- 1 Z-Axis front panel
- 2x MGN12 200mm linear rails
- 4x MGN12C carriages
- 16x M3 x 16mm screws (0.5mm threads)
Line up the rails with the holes on the front panel, and insert screws.
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Root 3 CNC - Add Rails to Z-Axis Front Panel
To add the linear rails to the Z-Axis front panel, the following parts were used:
Root 3 CNC - X-Axis Box Section Mount Prep
Relevant official documentation can be found at: https://rootcnc.com/machines/root-3/animated-assembly
For preparing the X-Axis box section mount to receive the bars, the following parts were used:
There are two lock nuts which will be hidden by the timing belt plate. To avoid a bunch of hassle if these two hidden screws come loose, use Loctite glue to weld two M3 nuts onto the 3D printed parts (yes this is a hack). To glue the parts, temporarily insert a screw into the lock nut and let them hang. Apply a dab of glue and let set.
After the glue has set, attach the box section mount to the wooden panel, use the following:
For preparing the X-Axis box section mount to receive the bars, the following parts were used:
- 2x 3D Printed Parts
- 2x #10-24 x 1/2" cup point set screws
Tap 8 holes with #10-24 threads, then insert the set screws:
There are two lock nuts which will be hidden by the timing belt plate. To avoid a bunch of hassle if these two hidden screws come loose, use Loctite glue to weld two M3 nuts onto the 3D printed parts (yes this is a hack). To glue the parts, temporarily insert a screw into the lock nut and let them hang. Apply a dab of glue and let set.
After the glue has set, attach the box section mount to the wooden panel, use the following:
- 2x M3 x 30mm screws (0.5mm threads)
- 2x M3 lock washers
- 2x M3 washers
Root 3 CNC - X-Axis Carriage Assembly
Relevant official documentation can be found at: https://rootcnc.com/machines/root-3/animated-assembly
For building the X-Axis carriage assembly, the following parts were used:
For building the X-Axis carriage assembly, the following parts were used:
- 2x wood panels (front and back z-axis)
- 2x box carriage assemblies
- 32x M4 x 35mm machine screws (0.7mm threads)
- 32x M4 nuts
Add the captive nuts and insert/tighten 8 screws per box section side (using Loctite on screws):
Front panel attachment complete:
Back panel attachment complete:
Assembly with front and back panels fully attached:
Root 3 CNC - Z-Axis Front Panel Prep
Due to the size of the screws I purchased, I needed to slightly modify the front panel so the screws could sit flush to the panel, and fit cleanly through the top and bottom cups. The cup holes were cleaned out with a 3/16" drill bit, and the box carriage mounting holes were modified with a 4mm countersink.
The panel now looks like:
The panel now looks like:
Root 3 CNC - Adding the Y-Axis Panel Spacer
Relevant official documentation can be found at: https://rootcnc.com/machines/root-3/animated-assembly
For each spacer, the following parts were used (repeat for each side):
For each spacer, the following parts were used (repeat for each side):
- 2x 3D Printed Parts
- 2x M8 x 75mm bolt (1.25mm threads)
- 6x 608zz type bearings
- 2x M8 nylon lock nuts
- 6x M8 washers
Root 3 CNC - Mounting the Y-Axis Panel
Relevant official documentation can be found at: https://rootcnc.com/machines/root-3/animated-assembly
For the Y-Axis mounts, the following parts were used (repeat for each side):
For the Y-Axis panel gantry, the following parts were used (repeat for each side):
In order to get the captive nuts into the box section carriage assembly, they needed a little persuasion. I used a nail punch to lightly tap them into place. The thread ends were covered in Loctite thread locker, because I did not have M4 lock washers available and did not want to wait a few days for delivery; Hopefully this will not come back to bite me later; I would have much preferred to use lock washers due to the expected motion/vibration of the gantry.
When completed, the assembly should move freely on the linear box tubing.
For the Y-Axis mounts, the following parts were used (repeat for each side):
- 2x 3D Printed Parts
- 6x M3 x 20mm screws (0.5mm threads)
- 6x M3 washers
- 6x M3 nylon lock nuts
- 2x #10-24 x 1/2" cup point socket set screws
- 1x 6061 Aluminum Rectangular Tube 1/8" Wall Thickness, 1"x 1", 3' length
For the Y-Axis panel gantry, the following parts were used (repeat for each side):
- 1x plywood side panel
- 1x box section carriage assembly
- 8x M4 x 40mm bolts (0.7mm threads)
- 8x M4 oversized washers
- 8x M4 nuts
In order to get the captive nuts into the box section carriage assembly, they needed a little persuasion. I used a nail punch to lightly tap them into place. The thread ends were covered in Loctite thread locker, because I did not have M4 lock washers available and did not want to wait a few days for delivery; Hopefully this will not come back to bite me later; I would have much preferred to use lock washers due to the expected motion/vibration of the gantry.
