How to build a large CNC router controlled by Arduino GRBL and Universal G-Code Sender UGS
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- Опубликовано: 7 фев 2025
- Find Science Fun Innovations, LLC on Facebook @sciencefun4u.
Make your own CNC parts out of wood, plastic, or even aluminum. In this video I show you step-by-step how I build a large CNC router for under $600. This router is controlled by an Arduino using GBRL (G-Code) delivered by the free Universal G-Code Sender application. This project does not require a lot of tools and is very fun to build. CNC routers this size normally cost several times more. Below are the links to most of the parts used in this video. Note that some of these are affiliate links, meaning no extra cost to you, but my channel might make a little extra to put towards the next video. Thank you for your support! (Also check for these on AliExpress, sometimes they are cheaper) In the next video I will show you how to make a part in Fusion 360 and then cut it on this machine.
Link to part II: • How to build a large C...
Templates and schematics available here: sciencefuninno...
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500W Spindle and Speed Controller ebay.us/QC96Ma or amzn.to/48Myw8l
Spindle Holder 52mm Diameter for CNC 3018 MAX ebay.us/aV12dh or amzn.to/3SxrCOu
SFU1605x1050mm Ball Screw Set amzn.to/497oDBT
Y rods 12mmx500 ebay.us/uBKdKK or amzn.to/47OY6YP
Y sk12 Supports ebay.us/eDxUtc or amzn.to/47KgTVm
ReliaBot 600mm T8 T8x4 Tr8x4 Lead Screw and Brass Nut (Acme Thread, 2mm Pitch, 2 Start, 4mm Lead) amzn.to/42giHV6
6.35x8mm Rigid Shaft Coupling amzn.to/3OjeE4x
Base Frame 2040 Aluminum 1000mm 5pc ebay.us/K0uW9B or amzn.to/3OgVoEP
Gantry Frame 2040 Aluminum 500mm 4pc ebay.us/LCjUpS or amzn.to/3Ok27O9
Aluminum Corners (Hidden) 20pc amzn.to/3Hz02Kv
Aluminum Corners 20pc ebay.us/RsgOkD or amzn.to/495JGor
T-nuts 5mm drop in ebay.us/CN2GL9 or amzn.to/3SuBnNt
M6 x 25mm Flanged Button Head Socket Cap Screws, Black Oxide, 25 PCS amzn.to/48LCfmF
M6 x 8mm 12mm 16mm 20mm 25mm Flat Head Socket Cap Screws CBlack Oxide Finish, Fully Threaded, 50PCS amzn.to/48N4K3g
25Pcs M6 Slide in T Nut amzn.to/3SsXFix
M5-0.8 x 10mm Flanged Button Head Socket Cap Screw Bolts amzn.to/3SAP1yM
2 PCS 1/4 x 8 x 12 Inch Aluminum Sheet 5052 Aluminum Sheet Metal Plate amzn.to/3UdjVy6
Motor Mounting Holder 132x65mm Black for NEMA 23 Stepper Motor amzn.to/3HxgF9j
S
tepper Motor Driver TB6600 4A amzn.to/3vNprgN
36V 10A 360W Switching Power Supply amzn.to/47OZwCI
HiLetgo 5V One Channel Relay Module Relay amzn.to/47UABxE
39.3 inch Carrier Drag Chain Cable Wire R18 10x20mm amzn.to/3SuALHF
1
5-amp switch amzn.to/3tWqgna
14 Gauge Replacement Power Cord，8Ft Cable 110V 115V 120V 300V Pigtail for Appliance, NEMA 5-15P amzn.to/42dd5uu
ReliaBot 1pc T8 Tr8x4 Anti Backlash Spring Loaded Nut Elimination Gap with 4-M3 Holes for 4mm Lead Acme Threaded T8x4 Lead Screw (2mm Pitch, 2 Start, 4mm Lead) amzn.to/4bapYcO
SpeTool Spiral Upcut Router Bit 1/4 inch Shank 1/4 inch Cutting Diameter Solid Carbide End Mill amzn.to/48Tn2A4
NEMA 23 Bipolar Stepper Motor Model 23HS22-2804S stepperonline.com
NEMA 23 Bracket Model ST-M2 stepperonline.com
As somebody about to undertake building my own cnc router, this is *the best* video that breaks down the basic component design of the table. Mine will be different but this paints such a good picture for a starting point. Excellent work.
Glad to hear it! Building a CNC is a very rewarding project. I did learn a few things along the way. If you haven't already, check out my upgrades video where I talk about a few of the things I would do differently. Good luck on yours!
I've watched a ton of CNC router videos, going back a decade or more. I've built several, most recently a CNC quilting machine that works pretty much just the same, and I have most of the parts to build this one. I just wanted to say you've made the clearest video on this subject I've ever seen. It's just excellent. Thank you so much for making this and sharing it.
Glad it was useful!
Could I pick your brain?
@@sakibislam3986 Sure!
