1mx1m ShopDroids Clone – Wood Router CNC Machine

I saw a CNC plasma cutter on cnczone and liked the look of how some of the parts had been made and the ideas behind how they mounted.

I then discovered that the machine in question was a ShopDroids machine.

The extrusions they show are IVTAAG and IVTAAN from Pacific Bearings. The ShopDroids design is intended for a plasma cutter that will have little if any stress placed on the gantry.

The IVTAAG is basically a 50x50mm extrusion with integral V rails.

Looking at the extrusion calculator on the ShopDroids website, these custom extrusions appear to be quite competitively priced, especially compared to mounting V rail to flat steel bar stock.

I want something a bit beefier than the IVTAAG, looking to mount the IVTAAQ extrusion, which is 105mm wide but only 18mm thick, again with integral V rails, to an 80x80mm profile to increase rigidity and using the IVTAAS extrusion to for the rails and mounting of the rack for my Y axis.

I am currently awaiting prices for these extrusions from a couple of UK based distributors of the Pacific Bearings products.

I also like the look of the various ShopDroids gearbox designs, which are not a million miles from some of my earlier ideas:

Here is one attached to a Y axis end intended to have an IVTAAG extrusion bolted through it:

Here is my table design:

The table is made from Unistrut 41x41mm slotted Steel extrusion, not as rigid as a welded frame, but way cheaper than a 100% extruded aluminium profile frame.

If I find the Y arms are not stiff enough I can always add some additional sections of Unistrut as bracing.

Close up of the Y axis showing the IVTAAS extrusion:

Close up of the X axis motor and gearbox:

I can probably improve on the gearbox spacers, to tidy it up a little.

Rack for the X axis is held in place with CNC Router Parts clamps, I particularly like these as they are only $6.00 each and you can get away with 3 on a 1m length of rack: