I have some brain trauma and have problems disseminating all the facts from these pages. What part numbers do I order to get the complete kit with all electronics, or combinations of part numbers and prices. I want the low profile machine to do large pieces.
With my massive headaches I only get a couple good hours a day, I want to make the best of it and order once.
Thank you
Paul
What are you considering large, and signs or cut type stuff? Large projects can take several hours to cut, so that could be a factor.
Paul, sorry to hear about your head issues, can’t be fun. As Ryan asked, how big of a machine are you talking about building? We can definitely help you with getting everything you need from the site.
Here is a list of what you need from Ryan:
https://shop.v1engineering.com/collections/lowrider-parts/products/lowrider-cnc-bundle (with the MiniRambo)
https://shop.v1engineering.com/collections/lowrider-parts/products/lowrider-cnc-printed-parts-25-4mm-1?variant=14097605034099 I would get the mini and lcd case as well.
https://shop.v1engineering.com/collections/lowrider-parts/products/full-graphic-smart-controller-big
Those are the essentials from here that you need to build your Lowrider. The “kit” is a one stop shop for the parts you will need to build it. You will still need to get the Stainless Steel rails, the router and build the table for it. The size of the table (and therefore the size of the Stainless Steel you need) depends on how big of a cutting area you want. Check the size calculator: https://jscalc.io/calc/Ea1pVUNBCQdV9cPF for measurements on how big you need to build your table based on how big of stuff you want to cut.
Right now the Flat Parts are out of stock, but it’s very easy to make your own. I have PDF files of them that I will attach to the post when I get home. You just need to print out the PDF files in Full Size (multiple sheets of paper and tape them together) or have Staples or somewhere print them out for you. Then just spray glue them onto some MDF (1/2” for the Y Plates and 1/4” for the 611 plate) then cut them out with a jig saw and a drill. If you get them close enough, you can build your Lowrider and then use it to cut out better ones in the future (which is what I was going to do, I just never got around to it and am still using my hand cut ones).
Make sure you get Stainless Steel TUBE and not PIPE! It’s a big difference in the outter diameter (as least it’s big for our purposes). Tube is an exact 1” outter diameter whereas pipe is about 5/1000s too big. It may not sound like a lot, but it’s enough of a difference that the 3D printed parts won’t fit and you machine won’t work. Some metal supply shops don’t know the difference or don’t carry SS Tube. Shop around locally or online (here is a link to an online supplier of what you need: https://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=12934&step=4&showunits=inches&id=312&top_cat=1).
As for your table, there are as many ways to build it as there are Lowriders out there. The key is, build it Strong, build it Flat and build it SQUARE. I can’t stress how important this is. The Lowrider gets its accuracy from the table on up. If your table is outta whack, so will be your Lowrider.
With all this said, it’s a great machine!! What it can do never ceases to amaze me or anyone I show it. A home built sub $1000 CNC Router that is accurate to the thousandths of an inch is simply amazing.
These forums are a great source of info (I use them, a lot - just head on over to the Troubleshooting page of the MP3DP to see how much, lol).
I don’t think I forgot anything, but if you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask. One of the absolute best things that Ryan has created is these forums and the community that has evolved around them. Pretty much everyone is super helpful and your questions get answered within minutes generally.
We are talking either 4’x8’ or a 4’x12’, most likely the 4x8 as money is still an issue. We own a sawmill, money is coming in but this is a added revenue stream to try to get the cash flow moving. Plans are to use this machine to plane slabs from our mill and square them, then maybe do signage and custom work per order. Baby steps!
Paul
With 4x8 you will be fine with the kit, with 4x12 you might have to source more GT2 belt.
The Lowrider is really for routing out parts, I don’t know how well it will work as a planer, the End Mills that are mostly used at 1/8" or 1/4". You can get 1/2" EndMills with a 1/4" shank but much bigger then that and you will be stressing the router. As for squaring, it can do that, but it’s not that fast moving (depending on the thickness of the material). I would think a traditional Planer would be a better fit for you.
