Great ideas. I would change one thing though. I would have the Z-axis(vertical), holding the X-axis(side2side). That way, the mass of hardware moving while printing will be much less. The prints will be more accurate and higher quality. I really like the concept.
Is it okay that I relentlessly and maniacally obsessed for hours and hours of blood, sweat, and tears over getting all the axes perfectly straight to within a tenth of a degree?
Tinkernut, I recently finish this project, this was my first project and last, just kidding, I just wanted to thank you for posting great videos. Sure, I have a ton of questions, but I'll leave it for later, maybe I can post a video with the finish product for your consideration. Once again thanks and keep up the great work!
VERY, very timely. I've been intrigued by CNC for sometime put don't want to plop down $800-1000 just to find out I don't like messing with it. With your little machine, I can investigate the mechanics, the software, etc. Anxiously awaiting the next part(s) to see how it all goes together. THEN I'll be able to figure out what I need to scale up if I like messing with it.
I've just ordered the arduino uno, a breadboard general purpose wires and jumper wires. Next month i'll be ordering 2 dual stepper motor drivers (cheaper for more control per driver) and a new soldering iron. I have some cd-roms and an old pc power supply. Im so exited to take on this project and i'll let you know what the outcome was. Thank you for the great very informative video, subscribed!!
This is a fantastic presentation man, and a really amazing project in general ; I wish I had a chance to watch this much sooner, been on my back burner for quite some time :D . Keep doing awesome things!
This project is really cool. I'd like to see if it's possible to make the base a bit bigger though, and maybe just scavenge all the motors, but make new, longer rails to slide on. I think the work area might be a bit too small to actually do useful things with. If nothing else this is a really cool proof of concept that I think can be taken a bit further :) Keep it up!
+Sean Montebello it's probably precise enough, given that it's meant to position a laser to read a hole less than 1um in diameter on the disc, but the rails are really short for a 3D printer. You'd only be able to print tiny objects, and that's if the motors can handle the extra load from the stuff you mentioned.
And you can add a laser to the bottom and voila! A laser printer! (or not... lol) but I am definitely going to make something like this... This has so many uses I could think of: -Precision paper/cardboard cutting tool -Add a hot glue gun and you have a 3D printer (sort of) -A homework cheat machine? -Add a laser distance sensor and some visual studio programming and you got yourself a way to scan objects in 3D (although this can be done more efficiently) -An automated screwdriver machine -An auto soldering machine -A machine to open up NUTshells (do you get the pun?) -Combine some of the suggestions above and you have a quadcopter-making machine! -Scale this up a bit and you have an automated bedroom cleaning device!
You can make the same Plotter machine for A4 and A size papers and can add an clipper to make the marker more stable and accurate and can extend x and y axes so that it can even be used for calligraphic font or to fill broachers, bills, etc. You can even use positioning device at the end of clipper to let the machine automatically position to the desired area where the work is to be done.
+TheUbereem Obviously you aren't going to make a super-powerful CNC machine out of optical drives. This is more about understanding the principles and mechanics of CNC devices by making your own.
Oh dear! I had hoarded a cupboard full of old CD-ROM drives for just such a project. But recently I threw them out during Spring cleaning (southern hemisphere). I CAN get more! My one quibble is: assuming you could mount a router of some description on it, surely the hardest material it could manage would be wax?
Brilliant project idea, just not sure what you would make on such a small platform. Would the Z axis support a small dremmel like tool? Could it then be used to engrave circuit boards, instead of messing with all those nasty etching chemicals?
I think the biggest problem with using this with a dremel would be how rigid it is, and whether the y axis motor would be strong enough to lift the tool
+Maxx B i`m gonna make one but i think . something this small will be used for the evolution of the 3D printer or cnc machine. So i want mine to have a small engraving tool to cut out gears and plastic for mounts. now I know realistically you cant get far with something like this but it gets my foot into the door of making these type of machines and thats my real goal( to learn something:)
undeadlich1 I know what you mean. I'm hoping to gain some knowledge on the motor control via the arduino in the next parts. I'd like to build a 3 axis platform that has interchangeable heads, between a dremel type tool and a 3D print head. But I'm on a very tight budget and I want to scratch build so I know exactly how it works. This project looks like a great proof of concept form my plans.
Very well done. I will try this. But still have a question even after looking the "Further Resources" link... you solder 4 wires to the stepper motor and connect them to the stepper motor driver but how do you know which one goes where ?
Hey i'm having lot of trouble to strap the plate to the cart that carries the laser diode. First of all there is only one hole where a screw can fit in. Second I got no motherboard mount and I don't understand whats so special with it why not use normal screws ? Third why don't we just use glue and glue a wooden block to the cart ? Would that work with the vibrations ? Thx in advance !
My stepper motors are moving differently. None of them moves the distance that it should. Did I anything wrong? Can I adjust the size of one step for each motors?
Could you tell me the exact stepper motor drives names and models? Im looking for drives and i am not sure what drives could be used in this proyect, thanks
i tried to start this proyect with an old dvd player that i had, but when i started to take off the mechanism i realized that it wasnt a step motor, it was a cc motor, its there a diference because i tried with a dvd player instead a cd-rom?
Nice project, I'm trying to make it, found 3 CD/DVD combos that are exactly the same. I want to order the drivers for the motors, but how do I know which one to order? There are many different ones out there from 1 dollar to 25. What characteristics do I have to look at? Does it depend on the motor? Do I need a special one, that has a specific feature? Thanks
Hi there.I am making my own design for larger prints. I want to know how will it know that it is going with correct dimensions. for example i have used a lot of gears and i programmed it to make an inch line, how will it callibrate with my gear settings?
I have some questions. I have this all hooked up using your instructions that are on your website as with following the videos as well. Did you run into problems at all? I get my Y axis and Z axis working great but sometimes my X axis seems to get stuck when moving. Is there anything that I should try to get this to be more fluid? I think this is really the last big hurdle on getting this to work. Any help would be awesome.
+Tinkernut Couldn't a CNC machine be used to operate a train tilting system. CNC machines can move ropes in a block and tackle, which could lift one side of the train, which would be used to tilt the train, which uses lateral forces to counteract centrifugal forces. Just an idea.
the people who came up with the UNO Board literal trowed everything in the internet for anyone to use so knockoff are literally the same if not better.
can i use L293d motor driver instead? if yes, then how should i connect them to the arduino, because we'll have 4 wires that comes from the l293d motor driver..where the driver which you used has just 2 input that goes to the arduino.