Dear God James, we’re not worthy! Can you please create a video sharing you cnc quilting experience? Mind wonderfully blown. Thanks man
I LOVE this design. I may actually build this. Thanks for the detail and BOM! Looking forward to the next video!
I'm hoping to have part II out in the week or two. Thanks for watching!
Me too, the single linear motors on each axis a design win!!
This video is just awesome! I'm looking to make an educationally focused CNC for high school maker spaces for my senior design project and your videos are giving my group great direction!
Glad it was helpful!
This is a good build. I am building this model. I have the frame
finished and it is very sturdy. All of the parts are modeled and being machined.
It is a lot of fun and a good starter for basic CNC work. Good luck!
Y axis is usually front to back and X is side to side. good video will be a nice little machine and easily upgraded to linear rails when the time is right.
You are right about that, but I decided to use the same axis that I do when I create parts in CAD. That's the good thing about DIY, you can customize!
I used UGS for quite some time, decided to ditch it in favor of cncjs, it just works so much nicer.
I'll have to try it out. Thanks for watching!
Great video! Love the detail you go into, easy to follow. Question: Could two pieces of aluminum be used for those spacers on the gantry, instead of a piece of wood? How much does the thickness of that spacer matter, or is it just off-set that is important? It looks like there should be enough left over plate from when you cut out the main gantry plates. Also, has anyone put a laser or plasma head instead of a router/spindle? I would imagine different software might be required. Basically, would the "Z axis" change from up/down, to power level? EDIT: Aahhh! It would need to be thick enough to hold the mount for the two guide rails. I did not notice that at first. But could do an aluminum plate and then angle brackets for the guide rail mounts. Hmm...
The more rigid the better. I already upgraded my machine to be wider and have a larger spindle (see later video) and did the gantry a little different on that version. It's been a ton of fun and I am still learning myself. Good luck! As far as the laser instead of the router, I'm sure someone has done it. Wouldn't mind looking into that myself in the future.
What would you need to change to make the cutting area 48 x 48"
Great video,I will build one similar to yours.
I have questions. why the power supply is 36V instead of 24V? What is the ampere for the 36V power supply
36V allows the stepper motors to turn faster. Just make sure that your stepper motor controllers can handle the voltage.
Congratulations with this excellent video , just subcribed and looking forward to the rest of the content on this channel!
Awesome, thank you!
Funny Amazon description for Gantry Plates. [PREMIUM MATERIAL] Made of premium 5052 stainless steel, the aluminum plates has medium to high strength, good corrosion resistance and moisture resistance. Star Trek introduced the world to transparent aluminum.
LOL, didn't see that. 5052 is definitely aluminum and not stainless.
Hi, nice project. I am aware that you upgraded your CNC for industrial reasons but for this version on the video I have some doubts that if possible you could help me with.
1 - will it cut pine?
2 - how deep is the cutting depth specification? (10mm, 20mm, 50mm)
3 - any major concern regarding the length of the piece to work on? What happens if the piece of wood or plywood is longer than the CNC router?
I cut pine with mine, but you need a nice dry piece without knots. The depth depends on your speed, feed, and bit size. Start small (1
Cheap CNC machines have exactly that, but also integrate the stepper drivers and spindle drivers on the main board
I prefer the term "budget" :-) It was inexpensive and good to train with. Also, easy to upgrade as shown in later video. Thanks for watching!
This is a great video! Very clear and easy to understand. I've purchased the schematics bundle and look forward to building it.
Could you please provide the parts list in a downloadable format? Thanks!
Glad it was helpful! I am working on an upgrade, so I will make new parts list for both the old and new versions. Look out for a new video in the next week or two along with the new lists.
Great tutorial, glad the algo bestowed it upon me
You and me both!
Hi there, did you ever share how you did the wiring to the relay? I was looking at the wiring diagram you gave and saw that it wasn't included. Thanks for the amazing tutorial!
Relay input to D11 on Arduino. Normally Open and Common on the relay to the Enable connections on the motor controller. Hope that helps!
@@ScienceFunInnovations Got it thank you so much! almost done with mine :D
Thank you so much. I decide to do this project. However I have some issues with finding this model of stepper motor. Is there any alternative stepper motor?
Find a NEMA 23 motor with the right sized output shaft.
Excellent run through, thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very interesting. Thank you for the video.
Glad you enjoyed it
Great project and information! What stepper motors did you use? I don't see it listed in the description
Woops. Sorry about that. NEMA 23 Bipolar Model 23HS22-2804S and bracket model ST-M2 from StepperOnline.
Thank you!
why didnt you use a cnc shield with a4988 driver for the stepper motor?
Those work ok with NEMA 17's, but I am using NEMA 23's which would overheat the a4988. Also, the drivers I am using are pretty inexpensive. Thanks.
awesome video. could you have made a bigger table, or is something with the hardware/software limiting the size?
