# DIY CNC Router: How to Build from Scratch



## Maikeru San (Dec 11, 2016)

Hello All,

Me and a friend of mine are enthusiast woodworkers (engineers and technicians by professions) and we have just completed building a CNC router after months of trial and error.

We have decided to share our knowhow on building one from almost everyday materials to finding the best tools around for almost dirt cheap or no cost at all!

For those interested to build their own CNC, just drop a comment on this thread. :smile:


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum Maikeru.


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## mbokie5 (Oct 30, 2011)

Gentlemen, I would love to see your work. Good on you for sharing.


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## tjrock (Oct 17, 2012)

Maikeru San said:


> Hello All,
> 
> Me and a friend of mine are enthusiast woodworkers (engineers and technicians by professions) and we have just completed building a CNC router after months of trial and error.
> 
> ...


I would love to read the details on your project.
[email protected]
Thanks in advance!
Col. TomG


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## JamesMcDonald (Jan 5, 2013)

*Interested..*



Maikeru San said:


> Hello All,
> 
> Me and a friend of mine are enthusiast woodworkers (engineers and technicians by professions) and we have just completed building a CNC router after months of trial and error.
> 
> ...


AS I am not an engineer or a technician, just how difficult is this to build? And at what ballpark cost? While at one time computer literate, in my advancing years have become, let's say, not so! So that progresses to a question concerning ease of programming. Probably more guestions as of yet not thought of. Thanks.


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## westxjim (Feb 28, 2013)

Thanks for your offer. I think that this would be a great way to get into CNC routing which seems to be an upcoming trend.


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## olliecooper (Jul 18, 2013)

I would like to learn more


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## streetdoc (Dec 27, 2007)

Maikeru San said:


> Hello All
> 
> For those interested to build their own CNC, just drop a comment on this thread. :smile:



Count me in


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## NaasCronje (Nov 7, 2011)

I'm very interested in building my own CNC. Would like to learn more from your experience. Naas Cronje. [email protected]


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## wileyboy (Dec 30, 2013)

very interesting, would love to know more


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## gmcromp (Jun 1, 2012)

Thanks for sharing. That is what these site depend on, members who are willing to teach. Thanks for sharing and welcome!


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## roxanne562001 (Feb 5, 2012)

I am interested would love to see more.


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## [email protected] (May 14, 2014)

I would be very interested to view your build method, together with cost breakdown


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## [email protected] (May 14, 2014)

Please could you supply details of how to build this CNC Router, together with a cost breakdown

Thanks

Dave:smile:


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## roscoe2 (Mar 17, 2014)

*Interested*

Count me in.


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## jbullockusanet (Nov 22, 2010)

Thanks for your pioneering work!


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## old coasty (Aug 15, 2014)

Like to find out more about it.


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## P.A. Gosselin (Aug 24, 2014)

I am interested in more information on your work. Thanks for sharing.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

I am wondering if this is for real, First post and awfully quiet since. No information on OP profile page.
Herb


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## whimsofchaz (Jun 6, 2013)

Me too!


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## CharlesWebster (Nov 24, 2015)

Sounds a lot like click-bait to me.

Having built a computer controlled motion device that moved only along 1 axis, I can't imagine anyone who is not a machinist and computer programmer successfully building anything that will achieve the degree of accuracy necessary for fine woodworking. Do you know about stepper motors, zero-backlash lead screws and CAD programming?


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

CharlesWebster said:


> Sounds a lot like click-bait to me.
> 
> Having built a computer controlled motion device that moved only along 1 axis, I can't imagine anyone who is not a machinist and computer programmer successfully building anything that will achieve the degree of accuracy necessary for fine woodworking. Do you know about stepper motors, zero-backlash lead screws and CAD programming?


I don't, I agree 100% with what you just said.
Herb


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## hagerboy (Apr 30, 2010)

I would also like to know more.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

The amount of time the OP is taking to respond is definitely making this seem suspect.


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

Do not post your email addresses


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> The amount of time the OP is taking to respond is definitely making this seem suspect.


