Plywood Drag Chain? Yes! How I Made It

[@JohnHeisz]

Next: All wood CNC?

[@youtukang]

☺👍👍

[@billstoner5559]

I’ve built 2 wood CNC machines. The first one was built by inspiration from studying how other people built theirs and the second was a Dave Gatton (edited) design which I bought from him. I used my first CNC to cut out much of Dave’s machine. With wood, the major problem is maintaining accuracy. Wood, even plywood, moves with temperature and humidity and screws loosen allowing movement. Never owning a CNC made of metal, the problem may be universal. However, having said all that, I am happy with the results. I did spend around $1000 on all the hardware and plywood, though. Dave’s design uses acme thread lead screws; three required, so not cheep. Stepper motors, motor controllers, power supply, wiring, v-grooved bearings, screws, and various other metal hardware, it all adds up. I did have an old computer and the software was free. A great learning experience. With you knowledge of wood, you might be able to improve the accuracy issues. If you don’t know Dave, Google him. He has a website and KZbin channel.

[@nefariousyawn]

@@billstoner5559 it's Dave Gatton, in case anyone else is confused by all the results for Dave Gannon the vocalist.

[@billstoner5559]

@@nefariousyawn sorry about the miss spelling. I get too much help from my spell checker. 😩😖😉. I fixed it. Thanks for the find, Tucker.

[@ClintonCaraway-CNC]

There is already a "mostly wood" cnc. a Actually two that I know of.... Bob's CNC and Dave Gatton aka Gatton CNC.

[@GregsGarage]

The wooden drag chain TOTALLY makes that CNC look like it belongs in your shop. I'm excited to see what you'll do with that machine. For the record, I saw absolutely no safety violations in this video. LOL!

[@JohnHeisz]

Oh, I edited out all of the graphic scenes of blood, guts and gore for the PG audience :)

[@Benwinch07]

I have a feeling your shop projects are about to get a whole lot cooler.

[@Maker238DeLoach]

Awesome job John. Always pick projects that you can learn from. It’s fun to do the projects that you can bust out that you’re familiar with. But I find it more enjoyable to try to learn something. Congratulations again on the 1 million. You’ve earned it John. I still have your firsti build it.ca T-shirt. Make On

[@pocket5751]

Starting my cnc router business in my garage. Started simple with signs and 2d stuff. now making full size 3d deer, bison, moose, and bear mounts.

[@KipdoesStuff]

Looks great John. I have a tiny CNC and everyone that owns one 3D prints a track for their cable management. Seeing what you did gives me more confidence to try this myself.

[@tedpuckett2779]

Thanks for sharing. Suspect your probably right that a lot of folks won’t need one but as you said good way to gain experience with the machine and gain confidence with that.

[@tfildaed]

Very cool. The e-chains we use at work are ridiculously expensive and are almost always delivered to us missing a critical part that is not available for several weeks. Nice job.

[@OU81TWO]

Igus I'm guessing?

[@sebuteo]

Such a cool project! And great to see it done with your usual care/precision. Yes, not a project everyone watching will make. But fascinating, informative and inspiring nevertheless. Like you, I like to do many things myself, even if solutions are available off the shelf. There are so many reasons: it’s fun; there’s all the useful learning; you wind up with a uniquely personal solution of your own. Great video.

[@Rusty_ok]

Wow what a complicated project. Shows us just what can be accomplished. Thanks for posting

[@Slackdragon]

I love how you've used wood in your shop wherever you can. The pull chain is genius.

[@marksmith7147]

I admire your patience in doing all those No4’s up!

[@howder1951]

Great job John, this registers a full ten on my coolness scale. I have seen these on the tiniest and largest of scales over my career, and I like this one the best. Cheers!

[@EngineerNick]

best looking drag chain design ever in my opinion. Well done :)

[@SuperCozMick]

Seriously love what you do John. What an inventive and fitting way to use scrap wood in your shop.

[@mihamaker]

Nice to see two bit different approach on cable chains from two makers that I like to follow. You and Marius Hornberger. Keep it up!

[@CheveeDodd]

I think that's quite a few steps above "pretty neat"!

[@ukhottubs]

Literally,,, I’m speechless at your skill and ability..incredible and entertaining to what also. I imagine that took hours and hours hours. What amazing engineering, incredible 👍

[@RBallarddesigns]

Great job John. Ambitious to do two sided cnc as an early project. Kudos to you. It looks cool.

