Self BUILD Blacktoe 4'x8'

[jmbfestool]

Does any one own a Blacktoe 4'x8'.  I have been lookin at CNC router machines and they cost alot of money and I dont fancie paying that much lol but this seems a cheap alternative.

EDITED: Sorry I should of put a link with it Here you go:
http://buildyourcnc.com/blackFoot48v40.aspx

How accurate is it?

How quick and smoothly does it run?

Is it easy to build?

How long did it take?

Is it worth the money?

What problem did you come across?

What porblems have come up over time?

What would you of done different while building it would you of modified something?!?

Can you get it in the UK?

Thank you in advance

JMB

 

[jmbfestool]

No one out of the 155 have any comments on it?!?!?!

 

[woodguy7]

Looks pretty funky.  What sort of price would it cost.  I wouldn't have the space for summit like that, bet it would be really usefull though.

Woodguy.

 

[jonny round boy]

I'd love my own CNC machine - I could spend the rest of my life playing with one!!! [blink]

I've looked (very briefly) at self-build ones before, but to me it always seems to be one of those things that looks cheap initially but then you have to buy every possible 'upgrade' to get it working properly.

Trend do actually make some small CNC's (well, I'm sure someone else makes them with Trend's name on them!) that look pretty cool - perfect for a small home workshop. Scratch that, I just double checked on the prices and they start at about 16 grand, ex VAT of course...

 

[jmbfestool]

Yeah I can think of loads of reasons I could use one for. Well its about 3500 Dollars and they will ship to the UK for 600 dollars so cheaper than 16000 pounds.

I wouldnt want one smaller than 8'x4'  because of corse most sheet materials are 8'x4'  and I would hate to get the smaller one and then think wish I got the bigger one because now I cant do this or what not.

I know your on about upgrades but I like the fact its build your self because if anything goes wrong you should understand whats gone wrong so can easily fix it your self and because its made of wood you can easily make a spare part you can even use the machine its self to produce a duplicate of its self and make spare parts in no time. How good would it be for making MFT tops really quick.

JMB

 

[jmbfestool]

Looks pretty funky.  What sort of price would it cost.  I wouldn't have the space for summit like that, bet it would be really usefull though.

Woodguy.

Well the full kit is 2975.00 Dollars it says 600 dollars for shipping to UK  and I dont know how much its for Importing costs will have to find out.

So Total of  3575 dollars + import costs

=  2 350 pounds?!?!?!?

ALOT cheaper than 16K for something what does the same job lol Just maybe not as quick or accurate but good enough for me

JMB

 

[nickao]

No way go with the joe's cnc, the hybrid model is the one you want(if you want to build your own):

http://www.joescnc.com

Pay the 100.00 for the plans and get in the forum and fish around in the forum for a few months.

Start with a 4x4 and you can always make it a 4x8 later.

You will end up with an industrial type machine and can have more options than you can count, that's up to you. For 4000.00 you can easily build a machine that would cost you 15,000.00. You can build a Joe's version for as little as 1500.00 or as much as 10,000.00, it's up to you.

You will learn more on that forum for the 100.00 than you could in years otherwise. Even if you do not go with the Joe's just getting in the forum is well worth it. All your questions will be answered there and quickly.

 

[CNC Paul]

JMB,

It depends on what you are cutting with it, fine for Foamex or balsa but I assume that the need to cut 8 x 4's you will be cutting ply and MDF it would give pretty poor result. The gantry is far to light to sustain the vibration and movement to give a good edge finish.
If you have a limited budget have a look at the MechMate plans ...... build one yourself.

Paul

 

[nickao]

The Mechmate rocks!

But, you need a lot more metal working skill and it is a beast. If you want a Plasma cutter I would go Mechmate for sure, otherwise it is just to much work and overkill for a wood router, IMHO.

 

[jmbfestool]

No way go with the joe's cnc, the hybrid model is the one you want(if you want to build your own):

http://www.joescnc.com

Pay the 100.00 for the plans and get in the forum and fish around in the forum for a few months.

Start with a 4x4 and you can always make it a 4x8 later.

You will end up with an industrial type machine and can have more options than you can count, that's up to you. For 4000.00 you can easily build a machine that would cost you 15,000.00. You can build a Joe's version for as little as 1500.00 or as much as 10,000.00, it's up to you.

