Expanding the work area of the M3

[faber]

Recently picked up a very lightly used M3 from a private seller, and realized that the bed size is slightly smaller than the work I want to do with it. I was wondering if anybody out there has expanded the work area  by picking up longer beams and belts, and cut their own frame members to allow larger workpieces. Seems like it wouldn't be too difficult to enlarge the machine, but after searching the board here I don't see that anyone has done this. Just wondering if it is worth the trouble or if I should just look into a larger machine.

[notso]

I know there are programs that allow you to cut larger on a smaller bed. It sets a work size and you move the piece after each section is done.

[Bruce]

If you have experience building homemade CNC system it would probably be fairly straight forward to modify. But It seems to me it would turn into a project unto itself for a bit of time needing to be tweeked and adjusted to get what you want. You would also kind of be on your own for support and settings, nobody else would have your setup to compare. But if you're just learning CNC and ultimate goal is to make things, I would recommend you bite the bullet and get the machine to do what you want.

[faber]

I will definitely be expanding the size. I plan to get my feet under me a bit better as far as basic proficiency, and then using the M3 to make the parts to make itself bigger  I can definitely tile the x frame members to make longer ones.

My issue is the work I want the machine to do is about 2 inches wider and longer so tiling the job is much more challenging than shifting the work along a single axis. As far as the software goes it doesn't matter how big you make the machine you just have to make sure it knows how big it is. I am not gonna go too crazy but I think expanding the work area by 8 inches in x and y should be as simple as ordering longer belts, and extrusions, and then cutting some new frame members for the x axis. I will document my adventure on this board when I start the process.

[faber]

Well I settled on 24" wide by 36" long. Turns out the parts to expand it to this size ended up being less than $100. Ordered some 20x40 and 20x20 extrusion, and 15 meter roll of GT2 belt. I am drawing up the profiles for the gantry support and end cap members now and will be cutting them as soon as I get the material delivered. Should be a relatively simple modification. I will also be extending the z axis by about 2 inches just so I can clear my vises. Fingers crossed!

[Bruce]

Good luck 🖒 keep us updated on your super mod M3.

[markwisniowski]

Please takes photos and/or video along the way as you're building! Sounds like an awesome mod to the M3!

[Derek the Admin]

I don't think it's going to work well at those lengths bud.

[Jerry]

I think Derek is concerned that with longer extrusions, you get more flex. That is a real problem.
If you can extend and add additional stiffness somehow, or use much more ridged extrusion material, that part of it would work.

[Frank]

When you start to modify, the least deviation will cause you great issues at the end of each cut. It would affect both the X and the Y Cuts. There is a program called Tiling that will allow you to do almost as large a project as you want. I have seen 12 by 12 CNC Machines cut 10 foot signs. Go to You Tube and search C N C Tiling

[Big Man Black T-Shirt(Patrick)]

I've been pricing 2040 and belts as I think about making my M3 larger also. I decided to start with just making it wider, making the cutting area 18" instead of the 10" that it is now. I figured only modifying in one direction first would reduce the headaches that I'm sure will come with this project. And just that little bit of extra width will allow me to do quite a bit more than I'm doing now.

I just can't afford to buy a larger machine now so I'm gonna try to make this 10" x 18" M3 work. Because I'm not hacking any of the original parts, if it turns out to be a bad mod, I can always put it back to original.

I look forward to following the progress of your upgrade and if I actually do mine, I'll post my progress if Derek lets me. (I understand why he might not, he is, after all, in the business of selling new machines!)

[Bruce]

This was Faber's last post (this time last year). I don't see anything else here on the forum about his M3 mod.

[Big Man Black T-Shirt(Patrick)]

LOL, I saw 15MAR and didn't even notice that it was from a year ago!