[@jayhitek]

Was worth it. I think it looks really cool. And like you said.. you learned a ton doing it.

[@StephenBoyd21]

That looks awesome. So much nicer than plastic.

[@kmonnier]

John plus CNC = unstoppable!

[@baconsoda]

"Looks pretty neat"... and probably the only one in the World!

[@JohnHeisz]

Thanks Brendan :)

[@gregmislick1117]

I think that it is a GREAT project - your time was worth way more than the $20, but as you said - learning process, and that is priceless. We all have to practice to make perfect, and why NOT make your shop something special along the way.

[@BMSWEB]

Totally unnecessary in plywood but for the same token, strangely satisfying! Absolutely loved it

[@mattschoular8844]

Nice work John. Thanks for sharing.

[@NomadMakes]

That chain looks really cool :D One of the very early prints I made on my 3D printer was similar to this. Cheers, and thanks for sharing.

[@Milkshake61]

What great video to watch a quiet Sunday morning

[@Furnitecture]

Great results and its really great to see you adding a CNC router to your toolkit!

[@dankasprick1801]

You should cover up all the aluminum with wood veneer to match the rest of your shop. Nice chain. Thanks John

[@watcherofwatchers]

Someday I will have time to go down the hobby CNC/3D Printer road, and I will definitely be doing this. Neat project, John.

[@viorsa8200]

Excelente proyecto muy bien desarrollado y mejor ejecutado , una guía flexible para los cables magnífica , el CNC ayuda mucho , gracias por compartir tanta creatividad y conocimientos , un saludo cordial y por supuesto un gran like desde Narón , Galicia ( España) 🤓 😜

[@kortt]

Very interesting. The knowledge you gained alone is worth doing the project.

[@calebwhite1999]

Looks as good as any of the energy chains I used to work with as a Yaskawa robot technician. Nice job.

[@hugobose2254]

Looks Fab John, can't wait to see you do a few more projects with it

[@pieters286]

Nice, also add spreader links/fingers between cables to keep them from snagging.

[@zerocool2352]

I tried this in the past and wasn't successful. Nice to see someone pull it off.. and make it look good.

[@_rlb]

I love it! Had no idea you were into CNC stuff but I'm not complaining.

[@henridejong9433]

Nice project, with fantastic result.... thanks for sharing.

[@cobberpete1]

It looks 'Super cool'. Worth the effort. Well done John. 😉

[@BruceAUlrich]

I don't think I've ever seen a wooden drag chain before. Very cool!

[@bedongskifrombedongdesign1062]

Looking pretty neat is an understatement John, this chain link is great !!!

[@CrudeButEfficient]

Pretty neat, the wood is a great look!

[@stepcraftgermany]

Nice job John. Seems like you are having fun customizing your machine :)

[@res1492]

"Pretty neat??"..it looks amazing!!

[@markpalmer3071]

That's really cool, great skill building project.

[@terrym1293]

Pretty awesome! All I thought was who could possibly give this a thumbs down?

[@ahmedtwahir]

Just what I need for my laser machine. I don't like the circular spiral cable management that came with the laser, always returns back funny and keeps coming in between laser module and stop switch. I think I might just use the laser itself to make the Drag chain. Would be a cool project to record and post on KZbin for sure!

[@bradleytuckwell4854]

Turn out looking pretty cool

[@radcow]

The work that into that is very impressive industrial design level

[@MCarberry89]

I 3D printed one for my 3D printer, it looks clean and neat

[@gallerykunci1914]

thank's for the video, it's give me idea to make my own drag chain with acrylic leftover that i have.

[@socalwooddesigns6831]

That’s pretty cool I think it looks better than the plastic ones I might go ahead and give it a shot myself and design one for me thanks for the video it was pretty cool the watch

[@JamesManCave]

It's looks really cool. I did exactly the same thing when I first got my 3D printer.

[@WilliamSteppan]

2021: John experiments with modding his CNC 2022: John experiments with building his own CNC 2024: John recreates Johnny Five from Baltic birch plywood and spalted maple

[@act.13.41]

I foresee a new Focus Master coming in the near future. Complete with legs, just like the light stands.

[@GenoLoma]

2025: Johnny 5 creates replica John, keeps him as pet

[@VeydinZain]

Looks awesome 😎 Love it! Time to tell the wife what I'm buying next!