You will learn more on that forum for the 100.00 than you could in years otherwise. Even if you do not go with the Joe's just getting in the forum is well worth it. All your questions will be answered there and quickly.

Well Blackfoot is selling the 4.0 g-code files for 263 pounds  and my mate just up the road walking distance owns a proper big CNC machine who will cut the timber for me so all I have to do is give him the Code.  Also Blackfoot is selling just the electronics and bolt kit so only for 946 pounds so a total of 1209 pounds to me thats a very good price just for small amount of use because I dont think ill be using it loads. 

I dont want to pay 100 pounds for plans for me to start cutting it all manually and then get all the bits separate also I want a 8'x4'  not 4'x4' to then upgrade later I dont want to do that really not my thing I always just want it. I dont think ill be wanted to upgrade it till 10 000 because I would just buy 10 000 I have looked around for 15000 CNCs machines but thought to my self will it pay and do I really need it but when I found blackfoot which was really cheap I thought that would do me.   

Be honest im properly buying it because I have taking interest in it because its a gadget and a big toy I just wanna play with and then it will end up never being used! So I want is to be a cheap toy! lol

Cheers

JMB

 

[nickao]

Good luck in your endeavor, I am not affiliated with Joe's CNC so I am not going to try to talk you into it. I will only say you will learn the hard way as I did.

The 100.00(which is NOTHING in CNC, one or maybe two router bits)you do not want to spend for the forum access and plans you may or may not use may turn out to be your biggest mistake getting into the hobby of CNC.

Enough said and again good luck.  

 

[jmbfestool]

I dont understand why Patricks could not be upgraded at any point or altered?  I have looked at Joes and when the time comes because Im not buying one yet properly 6 or so months on I will properly get into the Joes Forum and learn about CNC! I like Learning!

Joes uses screw and I have read you can get backlash with scew driven CNC's  and you dont get that with Chain or Belt.  Also scew requires the motor to spin much faster to move the CNC meaning you loose torque but with Chain or belt the motor turns slower increasing the Torque.

Dont know if that right just what I have researched on Google!

JMB

 

[mattfc]

Joes uses screw and I have read you can get backlash with scew driven CNC's  and you dont get that with Chain or Belt.  Also scew requires the motor to spin much faster to move the CNC meaning you loose torque but with Chain or belt the motor turns slower increasing the Torque.

I think you need to do some further research based on your comments. You get backlash on everything, how much depends on the quality of the components.. same goes for chain.. you would have to have it so taught it would snap not to have nay backlash.

With respect to torque.. torque is somewhat relative, in that with a screwthread, the motor torque is amplified where you need it..e.g. at the cutter head since the screw acts as gearing.. just like a vice! With a chain or belt you would need a gearbox.. so would loose a bit of power due to mechanical friction also..

 

[jmbfestool]

I am this is part of research asking questions and finding out what people on this Fog think! I know their must be good and bad points for both screw and Chain other whise one of them wouldn't exist any more if one was far superior.

I know both have backlash but its seems to be mentioned that its one of the problems with screw.  Also Patricks new version uses chain but I have seen older Patricks use a Screw.  Why change it? 

I will do more research on Joe's CNC Forum properly when the time comes to buying!

Really should be looking at saving money for some of the Hammer Machines I wanna Buy! When the Time comes.

JMB

 

[Spike]

I wouldn't touch a wooden CNC router. Creative yes, but the gantry needs to be MUCH stiffer than that plywood could offer with the stresses of the X and Y axis zipping back and forth. The RPM's are probably in line with solid carbide geometry meaning the 15 - 18,000 rpm range for typical 2 and 3 flute compressions BUT...This router would self destroy quickly if you attempted to run the proper feed rates to match the RPM's to achieve the correct chip load and get good tool life and excellent cut quality.

The shopbot is about the lightest way to go without getting into the $135,000> market.

 

[nickao]

Joes does NOT use  screws anymore. That is the old version, 99% of the new guys use the rack.

The Joe's uses an R & P(rack and pinion) system and will give you the performance of a very expensive machine. Actually, the machine is faster than can ever be used. 1500IPM  rapids.

There is nothing that can't be cut on a Joe's R&P machine(other than non-ferrous metals).