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CNC

Instructables really shines when it comes to CNC (computer numerical control) projects. We've got instructions on how you can make your own CNC lasers, CNC mills, CNC foam cutters and even a CNC chocolate 3D printer! Build a CNC device for your shop and make something awesome like flat pack furniture, something tasty like laser cut steaks and cakes, or something beautiful like a physical Escher print. Two steps over, four steps down, cut, burn, deposit chocolate - it's CNC on Instructables.

How to Make a Three Axis CNC Machine (Cheaply and Easily) by oomlout

Easy to Build Desk Top 3 Axis CNC Milling Machine by Tom McWire

Easy to build CNC Mill Stepper Motor and Driver circuits by Tom McWire

Laser cutter, start slicing stuff for under 50 dollars by lamedust

CO2 laser that cuts sheet metal by owhite

3 Axis CNC Router - 60"x60"x5" - JunkBot by russaanderson

Homebrew Laser Cutter made by Zach Radding by TimAnderson

3D chocolate printer made from LEGO by saul

Putting it all together by charcoal999

Make a CNC Hot Wire Foam Cutter from parts available at y… by tbarnea

Low Cost Hobby Servo XY Table by CarlS

20 comments

Nov 27, 2011. 4:04 PM

welafong says:

can you tell me the right steepr motors to use the ones since the ones in the article
are no lonrger being sold
thank you
richard westerfield

May 4, 2011. 12:20 PMwarlordcs says:

i found a plan for a plasma cnc table but i dont know where to get the parts. the metal is easy to come by but i dont know how to shop for motors and lead screws.
does anyone know how i go about shopping for the right equipment?

i need stepper motors, lead screws, motor controls, and whatever that block that the lead screw screws into to make the body move. but more importantly how do i know what parts work with each other so i know i get the right sizes

thx

Feb 22, 2010. 11:37 PM600kings says:

I would like to make one but i got a question? Can u make a cnc out of a printer or a scaner and if u can. Can someone make a guide?

Mar 4, 2011. 12:56 PMjelleAtProtospace says:

yes you can, but it probably is not worth your time. Most printers nowadays do not have stepper motors in them (and the servo drives they have turned to are more expensive for cnc uses). The only part I can think of that is of use is the smooth steel shaft that the X-axis glides on. If you can recover/reuse the nylon bearings, good on you, but the rest of us can probably find sintered bronze bushings that do not cost an arm and a leg. The shaft itself is worth about 4-10 dollar, and you need 5 or 6 of them (you can cut one for the Z-axis in two). So you need to dismantle 5 or 6 printers, hope they all have the same size rods in them.
Personally I think it is less work overall to order everything new and build with that.
Google for 'Mantis David Carr' for imperial sized plans for a small desktop cnc router, or Mantis-30, if you want slightly bigger metric plans. (I made that last plan)

Jan 12, 2011. 6:32 AMbuffysissy1 says:

What's the best way to learn about how the stepper motors work, I can build this but I'm a newbie with electronics.

Mar 4, 2011. 12:42 PMjelleAtProtospace says:

easy, you search on the net for explanations how they work. Let your search-fu shine.

As for drivers, a lot of people are very happy with the small and cheap pololu drivers. You (or your microcontroller) give a simple 5 volt drive and direction pulse to them to make the motors move to the next step. You can also drive them with your parallel port (EMC2 or god-forbid-Mach3) or even with a manual pulse wheel.

Nov 18, 2010. 5:06 PMMatthewEnderle says:

I'm using my school's Mills to make my CNC out off 1" thick plastic!

Dec 2, 2010. 6:04 PMhintss says:

thats really thick.

Dec 2, 2010. 7:21 PMMatthewEnderle says:

yea, well the plastic was a "use all you want" from like 7 thicknesses and "you can have it for free"

so one inch it was! i got it done too!

Jun 2, 2010. 4:31 PMdtoma says:

My school also has a CNC doodad but I would like to make a CNC gadget thingy by using my schools CNC machine. BAMB

Dec 2, 2010. 6:04 PMhintss says:

you already can do that. like the person who printed their 3d printer using their school's 3d printer

Sep 28, 2010. 8:24 AMkhalidkhattak says:

Excellent article and awesome work. Thanks for sharing with us.
Regards
http://my-woodcarving.blogspot.com
http://free3dscans.blogspot.com

Aug 7, 2010. 11:03 AMaria29992 says:

www.makecnc.blogfa.com

Dec 18, 2008. 12:06 PM

=SMART= says:

Cool ! my school has a CNC but we might get a laser cutter soon

Apr 3, 2010. 8:37 AMM4industries says:

OMGZ! Where do you go to school?!?! You are so lucky!

Mar 27, 2010. 9:36 AMM4industries says:

Wow, two guides on same subject!

CNC is great!

Sep 12, 2009. 3:45 PMSkipperOf says:

My robotics team is thinking about making one of these to make better parts. Great Guide!

Mar 22, 2009. 2:04 AMLftndbt says:

WoW!! I needed to reference CNC to a friend, this guide is a perfect summary. Yay for Guides!!

Feb 25, 2009. 12:33 PMyourcat says:

Great stuff; I want one!

Jan 31, 2009. 5:01 AMste5442 says:

These look like major weekend projects!
What i am on the lookout for is a CNC which is accurate enough to 'mill off' the copper on a piece of copper clad FR4 - so I can prototype simple circuits easily.
We loaned one of these at work and it was useful for protos but we didnt buy in the end :-(

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