# This Stuff Just Keeps Following Me Home



## JimDawson (Mar 28, 2015)

My latest acquisition, a 48x96, CNC router.  12HP spindle.    I bought it for less than scrap price, trying to figure out what to do with it.  It runs fine, all upgraded controls.  Anybody know how to market router services?  The frame is all aluminum, about 3000# or more.  Can't decide if I should salvage the controls and hardware and scrap the frame, or try to put it to work.  I don't have enough power in my shop to run the spindle, but I could put a 3.25 HP Porter-Cable router motor on it and run it that way.   The other problem is that it takes up a 10x16 foot space in my shop.

Any suggestions?


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## pineyfolks (Mar 28, 2015)

Add on to your shop! Lol


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## Franko (Mar 28, 2015)

Maybe you could multi-purpose it by making a pool table top for it and put it in the house.


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## 18w (Mar 28, 2015)

Routers have several applications beyond wood as you know. Look into plastic and aluminum product applications. With your knowledge of cnc and controls, scrap the spindle and table, fab a table and a plasma torch holder if there is a market for cnc plasma cutting?

Darrell


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## kd4gij (Mar 28, 2015)

Your pic no work. Would like to see it. ok now I see it


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## MarkStephen (Mar 28, 2015)

JimDawson said:


> My latest acquisition, a 48x96, CNC router.  12HP spindle.    I bought it for less than scrap price, trying to figure out what to do with it.  It runs fine, all upgraded controls.  Anybody know how to market router services?  The frame is all aluminum, about 3000# or more.  Can't decide if I should salvage the controls and hardware and scrap the frame, or try to put it to work.  I don't have enough power in my shop to run the spindle, but I could put a 3.25 HP Porter-Cable router motor on it and run it that way.   The other problem is that it takes up a 10x16 foot space in my shop.
> 
> Any suggestions?



Here is one idea that a router that size would be perfect for - http://www.wikihouse.cc/

Just google "WikiHouse" for plenty of examples. Very cool project, IMO.

Mark


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## roadie33 (Mar 28, 2015)

Bring it to my shop.


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## kd4gij (Mar 28, 2015)

I think your shop looks big enough to handle it with plinty of room to add on.


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## rrjohnso2000 (Mar 29, 2015)

That is a fun toy. Oh it's sitting on fun toy. Hold on a big toy barn. 

That is great. I hope you do something interesting with it.


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## mattthemuppet2 (Mar 29, 2015)

see, that's what happens when you have a big shop,a trailer and one of those fork lift like things! you could attach a paint gun to it and draw "dead body" outline of yourself on a large piece of plywood


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## JimDawson (Mar 29, 2015)

rrjohnso2000 said:


> That is a fun toy. Oh it's sitting on fun toy.




That is my big orange trash compactor the router is sitting on.


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## mattthemuppet2 (Mar 29, 2015)

you know Jim, you really have to work on upping your scale a bit  perhaps a 2nd hand fairground space rocket ride with a compacter welded to the bottom?


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## JimDawson (Mar 29, 2015)

Hmmmmmmm.....  I like that idea!!


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 29, 2015)

you could put it right back to work, with a few mods you could do many things.
engraving
sign work
duplication of parts/pieces-convert to a mega 3D printer???
list goes on and on, if i had a few beers and some time to think  i could easily rattle off more uses.


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## coolidge (Mar 29, 2015)

Jim I see we both have a big orange lift...oh wait  dang will yours lift a 3700 lb lathe? As for the CNC router you can router aluminum does that give you any ideas?


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## JimDawson (Mar 29, 2015)

Ulma Doctor said:


> you could put it right back to work, with a few mods you could do many things.
> engraving
> sign work
> duplication of parts/pieces-convert to a mega 3D printer???
> list goes on and on, if i had a few beers and some time to think  i could easily rattle off more uses.



It will do all of that and more.  I have actually done fine engraving and signs  on that machine, as well as some major hogging of various materials.  My biggest problem is that I have no idea how to market the router services.  Craigslist may be my friend here.



coolidge said:


> Jim I see we both have a big orange lift...oh wait  dang will yours lift a 3700 lb lathe? As for the CNC router you can router aluminum does that give you any ideas?



I'm pretty sure Big Orange could handle a couple 3700# machines at the same time.

If I had some aluminum parts to cut, it would do it, no problem there.  I just don't have any jobs for it.


