Makers' Alliance Wiki

In February 2026, we acquired a 6040-ish form factor CNC router.

What it currently had:

~~PlanetCNC control board (ok, but proprietary and their control software isn't great)~~ Removed.
VFD-driven spindle (ER11) with watercooling & pump

Motion control, spindle activity and pump were tested.

What we ~~may~~ will end up using:

Parts needed:

Parts Ordered:

To-Do List:

Finish putting new electronics into box
- ~~Wiring Wiznet board to steppers~~
- Do we want limit/homing switches? Z-axis toolsetter?
  - Maybe use 3.5mm audio jacks for the switches, and maybe use the parallel port cutout to expose them?
Do the ways need lubed? If so, what's the best choice?
- Per a manual for a 6040: sewing machine oil applied with a clean cloth on the bearing ways, and white grease on the leadscrews, applied once a month.
- White lithium for the leadscrews, and some tool-specific stuff for the bearings has been procured.
Configure LinuxCNC
- Basic configuration is working. Could be tuned better
Start testing motion control with new electronics
- get the config scientifically tuned for decent acceleration and velocity
Get some more tools installed on the LinuxCNC computer
- Some sort of FOSS CAM solution - self-hosted Kiri:Moto, maybe?
  - Started looking at Carbide CNC & Kiri:Moto via web
Figure out spindle cooling
- Manual for a similar 6040 machine suggested > 20L of water, with .5-2% “rust inhibitor suitable for automobile water tank”, whatever that means.
Deal with inside of cabinet - lots of surface rust inside - could use a paint job
- Simpler solution - put sheet(s) of plywood on the shelf?
Storage inside cabinet for collets/endmills/accessories/etc.
- Drawer(s) with some Gridfinity kinda stuff?
- Bins with the various pieces (i.e. collets in one, bits in another)?

Stretch goals (not critical to operation, but would be nice):

Lessons learned: