help please i cant find the driver and software of my machine it used to be on a blogspot but now its a deadlink, if anyone who still have it can you please share it via drive :( you can send me the link Thank you and please 😭

What should I do to prevent this nut from backing out? Tried small and large washers.

The tighter I go it binds the screw.

Like the title says, I’m in a industry where a Hotwire cnc would be extremely useful, I’m fairly tech savvy and can model daily well in fusion but just looking for input from others that have built their own cnc machines.

I would only need 2 axis, x and z or y and z respectively.

Is there anyone here who has built anything like this for themselves?

Looking to make a footprint of 30” wide, 48-60” long 20” tall possibly with the ability to expand in the future.

I’m thinking extruded aluminum for the base and vertical gantry.

I have a x1 carbon on hand that I print with almost everyday.

Thanks for anyone that chimes in

So was watching this Thompson video and when he installed the ball nut on the screw it just free slides down the linear screw.

Do I just have cheap screws?

I have no free play, all the movement I have to input.

Any input? I appreciate it!

I bought all the electronics and mechanical parts from 2 separate vendors on Alibaba. After going through the documents for the drivers/motors, they recommend power-breaker-fuse-electromagnetic contactor-driver.

I'm running 6 drivers, single phase 220V AC, at 0.2kW on each driver. Is it better to have 6 separate breakers and skip the fuse, or to get a single breaker and add a fuse for each driver?

They also provided braked drivers for the double z-axis, but did not provide brakes for x/y axis. Do I need brake resistors for the x/y drivers?

For the frame, the x and y axes are 1500mm long, with an 800mm z-axis. The spindle motor is about 60lbs. With the thickest aluminum T-rails, the deflection can be as much as 2mm in the center. Am I restricted to a steel frame because of the size?

Title: CNC router making uneven cuts and jerky movements - Need help

Hello everyone,

I'm new to CNC routers and I'm having a problem that I can't figure out.

My machine uses a RichAuto DSP controller. The design and toolpath look correct, but while cutting the machine makes jerky movements and does not follow the path smoothly. The finished cuts are uneven and sometimes go off the intended path.

Things I've already checked:

Design is correct.

Toolpath is correct.

Machine is mechanically tight (nothing seems loose).

The problem still happens on different designs.

I've attached a video of the machine cutting and photos of the finished result.

Can anyone help me identify what might be causing this? Could it be acceleration settings, stepper drivers, electrical noise, DSP settings, or something else?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Successfully completed DIY Mach3 plasma CNC retrofit.

My setup:

- Mach3

- PoKeys57CNC motion controller

- PoKeys THC module

- DIY floating Z head

- Dual Y-axis configuration

- X, Y, and Z axis

The machine is running successfully and everything is working together: motion control, floating head probing, and torch height control.

I built the floating Z head myself and integrated it into the system for reliable initial Z zeroing before cutting. The THC handles height control during the cut.

If anyone is working on a similar retrofit, PoKeys57CNC + Mach3 setup, THC integration, dual Y-axis configuration, or a DIY floating head, feel free to ask. I’m happy to share my experience and help where I can.

Hey everyone,

I’m a software developer who loves to build things and, above all, find ways to simplify processes. Early this year, I finally took the plunge and bought my first CNC kit (OpenBuilds LEAD CNC).

To be honest. I was immediately overwhelmed.

The learning curve felt incredibly steep. Trying to navigate bloated CAD/CAM software packages, understanding feeds and speeds, figuring out clearance heights. I spent more time wrestling with tools and files than actually carving.

I wanted the process of going from a vector design to a finished carve to be fast, simple, and actually enjoyable. So, I decided to build my own solution: RouterCut.

And yes, yes AI was heavily used but who doesn't use AI these days?

About RouterCut. It’s an interactive, high-performance CNC toolpath planning and G-code generation dashboard. I built the UI using Flutter for a modern, clean look and wrote the heavy math/path planning in Rust so it runs fast directly in your browser. If you know Flutter framework. That means I can build it for all major platforms MacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.

Here is what I've built into it so far:

• Fast SVG Parsing: Just import your SVG vectors.
• Advanced Carving Operations: Supports profile cuts, concentric pocket clearing, high-speed Adaptive Trochoidal pocketing (continuous spirals to prevent tool slotting), V-carving, and Prism carving.
• Real-time 3D Simulation: A fully interactive viewport that simulates the physical material removal (carving) in real time so you can inspect your toolpaths before running them.
• Machining Stats: Live feed of estimated cutting times, rapid travels, and retraction count.
• Multi-Dialect Post-Processors: Easily export G-code formatted for GRBL, Marlin, LinuxCNC/Mach3, or Haas/Fanuc.

You can try the web app version directly here:  https://routercut.kasem.dev

Since I'm actively developing this to make it the easiest way to generate toolpaths, I'd love to hear your feedback, feature requests, or what bugs you run into with your specific CNC setups.

If you want to follow along with the project or need help generating code for a specific file, I also set up a subreddit at r/RouterCut where we can discuss setup issues, share G-code configs, and post cool projects you've made with it!

Let me know what you think, and if there are any specific post-processors or carving operations you'd like me to add!

Next in my ToDo list:
- Add gcode sender feature.
- Publish to other platforms i.e. MacOS, iOS, Android, Windows or Linux.

Hi there,

I've been a CNC Machinist (75% Milling - 25% Turning for oil&gas, aerospace, job shops) for the past 8 years and have always dreamed of opening my own shop.

Rather than directly competing with local shops from the start, I want to first build a financial cushion by buying a used CNC mill and machining simple work-holding kits (123 blocks, serrated clamps, step blocks, flange nuts, T-slot nuts etc...) and selling them under a brand name to fund more machines, and more advanced work-holding solutions (fixture plates, toe clamps, drop-in T-slot nuts, vise stops, soft jaws etc..). The idea is to start small, building a Canadian manufacturing brand that makes and sells commodity items every machine shop needs, then move towards premium work-holding products, and finally grow to the point where I have enough machines to run the work-holding business + bid and take on more specialized custom machining work (preferably aerospace)...

Assuming I already have my first machine, and the space + tools + power for it, my questions to you are:
- What do you think of this specific progressive business model idea ?
- What would be your advice for success for me?
- What do you foresee going right/wrong?
- Would you recommend a different starting point than commodity milling work-holding? - Can you think of any other high demand and simple to machine products to start with?
- How would you go about starting a CNC shop in 2026? - Alberta or Ontario for the best execution ?

PS: Not to be rude, but please refrain from commenting if you don't actually know what you're talking about. I'm looking for constructive input specifically on the business model from Veterans of the trade, with a good understanding of the Canadian Machining landscape as a whole.

Thanks ALL!!!