Homebrew PCBs

Nice machine and very cool bots!





--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, PDJ <pdj@b...> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
> 
> You can not buy or sell the machine I want for $500. RATS!
> 
> I have been working with point to point wiring for years:(. During 
this 
> time I always wished for a better way. A CNC machine seemed like a 
good 
> idea because it would do the work fast, cheap, and could do many 
other 
> things as well as PCBs. A few years ago I started looking for an 
> affordable CNC machine for PCBs and general use. I have seen just 
about 
> everything the web has to offer.
> 
> I considered building my own but what I really wanted to spend my 
time 
> on was using a CNC. Once I had a few bucks saved up I placed an 
order 
> for one, a little 12X12X3 machine from a web page for about 3K. 
But the 
> machine was never delivered. After a few months I went to the bank 
to 
> get my money back.
> 
> After this I started looking on Ebay for used CNC's. There are 
many 
> posts and some of the machines were new. It was quite a mix of 
different 
> designs. There were even machines made of MDF using all thread - 
very 
> cool. The range was inexpensive to very expensive.
> 
> One day while on Ebay I saw a buy it now for a new machine. The 
cost was 
> several K, but today was the day I was changing the way I do 
things. 
> When the machine arrived I went right to work. After I abused it 
for 
> about a year I thought I would give it an overhaul. While putting 
it 
> back together I saw a few things I would do differently and many 
things 
> I would not change.
> 
> One day I was reflecting back. I was thinking about the machine 
that I 
> was originally looking to purchase. I was looking for a precision 
> desktop model for around 1K. This machine was not available but I 
> thought if it's possible then go for it.
> 
> I tried to put a design together for under 1K - target price was 
around 
> 800. However, I found the price for the raw components to be very 
> expense, even in volume. The finished design uses Baltic Birch for 
the 
> frame to save a bit. I have worked many years building museum 
exhibits 
> out of this material and it is a very impressive hard plywood. It 
is 
> also used in many machines and jigs around the shop.
> 
> Anyway, I need to have $1150 minimum for this machine however, 
this 
> price does not include the steppers, driver, power supply, and 
spindle. 
> Those items add another $400 or so to the total. I invite all to 
take a 
> look this CNC. This is both a shameless plug and an invite for 
your 
> feedback. You don't need to tie up this group form with your 
feedback; 
> you can reach me directly via email.
> 
> Please visit www.pdjinc.com and let me know what you think!
> 
> Thank you for your time,
> Phil
>