Mini CNC: A Handmade Masterpiece

Multitool, Screwdriver

Arduino UNO

Drill / Driver, Cordless

Stepper motor driver board A4988

Soldering iron (generic)

<h3 >Overview</h3><p >One day I talked with a colleague of mine about a microcontroller for my ceramic furnace. He was talking to me about Arduino. A little googling and I found that Arduino can run stepper motors. With GRBL and Universal g code sender, everything clicks and the little CNC machine was born.</p><p >Because of a very small budget, the first steppers are chosen to be DVD steppermotors. Everyday I came from work I built one part of the machinery.</p><p >Micro CNC was alive! Little 2D carvings are plausible. </p><div id="gallery"><img id="gallery" src=https://projects.arduinocontent.cc/bdee1ae6-608f-4f20-a357-f6e8b9e02b56.jpg /><figcaption> </figcaption><img id="gallery" src=https://projects.arduinocontent.cc/81b6bd01-1d04-4fad-b5c0-3c6e723ca311.jpg /><figcaption> </figcaption></div><p >I didn't stop, I wanted 3D! </p><h3 >Going for 3D </h3><p >I found stronger stepper motors on the web - 28byj-48, and cheap Johanson DC motor for spindle. I wanted a bigger area and  bigger models, so I built a new frame and linear motion with ball bearings on ALU l profiles.</p><p >Everyday I pushed my self, and little by little the machine was growing.</p><div id="gallery"><img id="gallery" src=https://projects.arduinocontent.cc/98b08b91-797e-40ec-bc4c-883b42906ad7.jpg /><figcaption> </figcaption><img id="gallery" src=https://projects.arduinocontent.cc/f2959ceb-1c45-4a18-be40-edb175684fd3.jpg /><figcaption> </figcaption><img id="gallery" src=https://projects.arduinocontent.cc/a2ddd4c9-5cc1-4d84-9c9e-22f34513256e.jpg /><figcaption> </figcaption><img id="gallery" src=https://projects.arduinocontent.cc/87104add-a2cc-46a1-bab2-50ad2c3cebc5.jpg /><figcaption> </figcaption><img id="gallery" src=https://projects.arduinocontent.cc/1eaac04e-9075-4300-978e-c8a0c2598f3e.jpg /><figcaption> </figcaption><img id="gallery" src=https://projects.arduinocontent.cc/2277edf8-dd35-4335-be8e-324d8887c462.jpg /><figcaption> </figcaption></div><p ></p><div class="se-component se-video-container __se__float-none" contenteditable="false" style="width: 100%;"><figure style="width: 100%; height: 56.25%; padding-bottom: 56.25%; margin: 0px;"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tQEjvc_5TCY" data-proportion="true" data-percentage="100%,56.25%" data-size="100%,56.25%" data-align="none" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;" data-index="0" data-file-size="0" data-origin="100%,56.25%"></iframe></figure></div><h3 >The first 3D model</h3><p >After lot of ups and downs with the first real 3D model:</p><div class="se-component se-video-container __se__float-none" contenteditable="false" style="width: 100%;"><figure style="width: 100%; height: 56.25%; padding-bottom: 56.25%; margin: 0px;"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CJhlDGJNh1A" data-proportion="true" data-percentage="100%,56.25%" data-size="100%,56.25%" data-align="none" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;" data-index="0" data-file-size="0" data-origin="100%,56.25%"></iframe></figure></div><p >Then second:</p><div class="se-component se-video-container __se__float-none" contenteditable="false" style="width: 100%;"><figure style="width: 100%; height: 56.25%; padding-bottom: 56.25%; margin: 0px;"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CYCPdPTMzkU" data-proportion="true" data-percentage="100%,56.25%" data-size="100%,56.25%" data-align="none" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;" data-index="0" data-file-size="0" data-origin="100%,56.25%"></iframe></figure></div><p >A lot of people on the tube asked for plans I didn't have, so I made a little video.</p><div class="se-component se-video-container __se__float-none" contenteditable="false" style="width: 100%;"><figure style="width: 100%; height: 56.25%; padding-bottom: 56.25%; margin: 0px;"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/edxc9bdN-rg" data-proportion="true" data-percentage="100%,56.25%" data-size="100%,56.25%" data-align="none" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;" data-index="0" data-file-size="0" data-origin="100%,56.25%"></iframe></figure></div><h3 >Complex models</h3><p >Then I wanted more complex models. For them, I needed more power. Upgrade was on the spindle (dremel like engraver with carbide tools) and, of course, nema 17 stepper motors. Results are flawless.