Cutting out signs and parts, that’s where this thing shines…
It doesn’t have to be fast, just able to work while I am working on something else in my good time. Taking off a few thin passes of 1/32 would be fine if I don’t have to stand over it! I can set a timer and go back when the timer rings! So what is the package number for the 4x8 kit and it’s price?
Then about what does it cost to finish it round numbers? Not exact is it like $250-500 or 1500 where am I. I have a computer or three to choose from. So from there it’s just Operation parameters that I need and I can get going!
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Ok I’ve got most of this I think!
CNC’s start fires in a matter of seconds, you unfortunately can not leave it alone.
Totally agree with Ryan. I never leave mine while it’s cutting. It’s in my garage and I’ll do other stuff in there, but I won’t leave it. If it “crashes” and stops moving, then you have a 18,000ish spinning piece of metal sitting in sawdust… bad juju!
The cost doesn’t change on table size (unless you need to order more GT2 belt - which is cheap). The kit has more then enough belt to build a 4x8 table. I think, all in, I’m around $800 or so. I might be higher then most, because I bought seamless 304L Stainless Steel Tube at 0.120 wall thickness (double what Ryan recommends). This was because it’s what my local yard had in stock and I figured that the extra thickness wouldn’t be bad to help prevent the X Axis from sagging under it’s own weight.
Lots of good information here but one correction should be made. OD of thick walled steel pipe is 1.050" so it is 50 thousands (1.25mm for the metrically inclined) oversize for the printed parts.
Thanks for catching that Frosty. I missed a zero; in my typing and in my head, lol.
@Jeff… If you wouldn’t mind I could use that PDF you mentioned earlier in this post of the 25.4mm LR2 flat parts you used to cut out with a jigsaw. I didn’t see an attachment. Or if there is another place I could download it
Thanks,
Steve
I’ll have to upload it when I get home.
Edit: i just found the post where I put them before, here is the link https://www.v1engineering.com/forum/topic/3d-print-flat-parts/#post-80641
Hi Jeff
Thanks for finding the file. I know you said print in Acrobat at 100%. I then saw where someone posted this:
"Probably goes without saying, but if you use these PDF files, be sure to line up the printed page to the parts before actually cutting anything. The scale on both had to adjusted – using actual size resulted in an incorrect part. For me the correct scale was Y plate: 125%, 611 plate: 85%. Once that was figured out everything fit great."
Little confusing to me...Thanks,
Steve
That is a confusing. I just printed them in actual size in acrobat and had to make 3-4 prints and cut them out and tape them together to get the full size. You could also go to Staples or somewhere that has a large format printer to get it to print out on 1 page.
you know I opened in acrobat and it opened up about 77% size. Adjusted it to 100%
I switched to landscape mode told it to print actual size.
Each file only took 1 sheet paper (8.5 x 11.0) each.
I did an approx measurement with a ruler of what printed out on the paper in inches.
… 611 Plate is “10 & 9/16” inches long…“6 & 7/16” inches wide
…Y Plate is “10 & 1/2” inches (266.7mm) long…“5 & 7/16” inches wide
i.e. Long = the longest side of the part…Wide = the shortest side of the part while lying flat.
Not ever seeing the official dimensions I don’t know if that is even close. But that was printing actual size (100%) out of acrobat.
Apparently that must not be correct since it is taking more that one sheet from what I’ve been told.
Is the actual size of each part outside perimeters listed somewhere.
Thanks,
Steve
definitely larger than I printed…Don’t know… I unchecked all the boxes like: “Shrink to fit page”…I told it to print 100% Actual size… Even when opening the file it says one page…Has to be on my end… Thanks Barry I’ll figure it out… I’m in no hurry.
I’ll check the settings that I used to print it when I get to my computer. I don’t remember the exact settings (or exactly what I did) but I should be able to figure it out for you. Now that I’m thinking about it, I might have actually printed it from DraftSite (a free program for 2d design). I’ll have to look into that as well.
Okay thanks Jeff I appreciate it.
