Personal opinion/experience of Robocutter required please?

[Luke Culpin]

That’s just the sort of thing we would benefit from, at the right price to, would be great to hear of any bodies experiences. Even a 1.5 x 3m Is only £3000! Very interested!

[Stephen Morriss]

routoutcnc.com Also do a small CNC, works well and I know the bloke is happy to help when you have problems.

A friend of mine had one for a few years and he worked it hard cutting oak waymarker signs and other little bits and bobs, the only problem he ever had was the old computer he used to install Mach3 on.

Steve

[Steve Maple]

anyways if you have some pay-pal go on ebay.com and get

1. USB breakout board £33

2. -three of these Toshiba 6600 drivers £30

3. one of these 36v power supply £22

4. go to Maplins and buy a iec fused and switched chassis socket£4

5.electronics project box 300 by 200 by 100 £34

6. motor connectors buy 6 drills out the centres and use them as glands – looks tidy

7. 5 metres of 7 core 1.5mm core shielded cy cable

8. 3 NEMA 23 motors

9. Makita rt0700 router trimmer variable speed 700watts

build yourself a 3 axis, USB, 36v, 2.5a, Toshiba chipped, 1/16 step resolution, Sanyo Denki motored, controller for mach3

driver on off off – 1/16

note 7 core – 4 for motors 2 for limit switches there is an earth in there just to loop the field back

[David Rogers]

Thanks for taking the time, especially to look up that list of parts.

However, it’s pretty specifically THIS supplier I’m after any relevant experiences with…even better with this model.

I’ve simply no time to build one and tinker around…minimal assembly and working within a day is what I’m after.

Various reasons dictate price bracket (sub £2k), size and the easy life it’s going to have, so I don’t want to drop £5-£8k and have it take years to pay for itself.

Dave

[Phill Fenton]

It’s still a kit Dave – and if you haven’t built one before will take some time to put together. Still it looks sturdy enough and is well priced. I thoroughly recommend you buy this book even if not planning a home build as it’s a mine of information

[David Rogers]

quote Phill Fenton:It’s still a kit Dave – and if you haven’t built one before will take some time to put together. Still it looks sturdy enough and is well priced. I thoroughly recommend you buy this book even if not planning a home build as it’s a mine of information

I was having them prebuild it into large sections for minimal hassle. none of this cutting lengths and drilling holes malarkey.

Arrive as gantry, sides, prewired etc. etc. Few quid extra…lot less buggering about.

[Stephen Morriss]

Like Phill said it looks sturdy and well made if all the cuts are square and to the correct length then it’ll be a good base.

I’ve used similar section on mine but it’s slightly different size (wider but not as tall) and mine is strong enough to do any sign materials, I’ve even cut 6mm Aluminium on mine with fine cuts and while it wasn’t as good as a milling machine it was fine for the use it was being put to.

Will it have all the control setup and connected?
What software are you looking at using? Mach, LinuxCNC etc

Get a good quality spindle though, cheap ones are VERY noisy while Kress etc are relatively quiet. Cost a bit more but worth it.

Steve

[David Rogers]

quote Stephen Morriss:

Like Phill said it looks sturdy and well made if all the cuts are square and to the correct length then it’ll be a good base.

I’ve used similar section on mine but it’s slightly different size (wider but not as tall) and mine is strong enough to do any sign materials, I’ve even cut 6mm Aluminium on mine with fine cuts and while it wasn’t as good as a milling machine it was fine for the use it was being put to.

Will it have all the control setup and connected?
What software are you looking at using? Mach, LinuxCNC etc

Get a good quality spindle though, cheap ones are VERY noisy while Kress etc are relatively quiet. Cost a bit more but worth it.

Steve

I was quoted up on:

The OX MAX CNC
1500 x 1500 bed
Complete Electronics Package
Kress 1050 Spindle Upgrade
Par TB660 Controller 1 0.00 0.00
Build All Gantries Built up

Software will be Mach and running on an old PC we’ve got around.

Dave

[Stephen Morriss]

Sounds like it should be ok.
I presume they are they going to provide a setup file for Mach so you don’t have to do any setup, otherwise it’s a bit of a learning curve getting it all running.

Steve

[Martin Pearson]

A lot depends on what you are looking to do with the machine, materials you want to be able to cut rather than the amount of actual running hours.

