in our possession right now. But more Z-axis and the rest of the parts should be on the way from our manufacturer this weekend. That being said. Turn around time will be much quicker. Each machine from the original run took weeks of work for each one. Future machines will only require hours of work each.

Do you have a its of which specific parts would be left out for the prior backers, coming in at the $150 or higher levels (who opt for the refund/rebate)?

You will reuse your x-axis nut, z-axis motor coupler, acme nuts, acme leadscrews, and motor mounts. You'll get the new z-axis with shafts and bolts, and the new x-axis sliders.

Any videos or pics showing the new parts retrofitted on the existing a chines? I would love to see the differences this will make in the speed and overall performance (with that huge weight loss at the z carrier, I'm sure it will be much easier on the motors.)

As soon as we get all the prototype parts in.. we'll build a new machine. The design has changed a little bit as well.

[GVardaman]

Thanks. I am amazed you can understand what I am trying to say. My auto correct on my laptop seems to make completely different words out of whatever I was attempting to type. It's very frustrating to go back and read my post and discover it so late!
In any case, as an existing CNC owner, I am very interested in the changes where they will affect me immediately, like that new router mount. So, even getting the new Z axis, I wouldn't be able to use it until the new mount is made and offered, or come up with something on my own.
Thanks for clarifying that and of course, any information on when the mount will be available would be appreciated.

[AJ Quick]

We will be making new mounts to coincide with the CNC Building Blocks.

[Valdhor]

I am looking at the $500 pledge level but would like to know what the list of parts would be to build the complete CNC machine.

Also, what would be the ball park cost of a kit to build it once the $500 reward is in hand?

[AJ Quick]

I'm copying this from the FAQ section on the Kickstarter.

"You will still need 3/4" shafts, ACME lead screws or ball screws (or similar), and a structural frame to mount the CNC Building Blocks to. We will have these parts available on our website after the Kickstarter project ends, but they are also commonly available from McMaster-Carr."

Basically that amounts to $300 worth of items.

You could obviously do things for cheaper.. but I would budget an additional $500 between the machine, router, cutting tools and setup.

[Valdhor]

Thanks AJ. I had read that in the FAQ.

What I was hoping to get was a list of part numbers for the items from McMaster-Carr. They have a huge number of 3/4" shafts, ACME lead screws etc in various lengths and/or pitch and I was wondering what the exact measurements of each of the items would be. Part numbers would be a big step forward to that end. Also a description of what each part number is used for would help a lot.

Does McMaster-Carr have the structural components as well? Or is that only available from here?

Thanks for tolerating my newbie questions. I am new to CNC but have done a lot of research and have decided that your machine is the best value for the money I have seen. To that end I want to make the most informed decision that I can, so I will ask as many questions as I can

BTW. I know that I will need a palm router of some kind. The Bosch Colt seems to be the router of choice. I am a bit clueless about cutting tools but I have asked that question in the Cutting Tools section.