Building a More Capable CNC Machine

While we have focused our attention on the 3018 machine for most of this book so far, at some point, you will outgrow it. Maybe you need a bigger work area, improved metal machining capabilities, or greater accuracy. The 3018 is a very good all-purpose design, but by now, you will have seen its limitations, and if you have bigger projects in mind, the 3018 definitely will only be part of your overall toolchain.

When I first started with CNC, I built an airplane that required the fabrication of 52 wing ribs. Those were cut from sheet aluminum, and I had to cut the outlines and various-sized holes by hand. I hit upon the idea of cutting the ribs (and some other parts) with a CNC machine, and from there, I never looked back. If you are in the same boat, I am sure you are wondering, what next? So, in this chapter, let’s discuss what you could do to machine bigger things. We have a couple of avenues:

• Improve and enlarge the 3018
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