For the CAD (drawing) part, whatever you are comfortable with, either a 3D modeling program you like, or a 2D vector illustration program.
For the CAM (manufacturing, i.e. outputting the GCode files for cutting), a lot of us use ESTLcam. It’s affordable, has a free trial, and is a one-time payment as opposed to a subscription. I like that last part. Really don’t like the subscription approach.
Wow, i was imagining several thousand at a minimum. How is it so cheap? What does lowrider mean exactly? No, no 3d printing, probably some day soon, but im cutting my teeth with routing. And thank you.
I have aspire, which seems to do it all, but i dont have enough experience to know whether there are programs that do aspects easier and or better. Do you have a 3d modeling prgram you like? and thank you.
It’s one of two DIY “mostly printed CNC” machines designed by the man who owns this site, and he makes the plans available for free.
The smaller original one is simply known as “MPCNC” (mostly printed CNC). The size limit on it is something like 2’ x2’ or so. For larger than that, the big brother, the LowRider, rides on a table, and works (cuts) best (most rigid) when low against the table.
https://docs.v1e.com/lowrider/
This is a LowRider:
The side assemblies can be made from a mix of either MDF and 3D printed plates, or MDF and aluminum plates. There are 4 small linear guide rails (and slide bearing trucks), but those are affordable. Some NEMA 17 stepper motors, wires, some end stop switches, and a wonderfully affordable control board. It’s an amazing machine.
Check out my videos and those of others in this community. Here’s my channel:
You can order the 3D printed parts from Ryan ( @vicious1 ), the genius who designed it. His store also sells full hardware kits for making the LowRider (and other machines). Check out the store here:
Cool fact: Kobalt worked behind the scenes with Ryan to come up with a trim router made to suit our hobby CNC maker community, and it’s a great product, that features a LowRider pictured on the box (without giving the name).
Sadly, it seems the first batch did not sell well enough to get picked up as a permanent part of the Kobalt lineup, and some Lowes stores are now clearing out the remaining stock at discount prices.
For the details on that interesting story, check out this article:
and for details on getting the discounted clearance sales for the remaining stock, check out this video by my friend and fellow maker, Aza:
and check out the more recent posts in this thread:
Thank you so much Doug, will be checking out your channel, great information!
LOL, since i have your attention, any tricks to keep the bits from chewing up the bristels on the dust shoe?
For 3D modeling, years ago I cut my teeth on SketchUp, and still love it. Lately (last couple of years or so) I finally started learning how to use Autodesk Fusion 360. There are pros and cons to both. I still use both. I decide on a case by case basis which one to use for a given project.
Fusion 360 was like alien tech to me, and i have pretty solid co,puter skills, aspire is much more managable.
I will definately check out sketchup
Well, since our community here builds DIY CNC machines, and we mod them as we wish, we have a lot of control over the details. The simplest way to make sure the bristles cannot be chewed up by the bit, is to make the dust shoe closer to the material, and the bristles shorter — too short to ever touch the bit. That’s how my recent dust shoe mod for the LowRider is designed. Watch these videos in my series on it for more!
LowRider’s have done great cutting wood, acrylic, HDPE, aluminum, and even steel!
One, well, maybe one last thing for now. My rig has belts for the X Y and a screw drive for see. Cant find a b bit of info from fox alien about maintence or lubrication? What should i be doing besides vacuuming the crap out/off it?
Lithium grease works well on lead screws.
Already got something else…whats the cost on an entry level printer that would print the parts need to build that sucker?
And again, thank you so much.
It was to me too, at first. In the normal workflow in F360, many three dimensional things are made by extruding a face of a 2D sketch made first, or by extruding a face of an existing 3D body or surface already made, which usually leads back to a sketch. I just learned that in certain ways, 3D wire frame content can be added to sketches, but they are mostly always 2D sketches. It took me a while to get used to how F360 approaches things, but I’ve finally gotten to where I can create what I want, such as this thing I designed for fun, just as a learning exercise:
How often and how much? Didnt want to gum it up with grease and sawdust so i havent put anything on it, still turns freely but im probably pushing my luck
On the MPCNC there is a lead screw for the z axis. I have only lightly greased it once and it works great 2 years later.
Is there anything useful that can be done with sawdust? Now im just asking every random thought that has crossed my mind
