We’ve seen a number of DVD- and CDROM-based small CNC machines here, but few are as simply beautiful as this one by [julioberaldi] over on Instructables (translated from Portuguese here).
We’ll cut to the chase; it’s the frame. Cut from steel sheet scraps with a hacksaw, and welded or soldered together with “bar solder”. It looks like a lot of sanding, painting, and polishing went on. The result is something we’d be proud to have on our desk.
For now, it simply draws with a pen. But watch the video, embedded below, and you’ll see that it runs exceptionally smoothly. If we’re reading the Instructable right, the next step is to turn this into a CNC cutter. We can’t wait to see where the project goes from here.
Regarding “it runs exceptionally smoothly”: At 1:04 you can see something that looks like a high speed bug. So most likely, the video is sped up.
The frame definitely looks nice, though.
Haha, reading “high speed bug” I immediately thought something like missed steps in stepper in high speed. But it was an actual high speed bug :)
Video posted November 2, 2016 that somehow totally screws up the aspect ratio and is only 240p.
That would be a useful size PCB miller/etcher methinks…
Gotta look up more optical drive CNCs. That shape gives me the idea of just using the shells off some older 2x ones when they used to be more hefty and just mating them at right angles with minor cutting, bolt and bracket.
It’s unfortunate that he used those standoffs instead of something more rigid to hold the x/x axes. When it gets to the cutting stage that will be a source of vibration and frustration.
I have a hard time finding those optical sleds that are straight and not at an angle that actually use steppers and not brushed DC motors.
Use brushed DC motors and encoders then. ;) It will run much faster, quieter, and cooler.