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Shop Update- The CNC Router

Chuck — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 17:06:41 +0000

This is a saga of the CNC router. The router was built here in the shop and it was used to make the stock and handguards for the VG1-5. 5 years ago I was running a batch of parts and hit an over travel stop. When this happen I just shut off the machine as something had come up and I could not finish the parts run. When I got bad to working on the router I could not get the machine to do anything. I kept getting this alarm code.

So every week or so I would try and get the machine o run. I checked the limit switches, got on to boards to see if someone else had a similar issue and tried to clear the computer. Nothing worked, nothing. It was at this point that I decided to correct the reason I got the problem in the first place. I started building a cabinet around the router and install a built in dust collector system.

I did the build with 80-20aluminum extrusions and plexiglass. Both of these I had from recycle and demo jobs.

So I carefully design the cabinet and built it to enclose the router.

I put door and access points to allow me to change and test tools and touch them off. It also allows for material to be set up and product to be taken out. I finished the top cover

with a dust collector access port. Now came time to actually get the cnc router working again. Last week I traced and tested every wire and switch. I found the issue and the router is back up and working.

The big mistake came when I started to operate the machine and realized that I made the cabinet to small.

You can see that I did not leave enough room for the X and Y axis cable rack.

The time has come for me to re-build the cabinet. 2″ in the Yaxis and 7″ longer in the X axis.

Some days you just wake up on the wrong side of the table. Back to the design board and fix it to allow me to go back to using it.

Working on the cnc router.

Chuck — Tue, 13 Nov 2018 08:00:00 +0000

It has been a while since I have done any work on the cnc router. Now with the wood shop termite issue coming to an end I have started back at it. When we last left off with it I had just found that the router that came with it had a bent spindle and need to be replaces. It has been with a vfd 1.5kw water cooled spindle.

As it came from the factory.

with the accessories.

The only problem is the manual.

Or lack of it. The manual they sent was for a 220vac unit and what I bought and received is a 110vac unit. The wiring diagram does not match in any way shape or form. Neither do the set up instructions. The cnc router has been rewired and water and air added to support this unit that I have yet to figure out how to wire up. I have contacted the seller and the support groups but with no luck. It seems a number of people have the same issue.

I am working on it and will post this weekend on my findings.

More VG1-5 updates

Chuck — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 12:56:51 +0000

With the completion of the mechanical portions of the cnc router it the computer portions have been being worked on. The router original used a Mach 3 operating system with an older style break out board. We upgraded the computer systems and well as the mechanical systems and have a real issue ever since. Wally, a friend of gun lab, has been working on the issue. He has made some head way, but for every step forward he hits another issue. So while he fights his way through this we are back making the hand guards the manual way.

Starting with the sized wooden blocks and a drawing.

It is put on the manual mill and machined.

The final out come is the holes machined for the washer and the internals machined.

From here it will go to the machining center to do the final shaping.

More work on the cnc router

Chuck — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 08:00:00 +0000

The majority of the mechanical work on the router is completed. Now comes the aggravating part, and that is getting the computer to correctly operate it.

Wally, a friend of gun lab, just spent part of his Sunday helping to get it operational.

There are a number of issues that have to be addressed. Starting with windows 7 talking to Mach 4. That is the easy issue. Then getting Mach 4 to talk to the smooth step board. This is providing to be a little more aggravating. Then getting the smooth stepper to actually do what it is suppose to do with the drivers and switches.

This is Wally’s second attempt and I really think he now wishes he had not volunteered to help.

Today he made great strides toward getting things working. Here is the video of the router operating and running a basic program.

More on the CNC router

Chuck — Tue, 23 May 2017 08:00:45 +0000

The making of the new Z axis.

Starting with the solid models. You can see the entire assembly. Front and

This solid model shows the changes that we have made.

Pins to maintain alignment, lower bearing for the screw support.

The new upper housing

Now on to the actual nuts and bolts.

The entire assembly was taken apart.

The new lower support plate with the lower bearing installed.

Holes for pins as well as the bolts holding it together.

A close up of the positioning pins.

A quick video tour of the cnc router z axis.

CNC router update

Chuck — Mon, 13 Mar 2017 08:00:01 +0000

Over the last few weekend I have been working on trying to get the CNC router completed thus allowing me to finish the stocks and hand guards for the VG1-5 rifle. For every step forward there seems to have been 3 steps back. It is hard to believe that it has been over a year on and off that I have been working on this machine and just when I thought I was finished along comes another problem.

So lets start this long story.

It started with getting the router home and actually operating it. There were some problems noted right off. The first was the table that it sat on. There was way to much vibration for any kind of accuracy. These are the pictures of the old frame.

Parts of it were old window frames

So a new frame was design and built for the router. 80-20 aluminum extrusions were machined for the frame.

The table was assembled.

Custom supports were made to hold the cnc router on the table.

Now it was ready to move the router over.

Angle brackets and supports added to reduce vibration.

The next issue that had to be dealt with was his wiring. It was a disaster.

While the machine was able to operate there was no accuracy and no way to trouble shoot problems. It was then decided to make an entirely new control panel.

Everything had its own place and wiring could be traced out to locate problems.

We also changed out the break out board to a smoothie board.

At this point you would think everything would be easy and simple and I could move forward quickly. That would not be the case time and again. Problems started showing up fairly quickly. From simple items like changing from plastic side panels

to aluminum. This helped with the strength and well as allowing allowing a method of attaching components.

The next issue that came about was changing the limit switch brackets. The builder used strips of bent aluminum that would actually move every tine the X,Y or Z axis touched then.

Two of them were actually tie-wrapped in place.

New mounting brackets were made and installed.

These were machined from aluminum stock to allow no movement.

However when it came to the Z axis we decided to go with micro switches instead of the push button type.

