So, I’m new and would like to build a LowRider CNC. If I can I’d like to buy everything needed to build it all at once. Is it possible to do that? I understand the conduit I can source at Lowe’s or other hardware store. I just want to get everything to build the CNC. I do 3D print but I’m already in the middle of a big printing project and don’t want to print the parts for the CNC. Any help would be appreciated. I just don’t want to have to buy this and buy that at different times.
You can buy the complete hardware kit, Printed parts, XZ and YZ plates, control board and sharp stuff from @vicious1. The only thing you will need after that is the EMT and a table to put it on. I cant think of anything else you would need but hopefully someone else will come along and double check me. Welcome to the forum!
You’ll definitely need something to spin your sharp stuff really fast also
There are a lot of considerations to be made as well like router choice, control board, available cut size, etc. As long as all of that fits within the confines of what comes in the kit, then you can get everything else from
I think if you order everything from the shop, you have enough printed parts and hardware for a 4’x8’ build.
There is some pretty exciting news due out soon about a router… I cannot say specifics yet, but there will hopefully be an announcement within a couple of weeks or so.
If you search this forum for this tag: parametric-table
… you will see some free plans for building your own table (torsion box design), and there is a method of “bootstrapping” so the LowRider can actually cut the parts for its own table.
I made a video on making the torsion box - see link.
My torsion box table was cut on an existing table, but @steved has done the bootstrapping approach. Pics of his floor-based bootstrap can be seen in his thread around this post:
Thr Makita 070xx routers usually only come with a 1/4" collet. (North American models, overseas I believe 6mm, but could be wrong.) Most of the “sharp stuff” from the V1 shop is 1/8". The V1 shop also has 1/8" collets for the Makita 070xx series routers, so if that is the spindle you use then the collet is a nice add-on.
@DicksSlotCarGarage
If you are wanting to get started ASAP, Dan’s advice is the way to go. If you can wait a couple to three weeks until the upcoming news drops, then it could save you some money.
I appreciate the comments and help guys. I’ve been wanting one of these LR for a while. I actually started printing the LR parts last year but my ender took a dump. But now with a new printer I’ve been doing other things.
So how hard is this going to be for me to use having very little experience? I use to run A few HAAS machines, plunge edm, wire edm, and cmm but I mainly just ran them. I had to alter gcode for tooling every now and then but that was about it. I mainly know more about manual machining.
There is a learning curve for sure. But I came into this knowing NOTHING about CNC gcode or anything. There is a TON of great help here on the forum and Ryan does a good job with the Docs. Just start slow and ask a ton of questions!
I started with zero experience or knowledge, and am still on the very first step of the ladder, but I can make it cut things and can now understand every fifth word when things get technical around here, so I’d say “very little” experience is pretty much all you will ever need.
It sounds like you will know more than most of us already. The biggest gap in your experience would be dealing with hobby machines. You don’t want to over tighten the bolts (they are 1000x too strong and are chosen for their area) and you will need to get comfortable going slow and doing your own tests for feeds and speeds.
I would encourage you to check out the documentation:
Thanks guys, y’all have been a great help. I’m definitely excited to order everything. I just need to decide if I want to wait for what is coming or just go ahead and order? One thing I’ll be cutting is small thin brass pieces. The reason for wanting the bigger cnc though is for the option to cut big stuff to.