BillFitzmaurice.info

We haven't stopped building although this last year we've been a lot less productive, some of us have been travelling, and the DR300s have taken a whole lot more time to figure out than our 2nd batch of Tuba60s and OT12s.


Meanwhile we also built 2x 10" AutoTubas for our van, truck and some light outdoor use (although I'm going to stuff one in my Honda Accord if it fits) and 2x Tuba18s for home use.


So now we need 4 more DR300s, because.. well there's no point in having only 2, and there's no point in building more subs if we don't have something stronger than 6x OT12s
My room-mates got a cheapo 3d printer kit and it sat in a corner for 5 months before I stumbled upon this CNC project out of 3d printed parts:


So I printed day and night, ordered all the parts, and we've yet to learn how to use it properly but this was the first attempt:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2oYrkRSG6c

There is a huge community of people that have built it, some have even reinforced it in order to add more powerful routers. Our goal is to be able to cut at least some of the parts needed for the DR300s in order to increase precision and maybe simplify the process, since we've cut everything on the current ones with the table saw / jigsaw.

Recap... Our full system


DR300 (IMPERO 12 inside) body filler sanding

MONSTER system!

Just got our first endmill. Time to refine our CAD/CAM skills. Will keep updated on this, not sure what the CNC capabilities will actually be, might end up just using it for engraving our logo on our cabs, but if we can cut at least some of the smaller and hard to cut pieces we'll be happy.

Any updates on parts made with the DIY CNC machine?

mechatronic wrote:Any updates on parts made with the DIY CNC machine?

Yes! We're fiiiiiiinally getting to the end of the 4x DR300 build, we haven't had much free time so it had been put on hold. Now we have a deadline, it seems we can only work fast when we have a deadline - we want to get them finished for June 9th as we're bringing the whole rig out to a mini music festival in a large field. So we'll have our 8x T60s and 6x DR300s... A bit unbalanced for now but we plan on doubling the amount of T60s in the next year.

The 'mostly 3d-printed' CNC does a good job. If I had some foresight I would've built it with a lot less Z-axis in order to improve rigidity. Now the plan is to keep this one for light 2.5D stuff, decorations, signs and such - and build the recently designed version 'low-rider' cnc which is a bit different but uses most of the same components. It's made to be a lot more rigid on larger models so we will make one that can take a full 5x5 or 4x8 sheet, not sure which yet.

Here's a short video of it cutting diffuser brackets...

https://www.facebook.com/mtlbassix/post ... 8446604581

We've only cut the small parts on it, as it takes 5 passes at about 20mm/sec - so it's kinda slow? Those 4 brackets took about 10-12 minutes... We're hoping with the Low Rider we'll be able to slap on a much stronger spindle and have it rip though 1/2 BB in one pass

snowphish wrote:We're hoping with the Low Rider we'll be able to slap on a much stronger spindle and have it rip though 1/2 BB in one pass

Bad idea. It is much safer, both for the machine and the operator(s), that the spindle makes shallower, multiple cuts. Cutting deeper, removing more material, causes a LOT more friction, and friction = heat. Bad on wood, bad on end mills, and REALLY bad if the end mill shatters at high speed. High speed steel fragmentation is no joke. Better to be safe than sorry.

DJPhatman wrote:

snowphish wrote:We're hoping with the Low Rider we'll be able to slap on a much stronger spindle and have it rip though 1/2 BB in one pass

Bad idea. It is much safer, both for the machine and the operator(s), that the spindle makes shallower, multiple cuts. Cutting deeper, removing more material, causes a LOT more friction, and friction = heat. Bad on wood, bad on end mills, and REALLY bad if the end mill shatters at high speed. High speed steel fragmentation is no joke. Better to be safe than sorry.

Point taken, but heck commercial machines can do it...

We're not going to give it a go in 1 pass on the first run but if the thing CAN take it, with the right spindle speed and feed rate we might be able to get there without .. overheating the endmill and such.

We've enlosed it in a box for safety and better dust collection so it shouldn't be too dangerous.

snowphish wrote:but heck commercial machines can do it...

No, they don't. It is never recommended because there are too many variables, from wood moisture content to end mill quality and sharpness.

snowphish wrote:We've enlosed it in a box for safety and better dust collection so it shouldn't be too dangerous.

Unless the box is constructed out of explosive-proof armored steel, you have obviously not been near an over-stressed mill when it passes the breaking point. High speed mills are the worst. I witnessed them pass through 2 1/2" of cast iron body. Why risk a life or limb when multiple passes make it so much safer, making it up for a slight time difference.

Listen, I know you don't know me from shit, but I'll tell you my story: In 1988, I was a heavy truck mechanic (think semi) while working on a little dinky 1-ton truck, the hoist broke and the truck crushed my right leg at the knee. Messed me up bad enough that I could no longer wrench. Took 4 1/2 and 4 surgeries to just be able to walk. 2008: while working as a truck driver, delivering to a local automotive assembly plant, I fell into an unmarked hole, tearing my rotator cuff in 2 places. I've never recovered from that. In 2010, I had as close to a heart attack as you can, without actually having one. Except my heart function was reduced just enough to put me in heart failure. On top of COPD from smoking for nearly 40 years. Don't ever think bad shit can't happen to you. Karma will bite you, and it almost always leaves a bad mark on your life.