When completed, the assembly should move freely on the linear box tubing.
Saturday, March 17, 2018
Root 3 CNC - Z-Axis Front Panel
Relevant official documentation can be found at: https://rootcnc.com/machines/root-3/animated-assembly
For the Z-Axis front panel support assembly, I used:
The custom plug is one I added to the design to compensate for loose bearings in the top and bottom cup parts. The plug was made to snap into the bottom of the cup, to help keep the bearings from falling out. The files for the custom plug were uploaded to Thingiverse at:
Root 3 CNC Z-Axis Bearing Cup Plug
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2829391
The animated video on the official site shows all the details necessary to assemble the panel.
Note that Loctite Thread Locker (Blue 242) was used to help keep the screws from shaking loose from the rivet nuts. I also wound up using Loctite Gel Super Glue around the top bearings as well as to weld the custom plug onto the top and bottom cups. Before using the glue, make sure to seat the lead screw so that the skate bearings are all properly aligned.
For the Z-Axis front panel support assembly, I used:
- 2x 3D Printed Root 3 CNC Parts
- 4x 608zz skate bearings
- 2x M3 x 20mm screws (0.5mm threads)
- 2x 3D Printed Custom Plugs
- 1x T8 L350mm 8mm Lead Screw and T Nut
Root 3 CNC Z-Axis Bearing Cup Plug
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2829391
The animated video on the official site shows all the details necessary to assemble the panel.
Note that Loctite Thread Locker (Blue 242) was used to help keep the screws from shaking loose from the rivet nuts. I also wound up using Loctite Gel Super Glue around the top bearings as well as to weld the custom plug onto the top and bottom cups. Before using the glue, make sure to seat the lead screw so that the skate bearings are all properly aligned.
Root 3 CNC - Z-Axis Back Panel
Relevant official documentation can be found at: https://rootcnc.com/machines/root-3/animated-assembly
The parts used to assemble the X-Axis Carriage Belt Idler:
For my first iteration of this part I tried to use M8 dowel pins, and it was an unmitigated disaster. The pins were so tight that a hammer was needed to get the bearings onto the pin, and I always destroyed at least one of the bearings during the process. After some advice was given online, I retried the build using 5/16" diameter pins, which worked perfectly (no hammer required). The finished idler is seen below.
The next step was to add the top motor mount to the panel using:
Loctite Thread Locker (Blue 242) was used on the captive nuts (where using nylon lock nuts was not possible) to help keep the screws from coming loose:
To add the lower motor mount and idler to the panel, the following parts were used:
The assembled piece can be seen below:
The parts used to assemble the X-Axis Carriage Belt Idler:
- 1x 3D Printed Part
- 6x 608zz skate bearings
- 2x Dowel Pins, 5/16" Diameter, 1-3/8" Long
For my first iteration of this part I tried to use M8 dowel pins, and it was an unmitigated disaster. The pins were so tight that a hammer was needed to get the bearings onto the pin, and I always destroyed at least one of the bearings during the process. After some advice was given online, I retried the build using 5/16" diameter pins, which worked perfectly (no hammer required). The finished idler is seen below.
The next step was to add the top motor mount to the panel using:
- 1x 3D Printed Part
- 5x M3 x 25mm screws (0.5mm threads)
- 1x M3 x 20mm screw (0.5mm threads)
- 6x M3 washers
- 4x M3 nylon lock nuts
- 2x M3 nuts
Loctite Thread Locker (Blue 242) was used on the captive nuts (where using nylon lock nuts was not possible) to help keep the screws from coming loose:
To add the lower motor mount and idler to the panel, the following parts were used:
- 1x Idler Assembly
- 1x 3D Printed Part (motor mount)
- 5x M3 x 30mm screws (0.5mm threads)
- 1x M3 x 25mm screws (0.5mm threads)
- 6x M3 washers
- 4x M3 nylon lock nuts
- 2x M3 nuts
The assembled piece can be seen below:
Root 3 CNC - Outsourced Parts
My goal is to build as much of the CNC on my own as possible, but some pieces I needed to outsource.
The wood panels were outsourced for time. Measuring/cutting/drilling all of those holes would have taken quite a long time, and was prone to error. Instead I chose to purchase ready-made parts from the Root CNC store:
Front and rear X-carriage Z plate (pre-installed rivet nuts)
https://rootcnc.com/product-category/root-3/
I also needed to outsource the X-Axis Box Section Mount, as my Lulzbot Mini just didn't have a the required surface area to print the part. Since this part is load bearing, I was also a bit hesitant about attempting to split the part into smaller sections. I purchased the parts through:
https://www.3dhubs.com/
and was very happy with the results.