Yes. I will probably upgrade it soon to make it a little wider. Rigidity is the most important, so as you get bigger you really need things stiff. So, it gets a bit more expensive the larger you go. Someday I hope to build a giant on that can take a full sheet of plywood.
I downloaded the templates. What are the overall dimensions for the gantry wood stop blocks you made?
Sorry about that. One is 2.5" x 3.4". The other 2.5" x 3.2". The drawing is to scale if you print it. Thanks!
@@ScienceFunInnovations Thank you
What cable do I need for the Z axis motor? It's a 6 pin terminal. JST? and cut the cable on the stepper motor side?
Yes, 6 pin terminal but only 4 wires. I stole mine from an old 3D printer.
what Gauge wires are used? the wiring schematics do not say. I assume 20AWG for the arduino and 14AWG for the rest?
I used ethernet cable (probably 22 or 24) for the Arduino, 18? for the stepper motors, and probably 14 for the AC stuff. Sorry about that, next time I will put that on my schematics.
@@ScienceFunInnovations cool thanks
I recommend a raspberry pi & linuxcnc setup. That way, you don't need a laptop. The machine itself can download your gcodes from the cloud, view them, set the machine, and run
Plus, linuxcnc has better route planning than grbl. If your gcode is complex (3D finish toolpath for example), linuxcnc won't have to stop so often
My friend uses that setup. I have not done complex 3D yet, but I will see how it goes with the GRBL. I do like having the laptop connected as I can make quick changes in Fusion and immediately pass them to UGS rather. Thanks for the recommendations!
@@ScienceFunInnovations No complex 3D yet? Prepare to have your mind blown. I made a bunch of "Last Supper" reliefs, among other things. 3D finish toolpath is gorgeous
Wooow it's a great work, can'I make it bigger with the same code?
Yes. It can be as big as you want. I'm sure version 2 will be bigger. :-)
This is so dam cool! Thank you for sharing!!! :D
Glad you liked it!
Hi, what is the maximum width and height this machine can route? I want to cnc guitars for a hobby. The necks of a bass guitar are quite long.
About 28x12x2 inches. I can't tell exactly because I made it bigger (28x18x4) in a later video. The good thing is it is all scalable. Just get longer rails and lead screws. Just remember that the bigger you make it the more rigid you need to make it. Especially for something as precise as guitars.
For a bigger one could I just link those 1000 mm extrude aluminum rails together?
To go longer you need heavier rails or else they will deflect too much.
Thanks for the tip bradda 🤙🏽
I’ll remember that
I used UGS for a while. Now I use G-sender
I'll have to look into that as well. Thanks for watching!
Does G-sender have height map? That's my problem with UGS specially when making PCBs. Although finding it easier to use when machining parts.
@@mariomanus3176G-sender is only the CNC control software. You would have to generate the gecode from a height map in something like Lightburn, Fusion 360, or Vectric Vcarve.
Really sweet, cheers from the new follow
Thanks and welcome!
Haven't seen this comment so I'll add it.
By convention
the X-Axis is the gantry head moving side to side in the gantry, and
the Y-Axis is the moving of the gantry the length of the table
the Z-Axis is up and down with reference to the table.
So, by convention, the X and Y are reversed. As this is DIY it's unimportant, but might confuse a few folks.
Thanks for the clarification. I (and others I know) do it this way so that the long edge of the machine matches the x axis of drafting in Fusion360. But like you say, not as important for DIY machine. Thanks.
looks great!
Thanks. Glad you liked it!
What is the working length on you CNC machine?
@@NotNimbusX7375 about 30 inches, new upgrade video coming out on Tuesday.
Which arduino is suitable for GRBL?
I used an UNO, but I think it would work with others as well.
hola podrias dar las medidas de los perfiles de aluminio
sciencefuninnovation.gumroad.com/
im planning to build my cnc, while discussing various cases with chatgpt, gpt told me again and again that arduino will fail in complex gcodes (3d gcodes). can anyone shed some light on this? will mega work?
My friend builds awesome electric guitars using 3D (and 3 axis) g code and Arduino. He hasn't had any problems yet and has been doing it for a few years now. Maybe they are talking about 4, 5, and 6 axis?
Wery good Mr. Your lesone I won't lernineg CNC technology plz help me I'm Sri Lanka
Watch both videos and let me know if you have additional questions.
What cost 600$?
That was the total cost. Actually I spent $800 on parts, but ended up not using about $200 of the parts.
@@ScienceFunInnovations Very interesting. I build with arduino too, but cost is not even 500 euros. And I use profiles from Germany.
Being a two years of experience person, please don't use grbl based control boards, it gets random stop problem which is highly irritating and time wasting problem in grbl based cnc, which no one discusses on online platforms, it will blow your mind while cutting by stopping randomly on the job!
Haven't had any issues yet, but I'll keep my eyes open. Is there something better you recommend?
@@ScienceFunInnovations tell me the control board you're using? Is it based on CH340,