Loen.Design

Building a Chinese 3018 CNC Engraving machine

05.30.2019 by rich // Leave a Comment

This small CNC Engraving machine is available at the banggood.com site:

https://m.banggood.com/3018-3-Axis-Mini-DIY-CNC-Router-w-2500mW-Laser-Module-Wood-Engraving-Cutting-Milling-Engraver-Machine-p-1263082.html

It can be hard to find the plans for this machine online. Here’s some help!

You’ll assemble most of it by just looking at the photos.

The manual I got with the latest one I ordered was pretty good.

The details page has a link to this dropbox:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ybh0xihxeco9szp/AAAt8XkxL1V_5AkwQN2K-w17a?dl=0

Which has drivers, the manual, etc.

For the GRBL sender I have had good success with GRBL Panel which didn’t have as many features as others, but WORKED. https://github.com/gerritv/Grbl-Panel

One option I added for the little CNC was a proper collet:

https://m.banggood.com/Drillpro-7Pcs-ER11-1-7mm-Spring-Collets-with-ER11A-5mm-Motor-Shaft-Holder-Extension-Rod-p-1280353.html

This makes it easy to use better tools. I was using a standard 1/4” v-carving router bit, for instance. I found that the hole in the adapter that is supposed to slide over the 5mm motor shaft was just a bit small. I reamed it out with a 5mm ream, and that worked great. For the first one, I had to shove it onto the motor shaft with a vise – which worked, but I’ll never get it off!

Finally, one change I made was to use better nuts and bolts. The screws that come with the thing are soft – like aluminum, and have Phillips heads, which I hate. Proper metric cap screws are much better. Sorry for .ca links.

FullerKreg M5-0.8 x 10mm ISO 4762 Hex Drive Class 12.9 Black Oxide Finish Alloy Steel Socket Cap Screw (Pkg of 100) https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07BSBCP3K
Boeray 2020 M5 T Spring Nut Half Round Roll-in Nut for t-Slot Aluminum Profile 20x20mm 50pcs https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B075SYDZWB
TOPINSTOCK 20×20 European Aluminum Extrusions Slim T-Nut M5 Thread Pack of 100 https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01FOC6A8E
boeray 100 pcs M5 x 10 mm 304 Stainless Steel Internal Hex Drive Button Head Cap Screws, Packed in a Plastic Case https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07FF28LMD

Last Minute! Giving a talk about CNC with the Hack613 crowd.

04.30.2019 by rich // Leave a Comment

I’m giving a talk about how to build your own CNC machine, along with Darcy White and Doug Commons on April 30, 2019.

This is a dry run for the talk I’ll be giving at MakersCentral in the UK next week.

Here’s a link to the details!

UPDATE: The talk was a great success! Here’s some photos from the event.

Heading back to Makers Central in Birmingham!

02.21.2019 by rich // Leave a Comment

Makers Central is happening again at the NEC in Birmingham on May 11 and 12 this year. Here’s some more details in their flyer.

I’m very excited to be heading back to the UK for this event. I’ll be making pucks for kids in booth F6, and I’ll be giving a talk about how to build your own CNC machine as well (time and place to be determined).

Kids watching their pucks being carved in the small CNC puck mill.
(From a recent event in Canada)

It will be nice to catch up with Jimmy Diresta, Laura Kampf, and the rest of the YouTube crowd. They were a really great group to meet last year.

I’ll be there with @silver_hand, an accomplished jeweller, watch maker, and pen maker. Be sure to check out his podcast at: http://offhours.show/