This may be an option for all the limit switches in the future.

The next item on the list was the wire troughs. The previous owner used on 1/2 lengths of flexible wire troughs then he used an aluminum cover that he glued and tie-wrapped on the housing.

I bought some more the the original wire troughs and attached it properly to minimize movement.

The final task will be to tie-wrap them all down.

An air system was design and added to the router.

From the regulator and filter.

To the solenoid switches and manifold.

The power was run to a plug in box as well. In addition a couple of extra control circuits were added to allow for added features.

So now comes the moment of truth. We had already,with the help of Walley, tested the X axis motor control. With the limit switches wired in and the other axis wire up we were ready to calibrate the router. As one final test I was operating the Z axis with a battery operated drill motor when all of a sudden it just fell off. I mean to say that the complete drive assembly just dropped. This is when we noticed a completely new set of issues.

To attach the ball lead screw to the motor coupler he cut the threads off.

Then he used the coupler to act as a thrust plate and attachment to the motor. Off course to do this he needed to grind the heck out it as it wanted to rub against the housing.

He then cut the motor shaft to allow everything to go together.

You can see just how much of the shaft he cut away.

This is what he started with.

To correct the Z axis problems it had to be redesign.

Still using the original spacer which was way to short.

A new spacer and housing was design and machined.

This new housing will allow for a correct height for the shaft, bearing, thrust block and coupler.

This is it for now as we wait for the new ball lead screw. This is also the last 3 weekends of work, not to include the fab shop and library addition. more on those later.

Working on the CNC router

Chuck — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 08:00:18 +0000

A large part of this weekend was spent working on the cnc router. I finished the connectors and hooked them up at the connector board that I made.

The motor control circuits were then wired up.

The wiring from the out side of the connector box were hooked up.

All new wiring and air was then run through the flexible wire chase.to the Y and Z motors and limit switches.

The previous owner just glued and tie wrapped the aluminum covers.

I will have to make brackets to correctly hold everything in place.

The air system has been installed, however I am going to have to change where it sets.

By the end of Sunday the X axis was moving under its own power.

A big thank you to Wally, a friend of gun lab, for all his held and expertise in getting the cnc router up and running.

So this is the final status for this weekend. All the motors are now hooked up and powered up. I have started wiring up the limit switches and will have that completed by next weekend. The new air solenoids are here and a new backing plate needs to be made. We are getting closer to getting this machine back up on line and working.

Weekend update for 4th of July

Chuck — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 08:00:12 +0000

Like all weekends I started out with a list that I could not possibly get done in the time frame allotted.

There were projects that I have been wanting to accomplish that are fun. Some of the things I needed to finish were under the direction of the commander in chief of the house. Some projects are necessary to finish the VG1-5 project. And some just needed to be done.

I started my Saturday morning with trying to get the pistol grip of the AR-16 rifle 3D printed. The PLA that came with the 3D printer is old but seemed to work on the first few projects. That was not going to be the case this weekend. The material did nothing but continue to break off in the feed tubes. After spending a few hours on this I just threw my hands but and ordered some new material.

I hope to back on this project next weekend.

On to the next project. This is doing a little upgrade to by duplicator. I have always found it to set to low for me so I wanted to raise it and changed where is sat slightly. I was able to put the risers on it after a little adaptive engineering.

However, when I went to look for my Johnson bad and skates, about an hour of looking, I could not find them anywhere. A friend borrowed and I will have them back on Tuesday. Then like a fool I tried moving it with out them and not such a good idea. More on this later.

So now off to another project and that is one of the trees at the house has been a little sick and needed to come down, this was a project handed down from the commander. So the task was set into motion. All the limbs had been cut down and taken to the dump all that was left to do was use the backhoe and remove the rest of the stump.

The backhoe decided to take the weekend off. Nothing would get it to start.

I wanted to install new A/C units in the wood shop and machine shop. With the temperatures that we have been having there is no joy in working in the shops. To do this in the machine shop I needed to take down the evap cooler first. This little project took several hours and was not the least bit of fun in the 110 degree heat.

However the A/C guy called about 2 in the afternoon to inform me that he did not pick up the units and it would be next weekend before they would be out. It was okay as I still needed to run the new electric line for the A/C’s and while I was at it I would change the wiring around a little. I also needed to install a return air duct. To do this work I first had to move the bead blaster.Then cut the osb and sheet rock off the wall.

Then the wiring was run for a new 40 amp circuit and set up out side with a new disconnect.

I went to use the small air compressor in the wood shop, the big one needs a new motor and that is another project for another day. It has been acting a little iffy lately so a new pressure switch was ordered and received on Friday.

Once again Murphy came back to visit. The switch that was ordered and suppose to work was not the correct type.

Once again the weekend did not go as planed. In addition to all the fun I had in the 110 degree heat some where along the line I pulled my back and could hardly walk,sit or lay down without being in great pain. Not sure if it was the trying to move the duplicator, taking down the evap, dealing with the tree or running the new electric. At that point I just threw in the town and took my wife to the movies.

More work on the CNC router

Chuck — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 08:00:21 +0000

Most of the machining has been completed on the two side panels. This is how they looked in the solid model.

And this is how they turned out.

We still have 6 holes to drill on each plate and 12 hole to tap on each plate.

With any luck I will have them mounted and I will be able to start wiring it back together again.

More work being done on the cnc router

Chuck — Thu, 23 Jun 2016 12:47:11 +0000

With the wiring completed on the angle connector plate

The next item to be made is the side panel. This is where the fans and angle plate attach to.

These are the pictures of it being machined on the HAAS machining center.

Everything starts as a solid model and then a drawing to work from.

Even with solid models and drawings the components are checked for proper fit.

The side plate will be completed by today and this weekend installed on the machine and I will commence wiring everything up.