13 x 13 Fixed Gantry Machine

A simple and inexpensive machine
13 x 13 Fixed Gantry RouterThis table was designed to be as simple as possible.

Attributes of this machine include:
  • Easy to build
  • Inexpensive
  • Accurate for the cost
  • All home-center parts
  • Built with basic tools
All materials in this table were purchased from the local Lowes, with the exception of the drives and steppers, of course.

It uses home-center materials with a minimum of waste.
The machine's body is made of a 2 x 4 and a 1 x 4 that are cut to length. The rails are all cut from three 36 inch steel rods with no scrap.
13 x 13 Router
Only basic tools are required to build the machine. There are no threads to tap, or aluminum to drill, cut or bend.

Most cuts are cross-cuts, and all wood cuts can be made with a small chop, miter, or hand saw. The metal rails and leadscrews can be cut with a hack saw.

The arrangement of the components gives a lean but sturdy machine.

The gantry supports do not flex, and the X chassis does not rack, even though very little wood is used in their construction.

The solid wood is stiffer than MDF, and a table saw is not needed to build this machine.
Alternative 13 x 13 TableThe X table bed can be made of a 15 x 15 inch piece of plywood, MDF, or plastic.

One prototype uses a $5.00 plastic kitchen cutting board instead of wood for the X table. This was done to illustrate the simplicity and flexibility of the machine's design. Right photo.

Simple inexpensive off-the-shelf metal clamps and straps are used to hold parts in place. These negate the need to fabricate multiple small wooden support blocks.

The components can easily be aligned; simple adjustment systems are incorporated into the machine's design.

This simplicity allows the table to be built in a day.
Cut with the 13 x 13 router
The machine has a 13 x 13 x 5+ inch cutting volume, but it has a footprint of only 18 x 25 inches.

The carriage is narrow, so the machine does not have to be as wide to achieve the 13 inch width of cut.

The X table overhangs the base, so the machine does not have to be as long to achieve the 13 inch cutting length.

This table uses bushings and unsupported rails, unlike the other machines in this plan-set, which use bearings on supported rails.
Therefore, this 13 x 13 table is unable to cut as aggressively. However, it is still capable of supporting a trim router, though the router will not be pushed to its potential.

The machine of course easily supports a Dremel, and the table's precision is on par with the other leadscrew tables in these plans.
Cut with the 13 x 13 routerThe work on the left was cut with a trim router and vee bit, and the piece on the right was cut with a Dremel and a straight bit.
Each piece is MDF and is approximately four inches wide.

Because of this table’s small size and light weight, it is able to rapid at speeds faster than the other leadscrew tables in these plans while using the same steppers and drives.
The prototypes achieved rapids over 50 ipm.

The prototype used the HobbyCNC 200 oz. in. system.
HobbyCNC now sells a 305 oz.in. system; the extra power is noticeable.

The machine, of course, also can use larger steppers and drives.

The Xylotex 425s and HobbyCNC 305 oz.in systems can be recycled into all of the other machines.
Therefore, even if this table is built quickly as a trial run CNC tutorial, rather than carefully as a long-lived product, the investment in the electrical components will not be lost.

The machines were all designed to use the stepper and drive systems from Xylotex and HobbyCNC. The recommended software is Mach3 or TurboCNC.
These suppliers work with the Do It Yourself market, and supply documentation and help forums for their products.

The plans for this machine are included in the 5 Plan set.