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## John Hasler (Mar 29, 2015)

JimDawson said:


> My latest acquisition, a 48x96, CNC router.  12HP spindle.    I bought it for less than scrap price, trying to figure out what to do with it.  It runs fine, all upgraded controls.  Anybody know how to market router services?  The frame is all aluminum, about 3000# or more.  Can't decide if I should salvage the controls and hardware and scrap the frame, or try to put it to work.  I don't have enough power in my shop to run the spindle, but I could put a 3.25 HP Porter-Cable router motor on it and run it that way.   The other problem is that it takes up a 10x16 foot space in my shop.
> 
> Any suggestions?



A bigger shop and upgraded electrical service.

What sort of motor does it have?  You might be able to run it at reduced rating.


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## JimDawson (Mar 29, 2015)

A bigger shop would be nice, I have plenty of room just not the $$.  I have 3 phase available at the street, but it would be expensive to install the service and then there is dealing with the guberment for permits and stuff, don't really want to go there.  This is a rural farming area so there is 3 phase run everywhere to operate irrigation pumps.

The motor is a 230V, 3 phase, 12HP, 2 pole, high speed spindle motor.  Runs at a nominal 400Hz.  About 32 amps input to the VFD on 3 phase.  I did see a 25KW, 3 phase generator on Craigslist for about $2500 so that could be an option.


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## coolidge (Mar 29, 2015)

That's a hell of a motor for a CNC router, more importantly what's the RPM and collet size? Not sure what you could do with that, build custom castle doors maybe with CNC carvings. Replica pirate treasure chests.


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## wrmiller (Mar 29, 2015)

Well, if we could figure out what to make I could run something like that. At work.

I have 230v and 460v transformers the size of large refrigerators on the lab floor, and about 800 amps or so to work with. But I'm fairly certain the boss wouldn't appreciate me moving 300 or so servers out to the parking lot to do so... 

I'd be interested in hearing what you eventually end up making with that thing.


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## JimDawson (Mar 29, 2015)

coolidge said:


> more importantly what's the RPM and collet size?



About 24,000 RPM, and it uses ER32 collets, I think the biggest I have for it is 3/4, and the smallest is 1/8


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## JimDawson (Mar 29, 2015)

wrmiller19 said:


> Well, if we could figure out what to make I could run something like that. At work.
> 
> I have 230v and 460v transformers the size of large refrigerators on the lab floor, and about 800 amps or so to work with. But I'm fairly certain the boss wouldn't appreciate me moving 300 or so servers out to the parking lot to do so...
> 
> I'd be interested in hearing what you eventually end up making with that thing.




It might be a little too dusty for a server room.


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## wrmiller (Mar 29, 2015)

LOL...


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## markknx (Mar 29, 2015)

Heck with the router I want that compactor for crushing AL cans.
Mark


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## Ianagos (Mar 30, 2015)

Man I'm looking for something similar and your just buying these things for scrap. Makes my searching sckills look bad.


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## WRMorrison (Mar 30, 2015)

Very cool!  I can think of several projects for it...  A place I used to work at had three of these and they were the only machines (out of several machining centers) that were 100% booked-up for many months at a time.  They used them to make custom cabinets out of white poly-pro.  I'm actually looking for someone close to me to cut out a rear compartment enclosure for my Jeep that I modeled in Solidworks.

-WRM


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## WRMorrison (Mar 30, 2015)

Also, if you start to cut plastics with it, take a good look at the single flute offerings from the various manufacturers; they work wonders in most plastics.

-WRM


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## JimDawson (Mar 30, 2015)

Ianagos said:


> Man I'm looking for something similar and your just buying these things for scrap. Makes my searching skills look bad.



Normally this stuff just finds me.  I wasn't even looking.  In this case the seller called me looking for a small electric push-around forklift (that I also bought for scrap price) that I had offered them some time ago.  So a little horse trading and I'm now the proud owner big router that I don't even really want.

Most of the equipment in my shop was acquired this way.  For instance, that big forklift just showed up in my driveway one day.  We had to drag it off of the trailer, it wouldn't even roll.  About a month and $1000 later I have an operational boom type forklift.  I guess it's just a matter of who you know.  I also check Craigslist several times a day looking for bargains.


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## rowbare (Apr 2, 2015)

I see a poor man's planer...

bob


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## KBeitz (Jul 4, 2018)

Wow would I have loved to have that. I'm building a large router plane right now...


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