I got a 8mm screw and ant backlash nut from QTecStore on ebay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LOW-COST-...360?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item257a92a348

(note 190mm, which will not give you a very large z travel). You probably need to adjust the spacing with an 8mm screw, as the nut is too deep for the current build. It was a real pain to get it right. (In fact the Z-Axis has been 10x more trouble than the rest of the machine, and I'm still not happy with it).

I made mine from threaded rod. I think it's 7/16" with 16 threads/inch. I used 608 bearings and ground the ends to hold the bearings and fit the flexible coupling. It's pretty fast with the right settings and my nema17 seems to be able to handle it.

Mine is teflon grease. The bottle says "breach plug" grease. It really stinks too. I think that spray on silicone lube might work too but not sure.

Breach plug grease? That sounds like something you'd use on a submarine.

Thanks for all the replies. I'll start with some 3 in 1 and see how I go.

Breech? Breach? I think the teflon is what matters... try this stuff http://www.amazon.com/Sherline-7550...&qid=1391681529&sr=8-7&keywords=grease teflon

With certain plastic nuts, lubrication is not needed ...
I found out yesterday garlite cuts easier than plywood, at least with 1/16" Dremel tile grouting bit I am using which cuts it pretty good in 1.2 mm passes at speed of 400).

Yes, that or the bit is not the right one for plywood.
It seems to me the base of the Routy is robust enough to take stronger motors with revised plates to modify it to the strength of the Ox, without a full rebuild ... I will need to look at both more carefully and see the exact parts that would need modified to add more v-wheels, and beef up things a bit so it can hold a 2 to 3 pound router ... Appreciate the OX is now complete and plates are all in Sketchup files ...

Being a guitar maker I cut a lot of wood from spruce to rosewood. I have gone to carbide spiral down cut bits to avoid chip out. Some people say the downcuts don't last as long but if you are dealing with a $60 spruce guitar top I would rather spring for a new bit. I will post a link to a luthier supply were I get them or Google Stewart Mcdonald or Luthiers Mercantile. https://www.lmii.com/products/tools-services/rout/shape/drill/end-mills

Thanks for this link ... lot of interesting things to spend money on here!

I have bought regular up cut bits from this place and they will sell small orders. Prices are a little better. I use them down to 1/32" for inlay work. Baltic birch machines well if you can get it. I bought some plenolic coated plywood from Rocker to build some jigs and fixtures very nice stuff. http://www.bqtool.com/square-end-mills.html

Both places look good, especially for detail work.

See attached files for my first Routy cutting of garlite for holder for my Dremel tool. Much better than the temporary way I initially used ... now to experiment with bits, speeds and different materials.

Thanks. This is my next hurdle... after truing all the axes. I was thinking of using aluminium similar to a scope mount

@Forrest DIetrich. I see that the Dremel attachment looks segmented rather than round. Did you use SketchUp to draw the parts and make the g-code?

I felt I need to get a more solid mount before I could do much at all, tool was getting pushed around some ... not too worried about truing Z-axis as will be mostly cutting thin stuff, and for X and Y, I will check it by cutting some test patterns now that mount is more secure.

Yes, I did use Sketchup/SketchUcam ... as per the attachments. The segmenting is in the Sketchup files also, it is minor and could be easily sanded out. I did not choose to try to find where to do this for this project As I recall there is a setting somewhere.

I have ordered some mills for aluminum which should also work great for plastic/garlite ... based on web search ... I also already have some 1" blocks and a 1/8" sheet of aluminum I got from McMaster Carr ...

Lakeshore Carbide Inc.

DescriptionUnit priceQtyAmount
1/8" Rougher/Finisher Variable Flute End Mill for Aluminum ZrN
Item# 360018XRF$16.47 USD2$32.94 USD
1/8" Rougher/Finisher Variable 2 Flute End Mill for Aluminum ZrN
Item# 350018XRF$16.47 USD1$16.47 USD
Subtotal$49.41 USD
Shipping and handling$6.20 USD
Total$55.61 USD

Looks like I got the axes all trued, haha.

