Customer Reviews

CNC Robotics: Build Your Own Workshop Bot

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I waited anxiously for this book to become available, and even paid $15 for overnight delivery when Amazon finally had it in stock.

The pre-pub blurbs say it shows you how to build the equivelent of a $7500 workshop bot (an intentional play on the name ShopBot I guess) for $1500, and the cover front and rear are full of promises not delivered inside...

"Great for use... on the industrial floor" NOT!

"Provides step-by-step instructions for building your own CNC machine"... "Scaling and customizing instructions for building just the robot you want"... "Sources for easily obtained parts"

There is no discussion of design rationale, bearing loads, etc. He just jumps in and, in a 12 page Chapter 1 (three of which are used for showing the explosion views of the $3000? NuArc copy camera he scrounged the entire Y-axis carriage and rails from and telling you he made the Z axis from a TV shelf slide), tells you what he used. Nothing about the pros and cons and accuracy implications of different linear motion components, ballscrews vs acme, etc. Less text in the chapter than someone would use in a web forum post breifly describing their homebuilt CNC machine.

Chapter 2 uses 51 of its 62 pages to reprint the manufacturer's documentation (probably available online) for the L297 and L298 chips he uses in his stepper motor driver... Chapter 3 is 20 pages showing how to photo etch his printed cicuit board... Chapter 4 is 13 pages showing how to drill the board and solder the components on. This information may be of use to some, but with proven 3-axis stepper driver boards readily available for $100-150, I think I'd skip the electronic components gathing, and the gloves, eye protection, respirator, and the carefully monitored heated baking dish full of of ferric chloride solution giving off "nasty and dangerous fumes."

Chapter 5 shows you how to install KellyWare KCam software and test your drives... he barely mentions that he used three PC power supplies to power the three axii (he left them out on the "Materials Needed" list that starts the chapter); no discussion at all about power supply selection issues if you happen to have stepper motors different from the surplus ones he found.

The next few chapters show how he drilled and bolted the frame and gantry, and made pillow blocks... how he crudely supported the 3/4" linear shafting on free-standing bolts (he doesn't say, but I guess he bought the shafting pre-tapped, which nearly triples the price). I just love this... "In order to assemble the Y-axis, you will need the following tools and materials: Guide rails... Slide from NuArc copy camera...". The shaft support bolts are used to "straighten" the precision rails to a constant height from the square tubing that supports them (??).

After a decent chapter on motor and leadscrew mounting (no comment on probable whipping of the very long skinny X-axis leadscrew), more about KCam, some crude router mounting, and some examples of some things he's routed, the book ends with a list of addresses and phone numbers of corporate headquarters of linear motion components manufacturers, etc.

This book isn't real impressive with its lack of technical info. Most of it is like the web pages individuals put up showing pictures of the CNC router they built, often with scrounged/E-bayed parts that the next guy may or may not be able to find. Like those websites, it's always interesting to "see how someone else did it", but don't burn your $35 on this book expecting much more. If nothing else, I suppose you can vicariously "build" your first machine in your mind by reading this book, then build your first real machine better after more web research and questions to others online who seem to be more informed on design issues than this author.

This book is NOT what was promised. The parts list is very lacking..you must be very familliar with electronics just to be able to order the parts..specifications would have been nice. Labeling and numbering the circuit boards would have saved tons of time. I did get a set of boards built that will run the stepper motors..I believe most of the information is correct but very hard to understand and follow..a few more wiring diagrams or more complete schematics would have been a great improvement. I could write a book on how to use this book and I have not started the gantry yet. It would have been nice to have more advice on motor selection and what it takes to drive what..too much left to guesswork.

I was very disappointed that many important details were left out. Anyone who does a little research on the internet and has seen a CNC router knows the basics of what makes up a machine. What the book promised were the details of how to build your own. The details and parts lists were left out. Those are the critical items. Your money would be much better spent buying a good set of plans from the internet. There are many bulletin boards and web sites that have good information. Research them.

