User:Lennywayne

Introduction

This CNC Router was designed to shape styrofoam and, or wax, for Casting metal machine parts.

Overview

Lost Foam casting is by far the easiest type of casting for novist and expert alike It was designed to be easily constructed and have up to four axis for complex parts Parts can be scavenged from old dot matrix printers and discarded storm windows Some parts will have to be bought from hardware stores and electronics supply stores It can also considered to be a bootstrap machine that can shape parts to make itself stronger

Electronics

• The stepper motors were removed from three Dot Matrix printers and are "Unipolar" 5 or more wires
• The power supply was removed from common desktop or tower PC 400 Watts is minimum for 3 Axis
• The stepper motor drivers are "Linisteppers" Designed for Unipolar stepper moters and were bought as kits from:

 [[1]]Link to Linistepper motor drivers

• However they are opensource and can be made at home if you have the skills
• Unless you buy the breakout board advertised for the Linisteppers you will have to build your own and we will supply a schematic we used to build ours.

Metal Pieces

• Back Brace Mounts: Qty. 2 pieces of 1"x1"x1/8" Aluminum Angle 1-1/4" long
• Legs: Qty. 4 pieces of 1"x1" Aluminum Square
• Y-Z Trolley Guide Rails: Qty. 2 pieces of 3/8"x3/8" Key Stock 20-3/4" long
• X Axis Motor Mount: Qty. 1 piece of 2-1/2"x1/4" Aluminum Square Tube 2" long
• Y Axis Motor Mount: Qty. 1 piece of 2"x1/8" Aluminum Flat 2" long
• Z Axis Motor Mount: Qty. 1 piece of 1"leg x1" back x 1/8" Aluminum Channel 2-1/2" long