My new expanded Avid CNC machine

[fritter63]

FINALLY finished updating my CNC. This started out as a Avid CNC 4x2 pro machine (before they changed their name) about 5 years ago. I upgraded it once to their new pro linear motion components. Originally just intended for use in making guitar parts. But once I learned how to use it, I found myself wanting to make cabinets with it.

So I ordered an expansion kit to a 4x8 machine, with full length side extrusions (rather then the usual splice).  But as I started expanding it I realized it wouldn't work well to have a vacuum hold down table (for sheet goods) that tried to double as a t-slot table for my guitar fixtures (some of them really max out the gantry clearance of the machine - especially when cutting the heel on the neck)

Then I realized that I had enough of the old machine leftover that I could just get some extra parts and essentially bolt the old machine to the new machine.

So that's what I did. It is now 12.5 feet long I measure a full 135 inches of capacity on the longer axis now. This gives me plenty of room for a dedicated full size vacuum table, and separate areas for a recessed t-slot table (for jigs), the drop in rotary axis (if I ever decide I have a need for it), and also a vertical clamping table for cutting dovetail and finger joints.

It took 7 months to get here. COVID delays! Avid has been swamped by new hobbyists apparently driven by the pandemic, and even 8020.inc had a 2 month delay on ordering parts!

Now I just need get some vacuum motors and start building the vacuum table.

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[fritter63]

PS. The MDF spoil board sitting on the end of the machine is original max cutting area! Wowsa!

 

[Bob D.]

Nice! Unbelievable how long it takes to get materials or tools anymore. My sister finally received our Christmas card last Wednesday. It was sent 10 days before Christmas. Almost a month for a first class letter. Crazy stuuf.

Is it possible to take your original 4x2 section and set it up a couple inches lower. The you could gain some working height for taller objects.

 

[fritter63]

Nice! Unbelievable how long it takes to get materials or tools anymore. My sister finally received our Christmas card last Wednesday. It was sent 10 days before Christmas. Almost a month for a first class letter. Crazy stuuf.

Yeah, my wife bought me a nice woodpeckers drill press table for Christmas. We ordered it 1st of December. It just shipped yesterday. Although woodpeckers can be like that anyway!

Is it possible to take your original 4x2 section and set it up a couple inches lower. The you could gain some working height for taller objects.

No, the linear motion rails and gear rack all mount to the side extrusions, so they must be continuous. But there is space between the cross members to mount a hold down table lower than the top of the extrusions, so it ends up the same result. I just have make sure to program in a boundary so it never tries to move the bit outside that area without raising it up first.

 

[nclemmons]

Very nice addition!  What are you using in terms of software.  Looks like Mach3 for the controller.  what are you doing your designs in?

Thanks for sharing -

 

[fritter63]

Very nice addition!  What are you using in terms of software.  Looks like Mach3 for the controller.  what are you doing your designs in?

Thanks for sharing -

I use Fusion360 for all my CAD modeling. I do have a sys32 cabinet program on the windoze computer that runs the CNC, but I've never used it. Not sure it will be useful as I plan have it do domino mortises for me as well whenever possible. I will probably play around with the Fusion360 programming API to see if I can automate things like that without having to manually model them.

yes, Mach3, getting ready to upgrade to Mach4.

 

[Bob D.]

"But there is space between the cross members to mount a hold down table lower than the top of the extrusions, so it ends up the same result."

That was what I was thinking, just lower the spoil board and supporting farming and let the gantry and rails stay at the current level.