I am planning to build an MPCNC with 24"x24" work area. Currently printing the parts for it, and I have put together this list of other things I will need to purchase for my build:
Is this an accurate list? Is there anything else I need to add?
That looks good to me.
Maybe add some nylon braided sleeve for the cables, and some heat-shrink tube to finish the ends.
Obviously you’ll need a suitable table, and to print a mount for the router - and most people add some form of dust collection.
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Thanks for the suggestions. What diameter of sleeve will work best? I have access to a shop vac, is there something I can print to use it as dust collection and/or an air blast for chip evacuation?
I used 15mm, to make it easy to get the plugs through. I probably could have used a size or two smaller but it was the first time I’ve used it and I didn’t realise that it would stretch to double the normal size. Maybe pick the size that will fit an old tape measure nicely (for the tape measure trick).
I’m a bit surprised that there’s still a lot of variety in vac shoes (and particularly in vac-hose clips). I would have thought that it would be a ‘solved problem’ long ago. I’ve only recently finished my machine, so I’ve spent a while trying to pick a good one. There are lots of options on Thingyverse.
Lots of people still use shoes and hose clips that attach directly to the router or Z-axis, despite the instructions clearly warning that it reduces accuracy (any tension on the hose will twist the Z-axis out of plumb) - but it’s a bit tricky to bolt to the centre assembly. The long bolts that attach the XYZ and XY pieces work well but are a long way from where you want the vac tube, and the bottom one is a little low, preventing you lifting the shoe as high as I’d like. The vertical bolt is in the right place horizontally but it’s no good just holding the tube in the middle. Clamping to the triangular hole in the XY piece seems the best option for the lower mount.
Then there’s the choice of tube for the vertical part. I’m using a 35mm tube that was originally the extension piece from an old vacuum cleaner, and fits the hose I’m using. It fits reasonably neatly between my router and the front roller. Many people use 30 or 40mm PVC pipe, 30 fits into this gap better, but 40 has almost twice the airflow.
The nice thing about this problem is that these brackets make great projects for learning 3D CAD - here’s mine: https://cad.onshape.com/documents/a3cebe54765992f4165dcdf0/w/40ca50fd13f4ef7cac1f2d31/e/cbbaaf781fb49adf0c481870
I’ll go and take some photos and post it to my build thread: New build in Sussex, UK
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