Chuck, I dont understand what is gained by doing a post like that. what data can be mined,or what can be gained?
Herb


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## Nate2016 (Jul 11, 2016)

That has always interested me but always seemed quite daunting. Would love some info.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Herb Stoops said:


> Chuck, I dont understand what is gained by doing a post like that. what data can be mined,or what can be gained?
> Herb


I'm not totally sure Herb but I know there is a market for selling addresses like that.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Herb Stoops said:


> Chuck, I dont understand what is gained by doing a post like that. what data can be mined,or what can be gained?
> Herb


That's what I'm not understanding Herb ? I was wondering if they were Phishing , that's why I'm making a point of not posting in this thread !


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> That's what I'm not understanding Herb ? I was wondering if they were Phishing , that's why I'm making a point of not posting in this thread !


I'm not sure what Phishing is,Rick
Is that what I do when I get up at night?

Herb


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## Maikeru San (Dec 11, 2016)

Hello All, Apologies for the delay. We've encountered a major setback during one of our experiments, broke a few electronics and stepper motors that went out of sync with the software, took us sometime to find another match and got it working back and the fun resumes . 

I'm not sure how to upload videos on this post, but here's a screen grab of the one we've just made earlier last month. Hope it loads.

And no, I'm not phishing to spread viruses. We're too busy working on CNCs that that certainly is way, way out of the question. )


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## Maikeru San (Dec 11, 2016)

> [Sounds a lot like click-bait to me.
> 
> Having built a computer controlled motion device that moved only along 1 axis, I can't imagine anyone who is not a machinist and computer programmer successfully building anything that will achieve the degree of accuracy necessary for fine woodworking. Do you know about stepper motors, zero-backlash lead screws and CAD programming?]


I understand your concerns gents, but I have to admit I have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA whatsoever about zero-backlash lead screws and very little about CAD programming, but I certainly know a few about stepper motors. No I am not a machinist and my programming background is way different from what I'm doing now and I admit a certain degree of delving into the 'unknown' here is what excites me . In fact I did no programming here at all. The wheel has already been invented for me, and I'd rather let the experts do the reinventing for me. (^.^)

By the way, it moves along 3 axes, - x,y, and z. 

More to come, I'm still sorting out a few stuffs and doing a bit of organising.


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## Maikeru San (Dec 11, 2016)

:smile:


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

The results look good San. To my knowledge, this forum does not support any type of video format so what members usually do is to load it onto Youtube and then add a link to that. You'll need to get up to 10 posts before you'll be able to add a link. It's part of our anti scammer site protection.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Maikeru San said:


> Hello All, Apologies for the delay. We've encountered a major setback during one of our experiments, broke a few electronics and stepper motors that went out of sync with the software, took us sometime to find another match and got it working back and the fun resumes .
> 
> I'm not sure how to upload videos on this post, but here's a screen grab of the one we've just made earlier last month. Hope it loads.
> 
> And no, I'm not phishing to spread viruses. We're too busy working on CNCs that that certainly is way, way out of the question. )


To bad we didn't get see the build as it progressed


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## hagerboy (Apr 30, 2010)

I would like to know more.
Thanks
[email protected]
Jerry Hager


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## Maikeru San (Dec 11, 2016)

> To bad we didn't get see the build as it progressed


We weren't able to do a video as it progresses; our brains went on full build-and-t'shooting mode and just made a few screenshots where needed to remember a bit of details. Our 'Mark 1.0' is just popped out of our minds' eyes and built it as we go along. We are in the middle of building another one from scratch, but with a new set of different parts as since it's all from the 'scrap yard', we have to make do with whatever are the available means at hand. This time around, we are taking photos and as many vid shots as we can in preparation for the second one and to provide materials for our documentation.


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## Maikeru San (Dec 11, 2016)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> The results look good San. To my knowledge, this forum does not support any type of video format so what members usually do is to load it onto Youtube and then add a link to that. You'll need to get up to 10 posts before you'll be able to add a link. It's part of our anti scammer site protection.


We'll do that. Thanks for the tip.  :smile:


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## luxlarry (Dec 28, 2011)

*Diy cnc*

Please, drag me along.


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## bridger (Nov 26, 2010)

Bump


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