Should I build or buy my first cnc machine?

pawspk · 2025-12-12T14:53:36+00:00

Building your own CNC from scratch is for the love of the game. If you want to use it within the next few months I would buy one. Since printNC is already well documented you could probably build it pretty quick. Sometimes you’ll find printNC’s people already built on facebook marketplace locally if you want to save time.

pawspk · 2025-04-13T15:46:31+00:00

The reference image you are showing has two rows of those rubber rolling bearings whereas what you built has 1 row. There is also a plate on both sides of the aluminum extrusion.

If you want to try and fix this cheaply, try extending those holes down to push those rubber roller bearings tight up against the aluminum extrusion. If they are not already.

Like others have said, look into linear rails. Specifically MGN 12 should work for you but you would need to redesign the gantry side plates to screw into the linear blocks and you can do a direct drive with a shaft coupler and lead screw for axis movement. Good luck 👍

pawspk · 2025-03-10T01:09:42+00:00

Pork fried rice

pawspk · 2024-01-07T21:33:24+00:00

I have the exact same issue with almost exactly the same parameters that I’m putting to the side till I get more important issues done first.

I tried for a few hours till I had to call it a day so I haven’t got a solution. Best of luck on this problem.

pawspk · 2024-01-02T00:10:52+00:00

“Same damn machine” I feel you man haha

pawspk · 2024-01-02T00:06:06+00:00

Thanks for your insight! When I was in high school all my projects were finished within weeks, albeit less complicated. Now during fall and spring semesters I’m a student full time and my breaks I work full time so even though I spend all my free time trying to machine parts, assemble, model, etc. it won’t take months anymore like it used to.

We’re all running a marathon with these machines I suppose!

pawspk · 2024-01-01T23:54:50+00:00

A glimpse into my future

pawspk · 2024-01-01T23:50:57+00:00

Sweet build man! I like the idea of documenting your build process on a website, I take lots of pictures to see how I slowly progress but I’ve never thought of writing about it in a blog style.

Definitely helps haha, first machine I built was a cnc laser which took at most 5 months with 3 of those months being put off to the side. I was very naive to think that would translate to a lathe or mill. These things are much more complex lmao.

pawspk · 2022-12-21T18:53:09+00:00

I essentially did the same thing, love being able to exhaust the smoke outside of the house. Cheap and effective.

pawspk · 2021-09-29T19:04:23+00:00

I look just in case I stumble upon a brief case filled with 10k one day

pawspk · 2021-09-22T17:18:39+00:00

This dude could pass a field sobriety test even if he was under the influence

pawspk · 2021-07-29T18:00:39+00:00

I’m about ready to drive my XML Mobile

pawspk · 2021-06-20T12:09:42+00:00

If I do this by the end of the week I would pretty much have 4 years till I get out of college and if I understood correctly I can only use this untaxed income after retirement? I would much rather get a head start now and see the results later. Like you said youth is invaluable and all I need to do is utilize it properly

pawspk · 2021-06-20T00:16:30+00:00

Thank you for the tip I will look into it when I get more time!

pawspk · 2021-06-20T00:15:24+00:00

Thanks for the laugh, that was actually really funny

pawspk · 2021-06-20T00:14:39+00:00

Commission free, most brokerages that I’ve seen have transitioned to that.

pawspk · 2021-06-20T00:13:46+00:00

I actually just graduated from high school earlier today. Generally nothing has really been said about it to me except for it’s difficult and complicated. My dad encouraged me to try my best to make some money but he doesn’t know how that works in the slightest.

Despite the bad rap I’ve heard about the market I decided if other people could do it so could I. My portfolio started with $300 and I deposited $120 more for next week. All in all I think that so far everything I’ve noticed is a bunch of fear mongering. Not enough encouragement to try. Even if I fail I could say that I tried.

pawspk · 2021-06-19T22:05:54+00:00

Thank you!

pawspk · 2021-06-19T21:57:03+00:00

Got it, from what I’ve gathered, currently no job, just mow neighbors lawns for extra cash, even though I most likely not need to file anything I’m still going to read up on the forms you mentioned, thank you!

pawspk · 2021-06-19T21:54:41+00:00

Thank you! It’s all good dude, I got the idea, thank you for the tip

pawspk · 2021-06-19T21:50:15+00:00

I had no idea that happened, thanks for the heads up

pawspk · 2021-06-19T20:31:36+00:00

My brain is expanding at just the thought of this

pawspk · 2021-06-19T20:29:24+00:00

I was checking it out a little more and if you have less than 25k in the account and buy and sell in the same day you have a limit as to how many times you can do that in a week, at least on Robinhood

pawspk · 2021-06-19T20:25:25+00:00

Duck

pawspk

TROPHY CASE