I was hoping for a book that would give usefull information on the compoments and construction of a quality CNC router. This book didn't even come close. This is a documentation of cobbeling together a make-shift CNC router and does not give any real info on how to choose components or lay out and build a serious machine.
If, like me, you are looking for detailed help on choosing linear motion components, stepper or servo motors and controllers, and how to design and build a machine that can approximate the quality of the pre-built routers costing $10,000 and up this is NOT the book for you. Don't waste your money!

There are too many major flaws in this book. He builds his machine with a Nu-Arc camera positioner. How is anyone else supposed to find this exact model? Probably the worst part are the IC logic and driver chips. You will not be able to put this together unless you are already an experienced electronic technician.

He shows you a schematic with some seemingly 80's era integrated circuits. (Judging by the xerox-looking images and misspelled words). These chips are hopelessly out of date. Modern chips have built in protective diodes, so you won't have to search all of creation for the ones his plans require. The way to go is to by a driver kit for $20 from Electronickits.com. (You'll need 3 of these).

Some things he did made me wonder why:
1) Why have so many little jumper points on the boards for options that are unlikely to be used? I bought wire connectors for these unneccessarily. He didn't list mini-jumpers in the parts list. Only after very carefully studying the pictures, can you see what he is doing.
2) On page 4 he says he was impressed by how nice the Pac-Sci stepper motor people were to him when they were selling him his motors. On page 14 he says that he's not using Pac-Sci motors! Why? What happened? We paid some bones for this book and we want to learn from his experience. There just isn't enough explaining in this book.

On the good side is that this book will teach you how easy it is to make your own circuit boards: Laser paper and an iron. You have to experiment a little, but it is very satisfying to know that you will be able to make your own boards if the need arises. I found that removing the paper while it is still hot will deposit enough "resist". No need to soak in water. The chemicals aren't really that nasty (even Radio Shack sells them). Just use warm water instead of a burner and wait longer than you otherwise might. BTW if you already own this book take a look at the lower picture on page 102. I had to wonder why is he using a different resist pattern than the one he wants us to use. He should be consistent between his photos and what we're supposed to do.


I think that Dave Rigotti's book is much much better. He will personally give you advice through his Yahoo site. And, it's "cozy". By that I mean there aren't 5000 things on the site to get everything confused. His is more focused.

I'd give this book a 1, but I did learn how to make my own PCB's and he also recommends a decent CAD CAM software (KCam).

This is not a book on general CNC tools, but a book of the author's particular project. If you are daring, you could figure out how to make what you need from the information presented, but you may not be that daring. Also, beware of the poorly-researched appendix on suppliers. In the section on electronics, some suppliers are listed who only seem to do large quantity, wholesale business. Why list suppliers whose minimum order is 100 chips?

Hard to give justice in words alone to exactly how bad this book is. A full review requires much gesturing, cursing and the throwing of objects.
You can find much more useful information online.
Books this bad are criminal acts of fraud.

I, too, couldn't wait to get my hands on this book-- only to be very dissappointed when I got it.

Nearly 100 pages (a third of the book) are spent describing how he made his own circuit boards, assembled them ,etc. It seems really silly when better micro-stepping controllers are available for around $100.

There is almost no discussion of design theories. He just found this great surplus sliding unit from a $3000 graphic arts copy camera and decided to build the rest of his machine around it. Good luck to you trying to find one just like it!

There is much better information available on the web and in the newsgroups. Save your $35.

I admire Geoff's energy and enthusiasm but after consideration, decided not to duplicate his efforts.
His first enthusiasm is in creating his own electronics driver for his CNC router. I found a number of commercially available units for sale for less than the cost of the parts, and they have more function. I'll spend my time on the mechanics. As for a first machine his mechanics is a big step up. I have reviewed other publications and web sites and have found that foraging for information and ideas, for me, then designing my own machine, is the way to go.
This is an opportunity for Amazon buy back.

I bought this book even after reading all of the negative reviews,

I should have paid attention to the other reviews. I did not get a lot out of the book.