See how I built my MDF CNC milling machine using very simple tools and inexpensive materials.

1. The Goal

2. A DIY milling machine Inexpensive Easy to build Good precision

3. The Tools

5. The Expenses

6. 400€ 160h Existing tools Odds and ends Years of DIY experince

7. The Method

8. Use inexpensive but precisely pre-cut MDF plates to achieve parallel edges and right angles

9. The double layer plate base Loose spacer Pre-drill thru and thread for Spax!

10. Putting the side walls an Loose spacer

11. Mounting the back wall Loose spacer Right angle (loose)

12. Fixing the back wall and the gantry pillars Gantry pillar

13. Putting the gantry in Gantry Spacer (fixed) Right angle and reinforcement

14. The X-carriage

15. Mounting the X-carriage to the gantry 1 Gantry taken out again and upside down Gantry bottom Slide flush to gantry

16. Mounting the X-carriage to the gantry 2 Gantry Use non-bevelled head!!! Not attached yet Gantry top parallel to gantry bottom Slide flush to gantry top

17. The Z-carriage Epoxy glued, very messy!

18. Mounting the Z-carriage to the X-carriage Epoxy glued to avoid bracing, flat non-bevel headed screws would have been better! Hole for screw driver to fasten slide to X-carriage

19. The gantry had to come close to the front Spacer parallel to back wall New, second pillar

20. Preparing the frame for the Y-table Balsa wood spacer (glued)

21. The Y-table from underneath (and a leadscrew and nut)

22. Putting a working table on the Y-carriage

23. The stepper mountings drill file mount

24. Preparing the leadscrew bearings Epoxy glued since no radial forces occur Make sure to get the other side parallel!

25. Preparing the leadscrew nuts Fasten nuts to be glued in, protect the thread! Gluing in the mounting nuts is not so easy  Leadscrew nut

26. Putting the leadscrew in the bearing Teflon band Self-retaining nuts

27. Chip and dust protection Leadscrew and slides will die otherwise!

28. Iron and aluminium foil to bend the Plexiglas

29. The protection goes between the X-carriage and the slides

30. Z-carriage with leadscrew

31. All leadscrews assembled

32. The stepper adapter Fixed from top with sunken head screw Flex plastic tube and ziptie

33. Paper bellows to protect the slides and leadscrews Bellows guide U-profile to seal the sides

34. Mounting the router Pipe clamp and wooden jaws Zipties keep the world together Vacuum hose

35. The arduino running grbl and the three pololu stepper drivers

36. ATX power supply, 12V is not much but sufficient for now

37. Limit switches X-limit Z-limit

38. Jog wheel encoder and abort button

39. Recycled timer switch as a TLL SSR housing Don’t forget the varistor, motors are inductive loads

40. Thank you and good luck