3 Simple Ways to
Share What You Make

With Instructables you can share what you make with the world — and tap into an ever-growing community of creative experts.

PhotosPhotos

Share one or more photos of a project, recipe, or whatever you've made, quickly and easily.

Step by StepStep-By-Step

Share your step-by-step photos with text instructions of what you made so others can do it too!

VideoVideo

Share your how-to video. You'll need your embed code from a video site such as YouTube.

Hobby cnc

Hobby cnc

First I realy thanks to instructables and Mr: PRO Tom McWire the author of Easy to build desk top 3 axis CNC milling machine. i am wondering when i was see this instructables .I made this 3axis cnc machine and i have to share this hobby cnc by instructables how i make it . Hobby cnc easy can make very cheap ,all the material available in local market

 
Remove these adsRemove these ads by Signing Up
 

Step 1Controller

controller

Here i use  "PRO Tom Mc Wire "circuit  to controll stepper motor .it is very cheap and easy to make. i use to make controll board common line pcb(printed circuit board),IC CD4516,CD4028, MOSFET 2N7000 ,12v 10W scooter side indicator bulb ,12v2A transformer,stepper motor (exracted from old printer) Diode 1N4007  ,zener 6V2, battery eleminator metal case ,other all components are same as circuit. solder components same as circuit , cut unwanted line (copper) from line pcb check the line using multimeter .3axis cnc machine  need three controll board. I assemble circuit board seperatly for easy to test .after assemble three controll board fix inside battery eleminator case in available space see the photograph below....

« Previous StepDownload PDFView All StepsNext Step »
52 comments
1-40 of 52next »
Apr 2, 2012. 12:01 AMedison01 says:
Hello!
Construction of the panel, it works perfectly! I would like to ask for help Mach3 program. Kcam works, but not the Mach3. I can not configure step, dir, port, pin, enable ... etc (screenshot) Please help. Thank you! My e-mail: edison01@citromail.hu
Mar 18, 2012. 5:24 AMbawag says:
i use all values which you tell. but
Bulb don`t work :-(
can you tell me why....?
Aug 5, 2011. 3:59 AMWhatnot says:
I was thinking the other day that those builds with tubes might gain stability and precision if you'd fill the tubes with something.
At first I thought something like concrete, but that does have a brittleness, then I thought maybe the intructables stuff made of silicone mixed with corn starch, but that might be too low mass.
So what do you guys think? Would CNC's benefit you did that? or would the weight be bad for the joints?
I figure that at the very least the bottom part would be heavier and so more stable if filled with cement.
Mar 4, 2012. 10:47 AMRich99 says:
melted lead.
Aug 7, 2011. 7:21 AMqualia says:
if you're going for a composite structure you would probably be correct with cement in the tubes as the steel already has the tensile strength to stop a brittle core from breaking, the concrete would stop the flex in the pipes. ideally you'd want the base bolted to something solid, but as a desktop unit that could be out of the project's parameters. the main problem i see with alot of these pipe structures is that there is no support for their tool posts apart from a single point join which is threaded, and can theoretically rotate, specially with tension and vibration at the same time, which isnt too great if any cutting forces are to be encountered. then again, for the ends they are intended for, they're still a neat idea, mechanically and financially
Aug 7, 2011. 1:27 PMjayeshshinai says:
what abt plain compacted sand...?
Aug 7, 2011. 9:29 PMqualia says:
that could very well work if you had some kind of ram, press, or vice at the least, to lock it all in, and some way to fully compact it in all through the cavity so that it will stay at a similar density when energy is transmitted through the frame during the work.
Nov 11, 2011. 7:37 PMDIY-Guy says:
You could try a little bit of thinned epoxy with compacted sand to make it stick together as a solid mass.
May 18, 2011. 4:41 PMgreytrainz says:
is there any way to make this work through the usb plug?
Jan 27, 2012. 6:38 PMwalter_wpg says:
Sorry, but is not practical to make this circuit USB-compatible, and is unrelated to the 5V vs 12V difference. The present STEP/DIRECTION interface is very low-level, and the DOS-based software in the PC is directly controlling the logic state of these lines through the parallel port. A USB interface adds many levels of complexity, both in the software in the PC as well as the hardware and software of this stepper driver.

The fact is that the present design makes the driver circuit very simple, and also makes it possible for users to troubleshoot with a simple voltmeter.
Jul 3, 2011. 7:46 PMdhopper122 says:
You might want to reconsider that thought. The USB port works off 5V and this unit works off 12V. That means you would have to put in a voltage converting circuit for the controller to get the signals. And then yes as indicated, you might have to write a program to conver the USB to a usable signal.
Jun 14, 2011. 8:39 PMzack247 says:
i think it could be possible, but t might need a quite complicated program to be written for it to work.
Dec 25, 2011. 9:50 AMmedo50 says:
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD
Dec 24, 2011. 7:18 AMahmad_mhna says:
ok
Aug 9, 2011. 4:39 PMgpierson1 says:
Whats a Cnc machiene
Dec 8, 2011. 10:40 PMBiscuitus says:
More specifically it's a Computer Numerically Controlled Machine. It uses Cartesian coordinates to place the cutter/marker/drill bit. You basically use a CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing) program (SolidWorks, Google Sketch Up) to design a part, then you send that file to the CNC machine which interprets the design into x, y and z coordinates.
Aug 9, 2011. 9:29 PMDavid97 says:
Its a machiene that holds a tool and moves it around for you, it's to help with engraving, burning and drilling when you need it to be done very accuratley.
Nov 22, 2010. 10:29 PMhowim says:
hey guyz, i am having a small problem...

