Cheapest CNC Router 3D Printed beta

thingiverse

This is a beta version of a cheap CNC router done in DesignSpark Mechanical CAD. The concept is that you can either use standard smooth rod and LM12UU bearings or you can use mirror finish stainless steel tubing and a 3D printed bushing insert. The holes for the guide rods can easily be modified in DesignSpark It is drawn for NEMA17 steppers. The spindle mount is drawn with the dimensions of my China knockoff Dremel tool. You should check your own measurements. I designed it to use m8 but I am seriously considering using m12 threaded rod for the next machine. I am finding a lot of whipping at high speed movements with the m8 stainless rod. You will have to check the nut size as well. The bearing at the opposite side of the stepper motor and thread rod is 608zz. On my last machine I did not secure the opposite end of the threaded rod and allowed it to travel freely without too many issues other than whipping, which I suspect that adding a bearing will only make it bind or introduce resonance. I would use a high infill and 5-8 perimeter or solid infill for this. It may seem to be over designed but you will see that it is not when you get torque loads on plastic parts. This is a project I am developing for use in developing countries as a 'vitamin kit' type of low cost machine that can be used to fabricate larger stronger machines and allow entrepreneurs to build a fabrication business the bootstrap method. I was inspired this design by the now out of business lumen labs CNC.