My 48x30 setup is done, sort of!

[casualit]

Hey everyone!

I hope y’all are having a great start to the weekend! A couple of weeks ago, I received the CNC machine I’ve been eagerly waiting for, and I’ve been itching to share my experience with you all. I’ve been researching and planning for weeks to make sure I get the perfect setup for my workshop. Now that it’s here and assembled, I couldn’t wait to tell you about it!

To prepare for the big arrival, I had already built a sturdy table designed to support the weight and precision of the CNC machine. As you can see in the attached picture, it has a robust frame, a level surface, and adequate storage.

Now, onto the main event - assembling the CNC machine! The anticipation of unboxing it was palpable, and it didn’t disappoint. Everything was well-packaged, with clear instructions and a full inventory of parts. I spent hours carefully assembling each component, ensuring everything was properly aligned and calibrated. The attention to detail paid off, and by the end of the weekend, the machine was fully operational!

One of my major concerns, however, was the noise and dust generated during the machining process. To mitigate this, I worked on an enclosure for the CNC machine. This will not only help with noise reduction and dust containment, but it will also provide a safer working environment. I’ve laid out the frame and added sound panels to the walls and doors. I’ve made sure to make it accessible from all sides in case I need to do some debugging or accessing some parts that are hard to reach from the front.

As the CNC machine roared to life for the first time, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment. This incredible piece of technology has opened up a world of possibilities for my creativity and craftsmanship. Stay tuned for more updates as I dive into my first projects and explore the capabilities of my new CNC machine!

In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts, experiences, and tips on CNC machines, enclosures, and workshop setup. Feel free to share your stories and advice in the comments below!

Happy machining!
Ali T

[_Michael]

I really like your setup! I’m a fan of having an enclosure, especially if you add a laser. Even without a laser I like the enclosure to keep the dust contained even when you can’t use the dust shoe. With my MK1 you can’t reach all of the spoil board with the dust shoe on. I hear that’s not a problem with the MK2 though.

I look forward to seeing what you create with your new machine! Have fun and be safe!

[casualit]

Thanks for the kind words! I agree, enclosures are great for dust containment and when using a laser. It’s good to know the MK2 overcomes the MK1’s dust shoe limitation. I’m excited to share my upcoming projects with y’ all! Stay safe and happy machining!

[Brummett]

Neat enclosure. I am curious what drove the seemingly random placement of the sound proof pyramid pads?

[casualit]

Those were leftovers from another project. I didn’t like the way they looked when placed next to each other, as they didn’t cover much of the panels that open up. So, I decided to arrange them as you see in the picture.

[Papabear60]

Unlike you, I opted for the small footprint, as most of the work I need to do doesn’t require a larger bed and space in my shop is at a premium. I did build an enclosure that would support full enclosure by attaching a lift-up door. But, I’ve been so pleasantly surprised with the dust collection of this thing that I don’t need the enclosure. Easily 95% of the dust gets extracted. The only dust that is not extracted is where the cut gets close to the blank outline and dust falls out rather than getting caught in the vacuum.

[casualit]

I totally agree, the dust collection is so effective that you don’t really need the enclosure(at least for the projects I ran so far). Having noise reduction is a must for me, since my wife’s office is right above the shop. It’s been amazing at keeping things quiet and the wife happy :).