I started with a machine envelope that was far larger than most hobby builds.
Workshop build
Workshop project
CNC Build
This CNC build was one of those workshop projects that kept growing as I learned more from it. It started with a huge bed and a lot of experimenting, then turned into large-format work, a laser add-on, and later a much bigger motor.
Build at a glance
What shaped CNC Build
The main turning points and the parts that gave the build its own character.
A lot of the early work was just figuring out surfaces, flatness, and what actually worked at that scale.
Over time it became less of a one-off machine and more of a broader workshop platform.
Timeline
Story of CNC Build
The longer version of the build, milestone by milestone — each one with the notes, photos, and video from that stage.
September 6, 2016
01
The machine started with a very big ambition
Right from the start this build was about scale. I was working around a huge bed area, and one of the first challenges was simply figuring out how to get a practical working surface on something that size.
September 18, 2016
02
I tried the cheap glass option
Part of the fun with this build was trying practical solutions instead of ideal ones. In this case that meant grabbing a clearance pool-fence glass panel and seeing if it would do the job.
September 26, 2016
03
The first big print showed what was wrong
This was the point where the machine started telling me the truth. The big print made it obvious the glass was not flat enough and the bed was still bowing, so it was back to refining the setup.
August 7, 2017
04
The router finally started cutting under its own power
This was the stage where the bigger CNC work really started to feel real. Watching it flatten the bed across the full table made all the earlier setup work feel worth it.
September 26, 2017
05
The workshop setup kept expanding
Later on I added a laser engraver into the mix. That was a sign the project was becoming more than just one CNC machine, it was turning into a more useful general workshop setup.
July 13, 2018
06
Then I gave it a much bigger motor
By this stage I was still pushing the machine further. The bigger motor might have been a bit over the top, but it definitely marked another step toward making the whole thing more serious.
Workshop service
Need a part made rather than a project story?
The project archive shows how the workshop builds. If you are here because you need something printed, repaired, or prototyped, the service page is the right next stop.