When we started the beta program, it was based on a concept of starting off with printed plastic XZ plates temporarily until later they could be replaced with aluminum ones. And I think with careful trachoidal milling you may well be able to get the aluminum plates “bootstrap” cut with a LowRider V4 that still had the printed plastic XZ plates.
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Was just thinking about the possibility that just like a 3D printer comes with pre-rendered Gcode files on a USB stick that can print show-off pieces, that (also in the same way that you have a downloadable Gcode file for printing the crown), there could be a downloadable pre-rendered Gcode file for bootstrap cutting aluminum XZ plates on a new Lowrider V4. Maybe one file for 5 mm thick aluminum and another for 6 mm thick. Thoughts? SD card ?
That could work, that is like jumping in the deeeeep end though. I am up for testing it though.
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On one hand, it takes out of the equation (temporarily) getting feeds and speeds right, which is one of the most challenging things for a new user. Of the remaining important tasks, building the machine right, material hold down, locating and zeroing the right origin point, and probing to the material top, etc, etc, a clear set of illustrated instructions could get them over the top. And it would show off what their new machine is capable of.
It is a deep end dive, for sure.
Admin,
Have you considered having a channel for a building competition? Maybe ‘Lowrider FreeStyle’. Competition would be the first person that submits a full design (to be reviewed and released by V1 at a future date) that can match or beat specs of a $30,000 cnc wins a prize of your choice.
Personally, I think the Lowrider series has the ability to keep up with the commercial machines if the design and testing keeps happening. Ultimately, I want to see a $2500-ish Lowrider build take on a $30,000 commercial CNC in a cutting challenge to see if the MPCNC world can win the competition. Judging on speed, accuracy and reliability. From what I see big commercial machines use a lot of heavy, heavy steel to get the rigidity they need. All that mass, makes the motors have to be huge and expensive to move it fast. I think applying torsion box principles to the lowrider gantry with ultra light weight materials (like an airplane wing design) to maximize rigidity without increasing weight would keep the motor size and cost down.
Anyway, with as large as this community has become, I bet it would be a pretty interesting challenge and for a sure a huge learning opportunity.
Just an idea.
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A full design to be released seems a little far fetched. But I agree that competitions can be a great way to help push the design forward. Some small prices, or even a competition without prices alone, will likely motivate a lot of people to keep pushing their machine. Finding the limits and most importantly finding ways to improve or upgrade them.
Let’s be honest, if anyone here can design a machine that costs $2,500 and can beat a $30k machine on speed, accuracy, and reliability, they are most likely starting a CNC company, not handing the design over to another CNC company for free lol
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My LR3 may or may not be using all printed plates still 
Honestly having a hard time justifying cutting new one’s out, they are rock solid. Certainly won’t be cutting any out for the LR3 at this point!
It’s a fun thought but a lot like saying the first person that can build a go-kart that can win Daytona wins a prize.
Thera a reason that commercial machines are built the way they are and it’s not because they just didn’t feel like saving money.
Unrelated but I’ve got 2 brand new spools of clear PLA, when the stls come out I might go see through.
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I don’t know that I agree with that a 100%. Until projects like Lowriders come along, the technology for CNC wasn’t really available for a hobbyist to even dream of building something like this. Maybe the Lowrider will never reach that level, but after watching those videos of the L4 that is coming out soon, it is pretty amazing how far it has been developed in just 4 released versions. By the time LowRider10 comes out, I would be pretty shocked if it isn’t fully capable of anything the intro commercial machines can do.
Anyway, mostly just wanted to throw the idea out there because how impressed I was in the improvements in the Beta L4 youtube video just released. Excited to build one.
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That’s really not true. Hobby level cnc had been around for decades before 3d printing became mainstream. Diy cnc routers have been out a really long time.
You can make the BEST printed cnc machines and it’s still like saying youre the BEST 4’8 basketball player so the Lakers should make you center :laugh:
What we’re working with has definitely made things more accessible to the normal guy, and it’s really REALLY cheap to get good results. Just being able to run a single simple card and control everything is miles ahead of the first plans i had 20 years ago.
But it’s not going to be in the same city, much less the same ballpark to a 30k commercial machine.
I actually came across the mpcnc by chance. I joined a makerspace a couple years ago only because they had a cnc (xcarve), and then i started messing around with 3d printing, and once i got comfy with the xcarve i went looking and found the plans for the first jgro cnc, which i started building 20ish years ago. While i was messing around with it, i was on thingiverse looking for cnc clamps and up popped the primo.
I talked to a couple people about it and based on their opinions decided to build it anyway :laugh:
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I know I’m blown away by the LR4 pre-release’s rigidity and amazing cutting speed. I know it’s an affordable hobbyist machine, not a pricy commercial grade professional machine, but I am astounded by it.
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Me too!!!
Have an LR3 today with a water cooled 1500w spindle. Will it fit an LR4 or will it be too heavy?
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@vicious1 can correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the plan is that, in general, if it fit the LR3, it should fit the LR4.
Same size tool mounts should be available.
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from the small stuff I ahve seen, you could mount a 5 gallon paint jug and still be reliable 
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From the look of things, it will be a fun ride 
i may even hide my wires this time 
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That is a definite upgrade 
and worth the poplaor birch or ash
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