</p><div class="se-component se-video-container __se__float-none" contenteditable="false" style="width: 100%;"><figure style="width: 100%; height: 56.25%; padding-bottom: 56.25%; margin: 0px;"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/POr_0AMDYjU" data-proportion="true" data-percentage="100%,56.25%" data-size="100%,56.25%" data-align="none" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;" data-index="0" data-file-size="0" data-origin="100%,56.25%"></iframe></figure></div><p >I wanted to test durability so I stressed my mini CNC with 14 hour job.</p><div class="se-component se-video-container __se__float-none" contenteditable="false" style="width: 100%;"><figure style="width: 100%; height: 56.25%; padding-bottom: 56.25%; margin: 0px;"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CAH7CE1MmTQ" data-proportion="true" data-percentage="100%,56.25%" data-size="100%,56.25%" data-align="none" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;" data-index="0" data-file-size="0" data-origin="100%,56.25%"></iframe></figure></div><p >She passed but I kept stressing with more models.</p><div class="se-component se-video-container __se__float-none" contenteditable="false" style="width: 100%;"><figure style="width: 100%; height: 56.25%; padding-bottom: 56.25%; margin: 0px;"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vU3bADK43ZI" data-proportion="true" data-percentage="100%,56.25%" data-size="100%,56.25%" data-align="none" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;" data-index="0" data-file-size="0" data-origin="100%,56.25%"></iframe></figure></div><p >There is a lot of stuff that I can speak of but this was an unbelievable journey.</p><figure><img src=https://projects.arduinocontent.cc/591e222c-a3db-4ca9-a7cd-7d7863522139.jpg /><figcaption> </figcaption></figure><p >Here are close-up views of the machine.</p><div class="se-component se-video-container __se__float-none" contenteditable="false" style="width: 100%;"><figure style="width: 100%; height: 56.25%; padding-bottom: 56.25%; margin: 0px;"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PPwe1n57jZM" data-proportion="true" data-percentage="100%,56.25%" data-size="100%,56.25%" data-align="none" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;" data-index="0" data-file-size="0" data-origin="100%,56.25%"></iframe></figure></div><p >I wanted to share my journey with all of you. I will update this project and I will share all info that I collect. A new end mill experiment is coming soon:</p><div class="se-component se-video-container __se__float-none" contenteditable="false" style="width: 100%;"><figure style="width: 100%; height: 56.25%; padding-bottom: 56.25%; margin: 0px;"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4gDSa7C96iU" data-proportion="true" data-percentage="100%,56.25%" data-size="100%,56.25%" data-align="none" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;" data-index="0" data-file-size="0" data-origin="100%,56.25%"></iframe></figure></div><p ></p><p ></p><div class="se-component se-video-container __se__float-none" contenteditable="false" style="width: 100%;"><figure style="width: 100%; height: 56.25%; padding-bottom: 56.25%; margin: 0px;"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KmDDVtBG3VQ" data-proportion="true" data-percentage="100%,56.25%" data-size="100%,56.25%" data-align="none" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;" data-index="0" data-file-size="0" data-origin="100%,56.25%"></iframe></figure></div><p ></p><div class="se-component se-video-container __se__float-none" contenteditable="false" style="width: 100%;"><figure style="width: 100%; height: 56.25%; padding-bottom: 56.25%; margin: 0px;"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ndE5_Appg6Y" data-proportion="true" data-percentage="100%,56.25%" data-size="100%,56.25%" data-align="none" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;" data-index="0" data-file-size="0" data-origin="100%,56.25%"></iframe></figure></div><p ></p><div class="se-component se-video-container __se__float-none" contenteditable="false" style="width: 100%;"><figure style="width: 100%; height: 56.25%; padding-bottom: 56.25%; margin: 0px;"><iframe frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Hw86Uy5HX7Q" data-proportion="true" data-percentage="100%,56.25%" data-size="100%,56.25%" data-align="none" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;" data-index="0" data-file-size="0" data-origin="100%,56.25%"></iframe></figure></div><p ></p><p ></p>

Mini CNC: A Handmade Masterpiece

A mini CNC machine made out of cheap materials with a stunning result.