Desktop CNC Mill

Build a desktop machine capable of cutting aluminum.

The project combined a complete CAD assembly, motion hardware, spindle cooling, electrical controls, and custom printed components. Standard extrusion kept the frame accessible while printed parts made fast iteration possible.

Integrate mechanics, controls, cooling, and wiring as one system.

I modeled the assembly in Fusion 360, selected a 2.2 kW water-cooled spindle and 180 W servos, built the frame and motion system, and integrated the control cabinet and coolant loop.

The machine became fully operational and completed motion and cutting tests, making system-level problems visible that were not obvious in CAD.

Function achieved; aluminum-cutting rigidity did not.

The machine worked, but the bed and printed structure were too flexible for the intended aluminum milling. That limitation was the most useful outcome: stiffness, joint design, and structural loop closure matter more than individual component specifications.

The build strengthened my mechanical troubleshooting, electrical integration, and willingness to document a result that did not meet the original performance target.