Hello all, I just finished a web page/ e-zine showing the construction
af a router table. Here is the link to it:

http://metalshop.homestead.com/PoorMansCNCRouter.html

Maybe someone could tell me what kind of motors and controllers I need
to make it a real CNC table.


If you would like to join my e-zine, just click on the E-zine Link on
this page.

Thanks,

Dave Drescher
http://metalshop.homestead.com

"metalshop" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello all, I just finished a web page/ e-zine showing the construction
af a router table. Here is the link to it:

http://metalshop.homestead.com/PoorMansCNCRouter.html

[It certainly seems cheap enough, but it's essentially just an
"etch-a-sketch" until you put computer controlled motors onto it. One big
improvement that wouldn't cost too much would be to substitute acme screws
and nuts for the hardware-store all-thread you're using; it runs truer with
a lot less friction. I like the cast parts, though.]

Maybe someone could tell me what kind of motors and controllers I need
to make it a real CNC table.

[There are plenty of places that will sell you everything you need to get it
running under computer control (I have some listed on my site, under
"links"); I'm not sure if your "poor man" standard allows you to pay for all
that, though. You'll need some 23-frame or larger stepper motors with about
200 oz-in or better holding torque; they can be obtained from old dot-matrix
printers and plotters, if you can find any to disassemble. The cheapest
drives I've heard mostly good things about are from Xylotex
(http://www.xylotex.com/); their 3-axis board costs $155; they will sell you
motors and a power supply if you get tired of dumpster-diving. To control
it, you can use TurboCNC, which is shareware and runs in DOS (on a computer
you've probably been using for a doorstop), or EMC2, which is free and runs
under Linux.]

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

Check out CNCzone.com Lot of folks have made routers with discussion of
controls.

You'll want Mach 3 CNC control software. Most likely stepper motors and
gecko stepper drivers will be your axis drive choice.

Karl