FlashPoint CNC v1: 500mm x 1000mm 3-Axis CNC Router

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The FlashPoint CNC v1 is designed to fit nicely on the Husky mobile tool cabinet. It uses 4 NEMA23 motors with an Arduino-based board and GRBL shield. The footprint is roughly 500mm x 1000mm with a 250mm tall gantry.

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Assembly is pretty straightforward; build out the C-Beam actuators, attach uprights for the gantry and brace at the bottom. The drawing above had the X-axis sitting in front of the uprights, in favor of more attachment points (4 per side, rather than two). The problem with this idea is that it places the cutter too far forward which messes with the machine's center of gravity. I went ahead and installed the X-axis behind the uprights and am far more comfortable with the balance of things. I also decided to eliminate some extra weight by flipping the Z-axis so that the carriage is mounted with 4 bolts and nuts directly to the carriage of the X-Axis.

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In the Discussions section of the build, it was mentioned that the regular-sized C-Beam carts would not provide enough rigidity and could allow the cutter to twist during operation. I believe for v2 of this machine, I will upgrade to the XL C-Bean carts or build my own (See diagram in the Files section of this build). I am sure I will need to closely monitor my speeds and feeds to minimize the forces on my cutter.

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I bought and installed a Dewalt DWP611 router as my cutter. It's pretty heavy but I personally thought it was more substantial than the Bosch Colt. Plus the 7 Amp, 1-1/4 HP. motor (vs. the 5.6 Amp, 1 HP motor in the Colt) made for an easy sell.