You have mentioned mach3 but is it coming with any other software? You can use the software you currently use for design but you will need something to generate toolpaths for mach3

[Steve Maple]

IF I were you………..
buy sell on the controller for £500

make a USB controller
use the machines motors and cables
buy new 36 volts 10 amp psu
3 toshiba tb6600 drives
buy a leafboy usn break out board for £109
buy the box
ferrite rings and iec chassis socket

this is exactly ewhat I have

run it 36 volts 2.5a
1/16 micro stepping
the screws are 16mm fat with a 5mm pitch, run mach3 at 760 steps per.

buy DOUBLES of all your elastics so you have a COMPLETE SPARE controller

wire it up YOURSELF so you know when it goes wrong you can SIMPLY FIX IT

P.s as you want a mere 1220 square machine, i dictates that you don’t want to do a full sheet anyway, so a smaller machine will do you.

IF you buy this isel I can tell you actzacery what to do, even as much as get the guy who made my motor mounts make you a pair, as I have the exact machine

the makita rt0700 mini router is the BEST for the money, plus you can buy them in the shops locally – plus get back £40 on the base – i did!!!

down load mach3

down load the sheetcam tng demo – corel to g-code software 2.5d
these are both £125 each – use you exisiting machine – usb!!!
export from your ORIGINAL drawing hpgl – pen 1 layer 1

EDIT you will need a z axis stuff is the shizzlickles, in so much as you WILL NOT FIND better cnc stuff
PLUS these things are MODULAR – in effect you can lengthen the X USING stock stuff

PLUS you could EVEN simply go the panasonic minas a4-a5 servo set upIF you found a used set, then it would be sweet

• This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by  David Rogers.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by  Robert Lambie.

[David Rogers]

Thanks,

but not remotely interested in ebay or building my own!

Why I’m being specific about this…it fits, budget, size, projected use.
After feedback on this supplier if anybody has experience with them.

Cheers

Dave

[Steve Maple]

ok.
you will regret having to use a parralell port old pc
you will regret not having a usb controller with seperate drivers
you will regret not having 8 wire bi polar parralell motors at 36 volts
you will regret not having 1605 precicion ground ballscrews isel bearings
you will regret not having isel anti backlash ball nuts
you will regret not having your end stop switches hidden in the motor covers
you will regret not having cy sheilded cabling
you will regret not having a thick t-slot bed
you will regret not having thk bearings and rails
you will regret not having plastic sheilds on the y axis

thast 10 reasons

[David Rogers]

11. I’m regretting starting this thread. 😕

But seriously, I know that you are enthusiastic about this. ..I’m, well, not if I’m honest.

Will it do what I want it to do?…general consensus is. ..yes, but spend more time and money and get better performance or larger area if I want.

Dave

[Stephen Morriss]

I think he’s also the UK supplier for VinylMaster but that’s only me thinking that.
Robocutter is also on Ebay and he is the Uk supplier for VinylMaster and their both based in Middlesbrough so what are the chances?

Anyway I bought VinylMaster from him and all was fine, look up his feedback See if that link works.

Steve

Edit because shift Key keeps messing up caps.

[Gert du Preez]

David,

I’m also a CNC nut, but have to say:That machine you are looking at, seems to check all the boxes for hobby / occasional / light use.

Certainly things like wood, engraving laminates, acrylic etc will be no problem. Don’t know how rigid it is, but even alu should cut fine, given correct feed parametres. I also like the flexibility – you basically decide size and specs.

@Steve: At home my hobby machine is also an Isel, also with USBCNC breakout board, also with Toshiba 6600 chipped drivers. Only difference, I use 8x microstepping, and drive my original 2A per phase Isel’s steppers at 3.5A (1.75A per phase) @ 44.9 Volts.

I’m using the original Isel power supply. Ripped everything else out of the C116 controller box, and replaced as above.

Mine has 16mm screws with 4mm pitch. And the brilliant double supported Isel rails. Size about 585 x 970 cutting area. (and a Kress Spindle.)

BTW, do you perhaps have a contact where I can source linear bearings and ball nuts for the Isel (Gantry 1 system) – I have been unable to find any in Southern Africa.

Sorry for the kind of hijack, David :lol1:

[Steve Maple]

merchandise stock the isel 1604 ball nut
the bearings are split bosch items on the fb1 – not the fb2, thats why the gantry is slimmer, the later fb2 uses 1 piece rail bearings = anyways, I think as the fb1 is so old, finding the ‘ bosch Rexroth ‘ tychoway bearing might be an issue, as you know they are in two bits = old school 1985 too……..
although the fb2 I have is from 1988 – its still the current model…. the isel = expensive – best

• This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by  David Rogers.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by  Robert Lambie.

