Questions re: McWire Cartesian & the Ardunio Hardware w/ different nc programs

in the process of making a mix between the McWire Cartesian Bot v1.2 and the actual McWire from instructables and had a couple questions.

i have been learning solidworks (student version) and want to start to learn cam. i have access to industrial machine equipment (although out of state and only ask my buddy to make stuff that i really need as i they are very busy so i keep it to a minimun and let the machines make them $$$$). so please, bear w/ me as i am a newb in the actual machine arena.

- this will be more of a router/micro mill and not the machines that i mostly see on here but it looks like a lot of the same basic ideas, so i hope they convert over easily

- would there be any issue using ~.250" thick (~6.37mm) aluminum for the stages/tables? is this too thick? all i need to do is make them into solidworks files (in the process of doing that now) and i can have them made and threaded or is there a reason to go w/ a form of plexi/acrylic? my main reason for this is i can get the Al for probably cheaper than any type of plexi since it would be scrap from my buddies shop

- for a break-out-board, i would like to go the usb route like the controller you guys use. does it work w/ kcam and/or mach3 software? if so is there any tutorials? i currently have some smaller nema17 bipolar steppers that would suffce for the work i am wanting to do and would probably go 24V for the psu, but that is on my end.

this is a way for me to see the cam and actual cnc portion of designing right here on my desk and learning a lot. getting back into electronics after being out of it for 10-15yrs and these driver/controller kits look like a good way ><

thanks for any guidance,
bob

Hi Bob,
since the original McWire was meant being a mini cnc mill I see no reason why there should be a problem.

Aluminium should be okay, only downside here is that it's thicker and heavier than the acrylic, so you may need to choose the motors wisely, and you'll loose some space for the z-axis so you may need to take a (fractional) longer piece of pipe there

Kcam and Mach3 I don't know, but I was reading about EMC in these forums somewhere iirc.
To be honest I can not recall if that was an arduino or some pic controllers though.

So you may want to search the forums a bit.

'sid

Hi

I am using Mach3 with the Smoothstepper USB connection. My machine is a CNC with Gecko drives. I use a Sanguino with the G code firmware BUT only for extruder/heater control M functions. The axis commands are handled by the Mach Smoothstepper interface. I wrote a couple of simple macros for Mach3 which has a built in serial interface to communicate with the Sanguino.

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Regards

Ian

I just love hearing about all these mashups of Reprap and CNC technology and software.

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Hell, there are no rules here - we're trying to accomplish something.

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

Thomas A. Edison

thanks for the info. in a addendum to the 1st post, i sometimes limit myself w/ what i have access to just not thinking. it doesn't have to be .250" Al, i just can't find much w/ the mcwire setup stating a thickness of the tables/stages. figured .250 would be more than sufficient but i could have it made basically any thickness i want.

is there a common thickness that people are using? i have read a lot on here but not everything, so i could have just not seen it yet.

thanks