How to Make Your Own CNC Machine At Home

Written by:  • Edited by: Lamar Stonecypher
Updated Oct 8, 2009

It is great to watch CNC machines perform different types of complicated tasks on their own, yet it is totally another thing to make such a machine by yourself. Learn about CNC DIY in this article

Introduction

The very mention of the word CNC machine or Computerized Numerical Control machine brings to mind very sophisticated images, and why not? Just take a look at pictures of some modern CNC machines which are used for various purposes in industry. Having thought of all this, the next thing that comes to your mind is that how can such a machine be made at home? Well believe me when I say that you can build your own CNC machine at home from simple, inexpensive parts which will just cost you a fraction of the real thing (the flip side is that it will also do a fraction of the work done by sophisticated CNCs available in the market). Yet that should not stop you from making your own dream machine at home and this is how you should proceed.

Modern CNC Machines

CNC MachineCNC Milling MachineSmall CNC Machine

Why do I need one?

Don’t expect a home made machine to be anywhere near to what can be achieved using expensive commercial machines manufactured by big engineering companies; but if you are the adventurous type and like to do things by yourself, there is not reason you should not build this machine. Since CNC machines are used to perform any number of tasks, you need to ask yourself what your home made machine would be capable of doing.

Obviously you have to set simple goals e.g. you cannot say that my home made CNC should do all the household work, fix all mechanical problems in the house or go to pay your bills. I mean you could dream that big, but that would certainly require a much more knowledge that I could give you. As for the rest of the humbler folks feel free to read ahead.

We all like to engrave things on wood, plastic or metal and so one of things that you can expect your home made CNC machine is to do some simple two dimensional etching for you on such materials like plastic or wood.

Budget Consideration

Budget is one of the biggest restraints while making such household equipment. I think one main reason for this is that though we do not hesitate to spend big sums of money on equipment made by branded companies; we suddenly become misers and want that home made stuff should be appearing out of thin air. Of course I cannot teach you this magic but surely the machine I am suggesting should not cost you more than a couple of hundred dollars depending on how much stuff can you gather from your storehouse and how much do you need to procure from the second hand or first hand market.

So after having learnt so much about CNC and self made CNC machines, it is time that we take a look at a simple home CNC machine in the next article.

Image Credits

American Packaging Company Ltd

http://www.hasansoyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/cnc_milling_machine.jpg

Blue Melon Ltd


Comments

Showing all 21 comments
 
Shamsher singh Apr 6, 2011 10:22 AM
How to made your cnc m/c at home
Great i like your article,sir.and surely i will read total article of cnc & also will think about that to try this
ankush Mar 6, 2011 3:09 AM
mechnical engineering
projects, new things, job, etc.
hondaman900 Dec 19, 2010 3:34 AM
DIY CNC Machine
You should check out this project http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/421256045/diy-desktop-cnc-machine?ref=category and their website at www.MyDIYCNC.com
ani1464 verma Dec 17, 2010 8:54 PM
cnc machine
i nave cnc machine my work brass latter makeing.i went 3d cnc plese cont. me anilvermaplot12@yahoo.com
harsh saini Jul 18, 2010 9:38 PM
engraving machine
hi i need to buy machine to make engraving for jewellery purpose where can i buy cheap machine .Please suggest me.
david munene Apr 6, 2010 7:20 PM
rquest
please help me to how to import an image from a computer to router machine cotroler Thanks am David
david munene Apr 6, 2010 7:17 PM
request
please am David Munene from Kenya and i would like to know how to import an image from the computer to the machine controler thanks please help.
Mandar Bharti Feb 14, 2010 3:07 AM
For Project
I want to manufacture this as an engg. project for me.
So please suggest me or guide me to do so.
U.Rethinakumar Jan 25, 2010 2:36 AM
RE: How to Make Your Own CNC Machine At Home
give details for making it.it will be useful to do project
Sakkeer Jan 22, 2010 6:48 AM
Home made CNC????? Can I
I will be thankfull if you give any useful informations about home made cnc machine
hussein eid Jan 20, 2010 4:03 PM
cnc knowledgment
I will be thankfull if you give any useful informations about home made cnc machine
renek Dec 17, 2009 7:04 PM
engraving machine
i want to buy,where wiil be good price? loop44@wp.pl
renek Dec 17, 2009 7:02 PM
engraving machine
hi i need to buy machine to make fotos on granite/Jesus,Maria/ where can i buy cheap machine like this? loop44@wp.pl
marelsys Nov 8, 2009 1:04 AM
CNC machine
I have my CNC project almost done. Will be glad to share my experience with people who are interested to build their own rooter. marelsys@gmail.com
rajneesh gedam Sep 17, 2009 3:53 AM
jigs & fixtures
i m doing mtech in manit bhopal.pz give me idea for this.i wana do thysis by this topic..plz give me details
seiseilim Sep 14, 2009 12:28 AM
Final Year Proeject
Hi,this is a very interesting tile for final year project.Can you please give me detail about it?Thanks.
Chandrashekhar Sep 13, 2009 3:38 AM
CNC
I am mechanical engineer...and i want to make CNC machine sothat i can engraving on stone...that is my project...
so where i should be start for this project..

thanks
saeed ahmed Sep 7, 2009 5:32 AM
cnc machine
kindly help me to build cnc machine at home
AeroMech Sep 5, 2009 2:51 PM
Self made CNC Machine
I like your idea...But can you inform me the estimated cost for manufacturing the home made CNC Machine..plse inform me on my e-mail id....
chetana Sep 3, 2009 9:31 AM
self made cnc machine?? great...
am a student of industrial engineering and management...am in my final year..looking for a good project..so can you help me out?? and ya am very eager to read the next part of the article...
hardeep singh Sep 2, 2009 4:20 AM
self made c n c
i have polytechnic in mech engineering and i m adventureous hope i will get next part of this article
thanks
 
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