CNC Foam Board Cutter!

[Houndpup Rc]

Howdy all! So I think we are finally going to pull the trigger and build our own CNC foamboard cutter! So I have looked around and don't really like the idea of a laser cutter as this is going to be in the basement and I don't want to be always keeping a eye on it, so I am going to go with either drag knife or needle cutter. For the design I kinda want something a little more fancy than the ERCTimer saver so I am going to design my own!

For the firmware/control board I wanted something where I didn't have to keep it always connected to a computer so I found a MKS DLC32 board that comes with a touch screen, Sd card slot, built in driver ect!

For the size it's going to be about 47x47" (I could go 35x25ish but I hope to use this for CNC wood milling with a router down the road and you never know what you might have to use it for😂) So I am going to use these 1200x1200xx aluminum extrusion off amazon:

For motors I am still torn between either some $10.99 Nema 17 1.5A 42Ncm 42x42x38mm stepper motors:

Or these bigger Nema 17 Stepper Motor 2A 55Ncm Bipolar 1.8 Degree stepper motors that cost $12.99..I would probably just go with the bigger ones, but my stepper drivers can only do 2A and these bigger motors draw that much. Though stepper drivers do have inbuilt over current and over heat sensors so I probably will get the bigger ones, but that is still on the fence.

For belts I am just going to get this kit that has 5meters of belt, some idler pulleies and the driver gears for the steppers:

Unfortunately this kit doesn't come with quite enough idlers so I gotta get a few more:

As for roller wheels I found this pack of 10 for $10 on amazon:

And of course for this, I will need a lot of different hardware so I will get this assortment kit off amazon:

Parts List with links:
Control board: https://amzn.to/4ka0ocQ
Extrusion: https://amzn.to/4as3fdU
Big stepper motor: https://amzn.to/4a9dhPJ
Smaller stepper motor: https://amzn.to/3M2XLx6
Belt: https://amzn.to/49VUp8j
Idlers: https://amzn.to/4abO1IK
Roller wheels: https://amzn.to/3M9SvaL
Hardware kit: https://amzn.to/4a9dr9N
Grand total: $158.47


I will probably change some of this stuff as I find better deals ect, but this is a starting point! I still have to design this in Onshape but I might have to wait for soem of the stuff to come in. Hope you guys follow along and if you have any ideas, tips or links with cheaper stuff I would sure appreciate it!
Have a great week and God bless!
-Pup

 

[Houndpup Rc]

Sweet! I can 3D print the drag chain to save a little extra!

Drag Cable Chain(s) by Sergiu_I | Download free STL model | Printables.com

 

[FlyerInStyle]

I am going to be watching this closely, I have been wanting to do this for a while now

 

[Jo's squadron]

I am going to be watching this closely, I have been wanting to do this for a while now

Me too!

 

[LitterBug]

I have two of those double rails to extend my laser cutter. Want to also build a needle head for it.

BUILD ON!!

 

[Merv]

... I hope to use this for CNC wood milling with a router down the road...

Great start, looking good.

I just got my version of ERCTimer saver going. It's been a long process but well worth the effort. I wish I had stuck with it more consistently and built it sooner. My delay, I made too many changes from Eric's design which created other problems. In the end, I got the problems worked out & my system works great. I would have been far better off following Eric's plan first, then customize it latter, after I had some more CNC experience. Kind of like starting with a trainer plane to learn to fly then build your own design later.

I ended up buying a cheap Chinese router mill for wood, one of the 3018 mills. It works great, but now that I have a 3D printer, I don't use the wood mill very much.

I'm eyeing a CNC hot wire cutter for my next project. Some version of this: https://rckeith.co.uk/
He has a lot of good ideas that may help your build. Keep going, don't do what I did, let the ideal delay & derail the good enough.

 

[Houndpup Rc]

Whacha all think? Will a one bolt on each side, holding the extrusion to the corner post be enough? It's a 1/4" bolt and I plan on it tapping into the extrusion:

 

[LitterBug]

Make it as many as you can. two at a minimum.

 

[Houndpup Rc]

Make it as many as you can. two at a minimum.

Two it is!👍

 

[Merv]

...I plan on it tapping into the extrusion:

That how my Ender is built. It has a socket head bolt tapped into the end as you indicated. But the bolt goes through a drilled hole in the mating peice.

Like this

 

[Houndpup Rc]

Kinda thinking I am going to do it more like this:

 

[Flitedesign 3d]

Whacha all think? Will a one bolt on each side, holding the extrusion to the corner post be enough? It's a 1/4" bolt and I plan on it tapping into the extrusion:
View attachment 256086
View attachment 256087

In Voron printers this kind of corner connection is used. A button head hex screw (you can find it as DIN7380) is screwed into the tapped extrusion, then the extrusion to be connected is slid onto the screw, and the screw is tightened through an access hole. Makes for a very rigid and clean connection!