I asked for a reason. SketchUcam cuts arcs if it is an arc. If I have a part that should be an arc but is not (if you click on the arc and only a segment is highlighted it not an arc) I use the arc tool to redraw the arc before I make the cut-lines. It's not much work to do and the results are a near perfect arc when cutting.

The procedure that I use is this. I select the all the segments in the arc. I make them a group. I use the old arc as a template for the new arc. Now select the old, grouped, arc and erase it. It may be difficult to select the old arc so select the new, hide it, and now you can select the old and erase it. Unhide all and the new arc is visible.

Thanks for the instructions ... strange an arc is and arc, but a circle is segmented, I did not realize this and your help here is appreciated!

Those instructions are true for circles too, if they don't cut in arcs but in segments.

So after I make a circle in Sketchup, when does it get made into segments? And will it get made back into segments even if I convert it to an 360 degree arc?

@Forrest DIetrich, every time you draw an arc or a circle in SketchUp it's made of segments. You can see it when you zoom into the part. In it's 'memory' it is set as a circle or an arc but not in the visual. SketchUcam reads the 'memory' when it makes the g-code which is why the segments get cut in with a radius. If the arc or circle where exploded before the creation of the cut-lines in the 'memory' the arc is not a true arc anymore and the segments lose their radius.

Thanks ... sounds like it is not a good idea to explode components when using SketchUcam ...
Seems if it is a circle or arc in memory, when I select it, it will all be selected, but if it is "exploded" then individual segments are selected for editing, etc. So I guess this is pretty clear to me know, thanks for the lesson.

Hi all, been reading up to get caught up on the thread. I ordered most of the parts from whatever version of the parts list is on the site currently in the files section as of 2/11/2014. For better or worse I will be building (something) hopefully routy this weekend. Seeing as how I could be considered as one of "The Dude's" tusken neighbors, I too would like to avoid unnecessary shipping charges if possible because I live in BFE.

I would like to contribute to the parts list... there seems to be a power supply oversight on the list. Just curious what you guys are using to power your machines with? I didn't see any mention of the power supply or any pictures of it in the build either. Are you running off a 24V or 12V system? Does your power supply provide multiple 12V or 24V service lines or not? The more detailed the info the better as I will be purchasing one very soon and wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

When all is said and done I'm going to have enough screws left over to almost build this all over again. I'm hoping 20mm M5's will be sufficient to attach my 13mm thick leadscrew nut to the plate. I had to add 2 1mm washers to allow clearance for the screw heads.

The power supply depends on what spindle or router you are using and what driver board. For example, the protoneer cnc shield can accept between 12v and 36v on it's input. Whereas my spindle requires up to 48v. Therefore I am using a 48v power supply with a DC DC converter for the board.

If however you are using a dremel or similar then this will plug straight into the wall, and so you will only have to consider the driver board, and so you might want to go with a cheaper 12v supply. You also need to consider if your supply can put out enough amps for everything you are going to connect.

I think the reason it is not specified is because there is no standard cutter and no standard driver board. What driver board and cutting device are you going to use?

Yep, know that feeling. Ended up using 6,8,10,20,35 and 45mm m5s, and a bunch of washers as spacers. The problem is that you might only need a few, but you may as well order a bunch because the price is the same!

Well I'm using a PC ATX power supply. 2 actually. One for the board and one for the spindle. I got a box of 100 m5x8mm? screws and used them all plus about 75 t-nuts. I used a grinder to shorten the screws that needed shortening but you could use washers on some(or get 6mm screws, haha). There are some special long screws that go on the gantry plates that slide along the y axis. I forget their length but I used some from my garage. If you get the wheel kits, you'll reuse many of the nuts and bolts for other pieces like the z gantry.

Quick tip for cable management. Well worth getting some of this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1m-100cm-40...al_Components_Supplies_ET&hash=item2ec87ff6de

to avoid snagging wires on moving parts.