The wood panels were outsourced for time. Measuring/cutting/drilling all of those holes would have taken quite a long time, and was prone to error. Instead I chose to purchase ready-made parts from the Root CNC store:
Front and rear X-carriage Z plate (pre-installed rivet nuts)
https://rootcnc.com/product-category/root-3/
I also needed to outsource the X-Axis Box Section Mount, as my Lulzbot Mini just didn't have a the required surface area to print the part. Since this part is load bearing, I was also a bit hesitant about attempting to split the part into smaller sections. I purchased the parts through:
https://www.3dhubs.com/
and was very happy with the results.
Root 3 CNC - Box Carriages
The first parts built were the box carriages. A number of these are needed for the machine (4 total). Relevant official documentation can be found at:
https://rootcnc.com/machines/root-3/animated-assembly
For each half of the box carriage, I used the following:
Push the bolts through and add washers:
Add skate bearings:
Add another washer and a nylon lock nut:
Lather rinse repeat 8 times.
To assemble two halves into one full carriage, I used the following:
Insert the bolts, and cover with a lock washer and standard nut (tighten):
Set the aluminum box tube in place, then add a standard nut and lock washer:
Add the other box section half assembly, then top with lock nuts:
Tightening the middle and top nuts took some trial-and-error. I used ABS for the 3D printed parts, so some of the larger parts are slightly skewed/warped, so tightening was done a little at a time until all bearings were in contact with the box tube and spinning freely. When complete, the assembly should travel freely on the box tube, and the tube should be able to be removed/re-inserted without too much hassle.
https://rootcnc.com/machines/root-3/animated-assembly
For each half of the box carriage, I used the following:
- 1x 3D Printed Part
- 4x M8 x 25mm bolts (1.25mm threads)
- 4x 608zz type bearings
- 4x M8 nylon lock nuts
- 8x M8 washers
Push the bolts through and add washers:
Add skate bearings:
Add another washer and a nylon lock nut:
Lather rinse repeat 8 times.
To assemble two halves into one full carriage, I used the following:
- 2x box section subassemblies (from above)
- 4x M8 x 75mm bolt (1.25mm threads)
- 8x M8 nuts
- 8x M8 lock washers
- 4x M8 nylon lock nuts
- 6061 Aluminum Rectangular Tube 1/8" Wall Thickness, 1" High x 1" Wide
- length of tube will be specific to how large you are making your cnc router
Insert the bolts, and cover with a lock washer and standard nut (tighten):
Set the aluminum box tube in place, then add a standard nut and lock washer:
Add the other box section half assembly, then top with lock nuts:
Tightening the middle and top nuts took some trial-and-error. I used ABS for the 3D printed parts, so some of the larger parts are slightly skewed/warped, so tightening was done a little at a time until all bearings were in contact with the box tube and spinning freely. When complete, the assembly should travel freely on the box tube, and the tube should be able to be removed/re-inserted without too much hassle.
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
Building a Root 3 CNC
This post begins a series of unofficial build documentation posts for a Root 3 CNC machine. The site for the open source/hardware project, as well as its 3D printed parts can be found at the following urls:
https://rootcnc.com/machines/root-3/
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1750276
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1023078667749894
Special thanks goes out to sailorpete for sharing his design. Also special thanks to any and all who answer my rookie questions on the facebook group.
Since I have never attempted a build like this before, I plan to document the steps as I have performed them, knowing full well that some of it may not be optimal or even fully correct. Odds are they will certainly be done in the wrong order. Hopefully when I get to the end of this process I will have a fully functional CNC machine, and even if I don't, I suspect I will have learned quite a bit during the process.
The general principals I'll try to follow during this build include:
https://rootcnc.com/machines/root-3/
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1750276
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1023078667749894
Special thanks goes out to sailorpete for sharing his design. Also special thanks to any and all who answer my rookie questions on the facebook group.
Since I have never attempted a build like this before, I plan to document the steps as I have performed them, knowing full well that some of it may not be optimal or even fully correct. Odds are they will certainly be done in the wrong order. Hopefully when I get to the end of this process I will have a fully functional CNC machine, and even if I don't, I suspect I will have learned quite a bit during the process.
The general principals I'll try to follow during this build include:
- source parts from convenient vendors
- ie, Amazon and McMaster will be heavily used for convenience, knowing full well that they may not always be the most inexpensive option. Time is at a premium for me, so the convenience is worth the cost
- when convenience vendors are not an option, fall back to AliExpress or eBay
- try to use quality parts, but if I need to cut corners a bit for time's sake, I won't lose sleep over it
I started by downloading the file bundle from Thingiverse, and making a cursory pass through the BOM spreadsheet. After that, I started diving in, printing and ordering parts as needed.
The one thing I wish I had known when I started (to make reading the official docs/plans easier) was an axis reference. Marking up one of the photos from the Root 3 site, I have included that below.
Due to time constraints (and long shipping delays from overseas on some of the parts), I suspect this project will take me months to complete. Hopefully these posts will save someone else time in the future...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)