i maded up this controller . it works totally fine on old pcs (older computers of my friends) , but it does not wokr with my new PC.

i tested my parallel port. it works fine too. if i connect LEDs to parallel port and run Kcam then leds shows that parallel port is working fine. but my controller is not working with it.....so can anyone tell me why?

my pc=
Intel DG41WV MoBo
core 2 deo 7500 2.93Ghz
4 gb ddr3
nvidia geforce 210 1GB
500 GB HDD
Win 7 , XP sp2, Ubuntu.

i tested with win7 and xp.but it doesn't wokr...............
plz plz plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz HELP
Aug 3, 2011. 8:38 PMComputothought says:
I have controlled stepper motors with just 5 pins off the parallel port but with a different circuit. I used freebasic to make the sofftware. On linux though, you have to have sudo rights to have the program talk to the parallel port. XP, there should be no problems. I do not use xp any more, but freebasic worked perfectly for me.
As for vista, win7, and above you might need some kind of dosbox and or admin rights to the port. I do not know as we dumped mswindows after xp. You also need to see what the bios setting for the parallel port also. spp, ecp, or etc, as that could make a difference.
Apr 21, 2011. 8:31 PMdhopper122 says:
XP, VISTA, nor Win 7 work with DOS level programs, sorry. Try a second partition with Win 98SE, or dedicated computer running 98SE.
Aug 4, 2011. 1:57 PMComputothought says:
Funny, I use dos programs on xp all the time. Albeit that MS did not come out with some upgrade that locked it down. MS no longer supports XP anyway.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Home-Automation-MSWindows-XP/
Jul 3, 2011. 12:01 AMsschoemann says:
Incorrect, you simply have to set the programs operating parameters in the compatability mode under properties.
Jul 5, 2011. 2:39 PMjunits15 says:
It wont work because vista and 7 are not DOS based
Jun 30, 2011. 12:22 AMjayeshshinai says:
but this is what it says on kellyware.com...
"What Operating Systems will KCam work on?

KCam has been tested on Windows 98, NT, 2000, XP, Vista and Windows 7. Its possible Operating Systems like Windows 95 and ME may work, but they are not supported or recommended at this time.

*** Please do not ask for support for installations on operating systems that are not supported. Since those operating systems are not tested it is not possible to diagnose issues resulting from their use."

IM gonna install win 98 right now, as im not able to troubleshoot enough in XP SP2.
Jul 3, 2011. 7:39 PMdhopper122 says:
I looked at the parameters for software. I noticed one thing you didnt indicate to be; is your 'puter a 32 or 64 bit unit? Plus if that isnt an isssue, then I would start checking signals from IC's to the 2N7000's and then see if you have signal to the steppers. But if this controller you have now works on "older" 'puters, then I would also check the way the parallel port is talking. If memory serves correct then there is 3 ways the port talks now; I am working from memory but I think its EPP ECP and a mix? you might check what the com rate is too.
Jul 3, 2011. 6:36 PMjayeshshinai says:
i checked my circuit, iv used the diode 4007 instead of 4004 ...the data sheet shows difference only in the reverse voltage.
could that be the issue?
Jan 27, 2012. 6:31 PMwalter_wpg says:
No, that's not a problem. 4007 type diodes will work just as well as 4004 diodes in this circuit. If the circuit is not working, then you need to use a voltmeter to measure the voltages at various points in the circuit, and confirm if they are "correct".
Jul 3, 2011. 12:03 AMsschoemann says:
just set the compatability mode to windows 98 under Poperties for the program (right click it and select properties)
Jul 3, 2011. 5:40 AMjayeshshinai says:
yeah..will try it out right now..
Jul 3, 2011. 6:04 PMjayeshshinai says:
stil not working...dont know why.
i think its my circuit..
ill install the parallel port driver n check.
Jul 30, 2011. 8:25 PMcj8675 says:
use dos box google it
Nov 9, 2010. 8:30 PMhowim says:
oh dude...if you want to take photo of the computer screen then just press the "print screen" button, you dont need to use a camera for that.....hehehe...
Nov 28, 2010. 5:26 PMbac512 says:
(then ya gotta open a graphics program and past the screen.)
Jul 23, 2011. 8:32 PMjbig808 says:
windows paint will do the trick
Jul 3, 2011. 6:17 PMjayeshshinai says:
hey, where are you located.? i would like to see your circuit sometime...
Mar 1, 2011. 3:36 PMjayeshshinai says:
Aay, Suprabhaatham...
Oru choodyam

stepper motor ka specification kya hai? kaunse printer se liya hai?
i wanna make a cnc for myself too...and like you, i believe in using junk and making it into something useful than purchasing it.
also isko kitna bada size ka bana sakte hain?

thanks bro.
vande matram.
Mar 25, 2011. 1:07 PMjayeshshinai says:
got a doubt...
i was referring to Tom Mcquire's circuit and dint buy the mosfet RFP12N10L as on his instructable, but i bought MOSFET 2N7000....
will it work? because the rest of the circuit components are exactly like on this website...
http://cratel.wichita.edu/blogs/tommcguire/the-stepper-motor-driver/
Mar 18, 2011. 10:26 AMjayeshshinai says:
so what kind of motor to use?6-8 wire stepper motor?
1-40 of 52next »

Pro

Get More Out of Instructables

Already have an Account?

close

All Steps Viewing
View all steps of an Instructable on the same page when you're a Pro Member.

Upgrade to Pro today!
15
Followers
2
Author:mraspotcnc