CNC router on the cheap

[mfleming]

I sympathize with your frustration over accuracy. I have a 13" Southbend lathe that requires about an hour to adjust out any bed twist to minimize taper in a turned part. And this is a 1300 lb (~600 kg ROTW) rigid assembly.

Consider borrowing a machinist level and setting up your assembly on a solid platform, then make sure you are level in the X and Y axes. Even a small displacement in one corner could affect your accuracy. Another lathe setup technique is to turn a bar between centers, measure taper, then adjust leg height accordingly. Perhaps you can do the same with pegs printed a fixed height in a NSEW pattern and measure their height with calipers or depth gauge.

Many of the 3D printers these days claim accuracies near or beyond what I can do by hand. Then I see their shipping weight and I say "Oh my, my Aunt Sally!"

That's a very interesting looking device at the link you gave. Please post a picture of some test object you make. Maybe a case to hold a variety of batteries to power the calculator you find at the next flea market? I think I'd buy one of those

~Mark