LitePlacer CNC Mill Conversion

[CarDude1994]

Well, long story short, I have had my liteplacer for about a year and got some good use from it. I have since moved my SMD production out of house due to sheer volume reasons and well, the LitePlacer was just taking up space. I have always been fascinated by CNC machines, that coupled with some YouTube suggestions from channels such as NYCCNC I had a desire to get into machining. I looked at CNCs like the Tormach 440 (About $10,000 for a full working setup) an decided that I didn't want to drive that far head first, which lead to machines such as the XCarve. I about pulled the trigger on an XCarve when I had a thought... I have an XCarve... well kind of, its a LitePlacer.... Thus the conversion project began.


I wen't out and bought a DeWaltt DWP611 handheld router (same thing lot's of the home CNCs use), Downloaded, modified the OpenBuilds spindle holder (Just added two holes through the top to take two right angle T-Slot Mounts and 3D printed it. It worked surprisingly well. Well this triggered my overkill attitude and I went to the local Lowes Home improvment store and started going crazy buying eletrcial supplies, PVC for a vacuum system among other odds and ends. I picked up the aluminum version of the OpenBuilds spindle mount and used the drill press to cut the same holes I added for the 3D print. After putting everything together, I must say the LitePlacer makes a great CNC machine (obviously!). It wouldn't be hard to just order the same type of aluminum extrusion that comes with the LitePlacer to make a second CNC head. Add some bulkhead connectors so the heads can just plug in and boom, dual purpose machine! Some pictures!! Feel free to ask questions

Working on getting more accuracy and repeatability as well as TIG welding together an enclosure out of aluminum.

If The images are all zoomed in, try zooming out in the browser, or here is a direct link to the IMGUR album!

http://imgur.com/a/Zin7R

[Pixopax]

Hi, I have build several cnc routers now, and I can assure you, that the liteplacer is not even near to being suitable for routing, you will destroy it with that, as it is very light, the guides are soft and the motors very weak. You can only cut soft things, if that works at all.
Laser, yes, but routing no, it will not work for long.

[JuKu]

Cool conversion! It might work better than Pixopax thinks. You mentioned XCarve; it has it origins on the Shapeoko project, that uses the same rails and wheels. People are successfully using Shapeokos for routing wood and plastics. Metals would be challenging, as the LitePlacer is indeed a light construction.

[Pixopax]

The motors are too weak, they will loose position when you work on a bit harder materials, also, the belts are very thin, they will wear out soon. For plastic, it is too slow, as you need speed there, and that is where the motors lose torque.
And Metal? Try it My current router is a 140 kg monster, and it can cut aluminium, but only 1 mm at once. The 70 kg router before could not cut aluminium, without breaking the cutters due to vibration.
Sorry, but for descent usage as a router, you need stability and weight, steel not rubber, screws and not belts. I am pretty sure, you cannot ue it for placement afterwards, it may cut softer things, but the precision is gone afterwards.

[CarDude1994]

I hate to argue with someone with experience, but the thing works great. Haven't had any noticeable issues with backlash or the motors stalling out/missing steps. I was cutting around 25 in/min through MDF (really soft stuff obviously) and had 0 issues. Right before I left to move back to university, I slapped a piece of aluminum that was about 8" x 6" x 2" that I had laying around from a previous project and made some cuts into it to test out a design to move the coilpacks to a different location on my car. I had to cut slower, but it was working perfectly fine with a 3F 1/4" flat endmill. Used canned air to move chips away and some cutting lube to keep the bit happy. Basically the design is a rectangle with two squares cut out of it. Worked fine, motors weren't overly hot. it was an experiment and if everyone listened to the internet we'd never get anything new because there's always someone saying nay!

If it breaks, it breaks and I wait for my Tormach purchase

I find it interesting to push this thing to it's limits so well see! More cutting to be done come summer time!!

[dmwahl]

Do you have any videos of it operating you could post on Youtube or something similar?