[Chris Wool]

dave i would ask steve to build you one 😀 if i thought i had the time i want one.

[Steve Maple]

quote Chris Wool:dave i would ask steve to build you one 😀 if i thought i had the time i want one.
hello.
Its really quite simple my next move is to build a stand alone full atx tower pc, with all the latest giblets
i9 chip
32gb ram
4gb graphics
4tb hdd

note you can’t run a parralell port at 64 bit windows!!! 32bit only
and fit the cnc controller giblets inside the case
usb connection straight to board – 3 motor wires in
then utilise the pc’s case cooling and have extra fans direct to the drivers
.

corel
sheetcam
mach3

note, its because the drives are now 2 by 3 inch, and the breakout is small

the psu can come out of its case and sit inside the pc tower, get the heat out

[Martin Pearson]

quote Chris Wool:

dave i would ask steve to build you one 😀 if i thought i had the time i want one.

I wouldn’t Chris, not if you are looking for a system that needs to be reliable & is going to last, kit he has listed is all Cheap as chips Chinese stuff it’s all cloned not original manufacturers. May be ok for a hobby system but not something you want if you are using a machine for business.

[Chris Wool]

anyway our main man and scribe up noorf did with MDF

[Denise Goodfellow]

quote Chris Wool:

dave i would ask steve to build you one 😀 if i thought i had the time i want one.

We want one too please lol xxx

[Martin Pearson]

quote Chris Wool:

anyway our main man and scribe up noorf did with MDF

Got to admit Chris Phill did a very good job with that machine & it’s still running but it does have a lot of limitations. Phill is the first to admit that, it did work out well for a science project though, I was never happy with the accuracy of the one I built & it had to many limitations when it came to cutting for me which is why I took what I learned from that & moved on.

[Martin Pearson]

Denise the one Dave linked to would be ok to get you started & it’s about as cheap as you will get for a start up machine.

[Steve Maple]

new out october this year 24v usb bobs – lets you run a servo pulse train at 24v from mach3

who bought that isel fb2 then……………………

[David Rogers]

quote Steve Maple:

i9 chip
32gb ram
4gb graphics
4tb hdd

note you can’t run a parralell port at 64 bit windows!!! 32bit only
and fit the cnc controller giblets inside the case
usb connection straight to board – 3 motor wires in
then utilise the pc’s case cooling and have extra fans direct to the drivers
….t

Where did you get your i9 processors as intel don’t don’t seem to make them?

I run a parallel & serial port on W7 64bit…been doing it for years…it’s how my plotter works.

As it’s just a CAD program with virtually no polygon processing…how will a 4Gb graphics card make any difference?

Just askin’ as it seems highly over-specified for a CNC controller.

[Martin Pearson]

quote DavidRogers:

quote Steve Maple:

i9 chip
32gb ram
4gb graphics
4tb hdd

note you can’t run a parralell port at 64 bit windows!!! 32bit only
and fit the cnc controller giblets inside the case
usb connection straight to board – 3 motor wires in
then utilise the pc’s case cooling and have extra fans direct to the drivers
….t

Where did you get your i9 processors as intel don’t don’t seem to make them?

I run a parallel & serial port on W7 64bit…been doing it for years…it’s how my plotter works.

As it’s just a CAD program with virtually no polygon processing…how will a 4Gb graphics card make any difference?

Just askin’ as it seems highly over-specified for a CNC controller.

Dave I think Steve is referring to Mach3 in regards to the parallel port not the actual parallel port itself.
Mach3 does a lot of things that the parallel port wasn’t designed to do & will only run on a 32 bit system if connected via parallel port. You also seem to be limited to windows xp or previous windows versions if connecting via parallel port.
Lots of people are now using USB or Ethernet motion control boards because of these limitations but these tend to be more expensive to start with.
My machine has it’s own old computer which has next to no software on it but some people do everything on the one machine, guessing Steve’s new machine is to allow him to do all his work as well as run the CNC machine. As you say complete waste of money just to control the CNC.

[Steve Maple]

have you got the room for it?

8 by 4 table for a monkey
with auto tool changer that you can flog on….
plus the electronics that can re-sell.

vacummnnnnnnnn mmmm

I bet it has servo motors too.

plus a 3kw spindle

rack and pinion

its a 2003 model,