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Why A Self Assembling Design

One of the main goals of the Maslow project is to make a CNC router which is affordable, simple to use, and which can be built by anyone who is interested in building things. To keep the cost of shipping down, Maslow has to ship in a small box and get bigger when it arrives. To keep it accessible we couldn’t count on the person assembling the machine to have special skills or access to special tools. The solution is that Maslow relies on a few basic tools and the one tool we know you have which is Maslow itself. Maslow has to build itself.

Alternatively there are new beta tester frame designs that use stock lumber sizes to quickly make a permanent frame. Click here for Alternative Frames page.

How The Process Works

It’s actually pretty simple (and you know how we love simple). You construct a primitive version of Maslow, capable of cutting the parts needed to build the rest of the machine. As always, your feedback about what we can do to make the process smoother is welcome.

Assembling The Temporary Frame

Step 1: Buy Parts

Buy two sheets of 3/4inch (18mm) plywood, two red bricks, and four 10 foot 2x4s. The dimensions of these parts are not critical. We understand that the weight of bricks and dimensions of lumber can very significantly from one part of the world to another so we've done our best to create a design which works with those constraints.

Step 2: Collect Tools

To assemble your machine you will need a Phillips screwdriver, a saw capable of cutting a 2x4, a drill and drill bits, and a pair of pliers or a set of wrenches.

If you have a drill, pilot holes for all of your screws is recommended. A pilot hole will help to reduce the chance of wood splitting and make driving screws much easier. How to make a pilot hole.

Nice to have: a clamp that can hold the height or the width of the 2x4 plus the thickness of the plywood.

Woodworking tip: Rub candle wax into the screw threads to provide lubrication.

Step 3: Cut 2x4s

Cut three of the 10' 2x4s into the correct length segments. From your two 2x4s you will need to make pieces of the following lengths.

Part #	Number Needed	Length (cm)	Length (inches)
Leg Piece Type #1	2	144.75cm	57"
Leg Piece Type #2	2	134.6cm	53"
Leg Piece Type #3	2	45.75cm	18"
Leg Piece Type #4	2	15.25cm	6"
Arm 2x4	2	100cm	39-3/8"

None of these lengths is a critical dimension. The design does not rely on the ends of the cuts being perfectly square.

These pieces will form the legs of the machine like this:

We recommend cutting three of the ten foot 2x4s like this, the fourth 2x4 is left as a single 10' length:

You may want to number these parts to make it easier to tell them apart later.

Step 4: Get the 3 Hardware Bags

You will need the parts in these bags.

Step 5: Cut motor mounts

Cut two 14cm (5-1/2 in) squares from one of the sheets of plywood. Drill a hole large enough for the chain to pass through in one corner of each (10mm or 5/8 in drill bit or bigger should do).

Step 6: Attach Arm 2x4s to plywood sheet

Attach the two 100cm (39-3/8 in) arm 2x4s to the complete sheet of plywood. The arms should extend beyond the plywood by about 50cm (20 inches) at an angle of 45 degrees.

Step 7: Attach motor mounting plates

Attach the motor mounting plates to the end of each arm with the hole facing out and away from the plywood. Note in the picture below the 4x8 foot sheet of plywood is screwed to the left most visible plane of the 2x4 so the mounting plate overhangs this plywood sheet. Use six of the provided wood screws per plate to ensure that the motor mounting plate is well attached.

Step 8:Attach the motor mounting brackets

Attach the motor brackets to the motor mounting plates in the upper corners using the wood screws provided (screws will pass through the back of the plywood, but that is fine). The front of the bracket should be parallel to the 2x4.

In the next set of steps, you will assemble the drive assembly on the left side of the Maslow.

Step 9: Attach the motor

Attach the motor to the bracket using the small screws. Note that each screw comes with a compression washer. The two motors are identical.

Step 10: Attach the sprocket

Slide the sprocket onto the motor output shaft with the sprocket teeth away from the motor. Rotate the sprocket until the set screw lines up with the flat surface on the motor output shaft. Tighten the set screw with the included Allen wrench.

Blue Loctite or other removable thread locker is an option for metal-to-metal connections that 'move,' to prevent loosening by vibration and motion over time. The thread locker doesn't need to be added at assembly time -- it can be added later by putting a dot of the liquid on top of the set screw, and it will 'wick' into the threads. But if you add the locker later also give the set screw an additional tightening. It might be a good idea to wait until building the final version of the frame to add Loctite if you are going to.

Step 11: Attach Cup Hook to motor arm

Attach 1 Cup Hook (found in the Small Hardware Bag) to the motor arm below and slightly to the right of the motor.

Step 12: Add chain guide

Attach the nylon chain guide to the chain mounting plate using the long wood screw provided. Tighten the screw enough to hold the nylon guide in place, but not so much that it prevents the guide from rotating freely.

Step 13: Attach lower arms

Attach the 45.75 cm or 18 inch pieces of 2x4 (Leg Piece #3) in the lower corner of the plywood using the short wood screws. The length that these arms protrude is not critical.

Step 14: Attach to lower arm

Place one cup hook on the left side of the lower arm

Step 15: Attach chain with cotter pin

Attach one end of the chain to the motor mounts using the cotter pins

Step 16: Loop chain

Let the left side of the chain hang down and then loop it back up to wrap over the motor sprocket as shown in the picture. The white paper is only added to make the chain more visible.

Step 17: Assemble chain tensioner

Place the Chain Sprocket into the left hanging side of the chain, then place the S-hook through the hole in the sprocket. Both of these items can be found in the Small Hardware Bag.

Step 18: Tie loops in stretchy string

Tie a small loop in each end of the stretchy string such that it can be hooked onto the cup hooks.

Step 19: Place Pulley bottom cup hook

The bungee will run over this pulley to tension the chain.

Step 20: Attach the Stretchy String at all points

Hook both ends of the stretchy string to the cup hook on the motor arm, then hook the dangling loop over the lower pulley and onto the 'S' hook.

The bungee is spread by hand in the pictures to make it more clear that it is doubled up.

Step 21: Repeat

Repeat steps #7-#20 symmetrically on the right side of the machine.

Note, I attached the ends of the chains together for this picture, just to make it more clear how they are routed.

Congratulations! You have now completed building the basic version of the Maslow CNC machine! In the next step you will build a temporary sled to attach to the frame.