Where to start ?

Hi
Yep I'm new...
Looking to use a cheep CNC3040 to route interlocking plywood boxes. Like the laser cut ones.
Where can I find advice on this subject ?

I'm also interested in isolation routing PCBs and engraving acrylic so the z-axis capacity of these cheep mills is not a big issue.
I just starting out here so please be patient.

Chewie

Hi

All the ones of these I have seen, come with a controller box and parport cable ready to plug in to a computer.

Good place to start is to obtain the Mach configuration (because that is all they will be supplying) to run the machine and then get JT to produce a Linuxcnc one from it with his script
www.linuxcnc.org/index.php/english/forum...n-to-stepconf-wizard

Then you can install Linuxcnc, install the config and play with the simulated configs until the machine comes to familiarise yourself, with some hope you will be able to run the machine when it arrives.

As far as their suitabilty for the tasks you mention, so long as the ply is not too thick don't see why not, certainly OK for PCB and acrylic.
There are lots of different ones, but they are all basically the same, with hugely varying prices, so make sure you get the keenest priced from a 'local' warehouse to avoid huge postage and customs bills.

regards

Hi Chewie ,
i have a cnc beginners guide , so see my profile and send me a mail and i'll send it ,
in any case linuxcnc willl do all you need as far as the machine is conserned and more , as your abilitys grow

the main question for now is you want a machine that is soild and well built , and perhaps larger than you first thought
as once you realise the potential of what your able to do , the machine is too small haha

most hobby cnc is as ArcEye mentions usable via the parrell port so therefore you need a pc Not A LAPTOP
for linuxcnc it does not need to be a upto date modern pc , one that is 2- 3 years old will be fine

and of course welcome to Linuxcnc .
any questions as they arise ask away

Thanks people.

I am just gathering sources of information at present. I take your point about small mills, if the bug takes me I would go bigger and switch to tougher materials requiring a more substancial investment.

I'll start small first

Cheers
Chewie