Loen.Design

Rich Builds Stuff

Building a Chinese 3018 CNC Engraving machine

by // Leave a Comment

It can be hard to find the plans for this machine online. Here’s some help!
Chinese8013CNCEngraver
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:

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:
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.

Heading back to Makers Central in Birmingham!

by // 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/

I’m giving a talk at Maker Space North on February 26, 2019

by // 2 Comments

Https cdn evbuc com images 55192831 133647236463 1 original

 

Rich Loen has built many CNC machines including routers, mills, and cutters. He’ll share the knowledge he’s gained both building machines from scratch, and converting metal-working mills to CNC.

Tickets are limited so don’t miss out and snag yours now before they’re all gone!

More details from the event description: Rich Loen (https://Loen.Design) has built many CNC machines including routers, mills, and cutters. He’ll share the knowledge he’s gained both building CNC machines from scratch, and converting metal-working mills to CNC. Rich will cover:

  • Hardware options – machine frame, linear bearings, ball-screws, belt drives
  • Electronics – stepper motors, servos, drivers, power supplies, control interfaces like smooth steppers, G540, Planet CNC hardware.
  • Spindle options – routers, air/Water cooled spindles, high-speed spindles
  • Control Software – Mach3, Linux CNC, PlanetCNC, etc.
  • Design Software – Fusion 360, Vectric V-Carve Pro, Other options
  • Suppliers of hardware and software

 

Rich will be joined by Chris Manning (@silver_hand), a local watch maker and silver smith with years of CNC lathe and mill experience. Rich will also bring a small CNC mill he made for carving names into hockey pucks – and if you’re lucky, you can get your name carved into a puck during the event!

Making Pucks! – Last minute!

by // Leave a Comment

Last minute news!

@inventorartist has asked me to take part in a sort of mini Maker Faire on Monday February 18 at Ottawa City Hall. A group of makers is showing up to carve pucks between 11am and 2pm.

Thanks for the invite Darcy!

Deets: http://hack613.com/event/mayors-annual-family-day-skating-party/

Update!

We had a great day. My son and I set up around 10am, and started making pucks immediately. By 3pm we had made about 120 pucks! Always nice to see the kids so excited to watch the process.

Here’s some photos:

 

Follow Rich