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Title: CNC Robotics: Build Your Own Workshop Bot by Geoff Williams ISBN: 0-07-141828-8 Publisher: McGraw-Hill/TAB Electronics Pub. Date: 08 May, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $34.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.33 (9 reviews)
Rating: 2
Summary: Much less than promised...
Comment: 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.
Rating: 2
Summary: Not so Great Book
Comment: The sources in the book to buy the hardware and electronics only sale products by the hundreds, if you contact them for only a few parts YOU WILL BE IGNORED, when you're not ignored you'll find that the prices are much (MUCH) higher than then ones mentioned in the book
I have to complaints on the electronics part:
1) There are a total of six (6) chips to be soldered; you need some good soldering skills to successfully solder those chips without short-circuiting anything.
2) The section that explains the circuitry says, and I quote "Don't worry too much about understanding how this circuit works; as long as you follow the directions closely, the board you build will function properly," WHICH IS NOT TRUE, you have to closely follow and understand the electronics in order to find an error in the book, even though it is a minor error, it can really drive you nuts.
Also note there is no contact information of the author, YOU WILL BE ON YOUR OWN.
My advise to you, DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK, unless you are a really good troubleshooter and willing to spend some serious time hunting for the parts.
Rating: 2
Summary: Not For The Serious CNC Builder
Comment: 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 $$$$$$$ and up this is NOT the book for you. Don't waste your money!
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Title: Building Robot Drive Trains (Robot DNA Series) by Dennis Clark, Michael Owings ISBN: 0071408509 Publisher: McGraw-Hill/TAB Electronics Pub. Date: 11 September, 2002 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Amphibionics : Build Your Own Biologically Inspired Reptilian Robot by Karl Williams ISBN: 007141245X Publisher: McGraw-Hill/TAB Electronics Pub. Date: 08 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: Insectronics : Build Your Own Walking Robot by Karl Williams ISBN: 0071412417 Publisher: McGraw-Hill/TAB Electronics Pub. Date: 05 November, 2002 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: Manufacturing Automation : Metal Cutting Mechanics, Machine Tool Vibrations, and CNC Design by Yusuf Altintas ISBN: 0521659736 Publisher: Cambridge University Press Pub. Date: 13 April, 2000 List Price(USD): $40.00 |
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Title: Programming Robot Controllers by Michael Predko, Myke Predko ISBN: 0071408517 Publisher: McGraw-Hill/TAB Electronics Pub. Date: 16 August, 2002 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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