project / cnc-mill

CNC Mill

I designed and built this CNC mill during the summer of 2014. The frame is mostly MDF, with linear rails and bearings, ball screws, stepper motors, and a router.

2014Mechanical designMachine build

Design and first movement

I modeled the initial machine in SolidWorks, then adapted the design as the physical parts arrived and the hand-built frame took shape. The finished axes brought together the MDF structure, linear hardware, ball screws, and stepper drive system.

Assembled CNC mill near the end of the 2014 build

Linear rails mounted to the CNC mill base

CNC mill axis and carriage under construction

Stepper motors installed on the CNC mill

Alternate SolidWorks view of the CNC mill

Build notes

Base and X axis

I laid out the MDF base and used clamps while fastening the rails so the shafts would stay as parallel as possible. Differences between the modeled and actual bearing dimensions required careful adjustments around the carriage mounting holes.

Gantry, screws, and motors

After the side walls and Y-axis rails were installed, I added the Z axis, ball screws, and motors. The frame became substantially heavier as the metal hardware went in, and some of the MDF settled around the bearing blocks before the carriage moved freely.

Router mount and bed

The final stage shown here added the router mount and prepared the machine for a milling bed and limit switches.