[@jupiter909]

What a fantastic project, looks great! Keep up the wonderful videos!

[@MCsCreations]

Fantastic work, John! Really well done! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@franktaccetta784]

Great idea for a project to get practice using a cnc machine

[@kbouwman64]

Cool project. I think if I were going to build one, to glue them together, I would cut a couple parallel dados in a 2 x 4 just wide enough to drop the link sides into and the same distance apart as the finished chain. Then the bottoms could have all been glued in and clamped with one long caul.

[@mettwoch]

Hi John, waiting tp see your wooden CNC build. I‘ve built one recently and it works great even though it uses DIY linear guides made with ballbearings oriented at 90degrees running on POM rods.

[@darrenjensen5775]

Most excellent work, John!

[@FredMcIntyre]

Really cool John! 😃👍🏻👊🏻

[@ThumpertTheFascistCottontail]

Nice one, John. Looks great.

[@kenl5217]

Definitely looks really cool

[@GenoLoma]

Nice work John 👍

[@theswissvaper]

Well. I guess I have to do one too now.. Since mine is broken.. Thanks for the idea 😉 greetings From Swizerland..

[@brambaert461]

Yes it was John, yes it was. Loved evers minuten of it

[@Kartus68]

That was a great learning project. Well done.

[@keithjohnson6765]

Very cool. A great learning project for cnc

[@rayeaglenz]

Pretty neat, the wood is a great look! 👍😊

[@angelochiarion1152]

You are a genius, hi John. 👍

[@mahamasamataman3087]

I especially like the point where cutting the straight parts were not the best job for the CNC. When I first got my CNC, I fell a little into the mindset of everything started to look like a CNC project.

[@NEWTechCreative]

Looks amazing!! Great concept. Well done 👍

[@gschnaper]

Awesome! Looks and works great!

[@rafvdp6391]

Great looking drag chain John, one of a kind for sure. It’s really a shame you gonna have to do it over ! So you can put the vacuum hose in it🤣 . Really nice website article again, really neat solution you had to sand to pins further down. Simple but effective.

[@jkr3008]

What a great idea, John. The only requirement - is to find a high quality plywood, which won't chip on the edges, as the work is fairly small-scale.

[@derrick_builds]

Looks sharp. Great build.

[@christophersmith108]

If it was crazy to make it, then I must be _really_ crazy for being so impressed by how cool it looks (let alone wanting one for myself!)

[@clydedecker765]

Great John. You can use what you learned on this project for your new 3-D printer when you get it. 🤣👍

[@nobuckle40]

Looks good. Thanks for sharing.

[@samreennadeem963]

Very nice and unique work john , any idea how to make 'i mpossible revolving cabinet'.?

[@Atlantismonkey40]

I don’t understand why a person would not like this. You have to start with something. Just buying what is needed isn’t the correct choice, always. Nice job.

[@SouthpawDavey]

It has a very cool factor.

[@JiggsysShed]

That is seriously cool.

[@anthonyfreeman5858]

Cool project. Very cool.

[@richardbutterfoss2353]

Nice work!

[@Kolajer]

1:41 sanding is a method of getting rid of the furries that I hadn't considered. Sounds promising.

[@youtukang]

👍👍

[@KipdoesStuff]

I make something on my CNC, then sit in my chair at my desk and sand off the furries as I watch stupid internet stuff, lol.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Very cool and like you said a great learning project for sure.

[@jarodsown2596]

That’s awesome! Though I think you’ll want to make a piece to fasten the other end to the Z axis. At least that’s how I’ve always seen it and how mine is, don’t know if it’s fully necessary, but seems like it would be a lot easier on the cables.

[@johnjwheaton]

Yes it is. And very cool! 😎

[@dominikgs]

What is a better reason to build something than to use it as a vehicle to learn something and gather experience? Nice and interesting thx for the video.

[@grant3226]

Pretty cool, inspiration from Marius Hornbergers build which I see you commented on? So dust collection next? :D Also, congrats on the 1 million subs!

[@GlenS123]

Looks awesome!

[@xxDADDYDAYCARExx]

Pretty damn cool project..... great as you say, to hone your skills. Also.... I love the way you embrace the reduce, re-use & recycle ethos. Too many KZbin channels with tonnes of money and sponsorships and a warehouse sized workshop full of tens of thousands in equipment! !!!!! Not realistic to those of us with similar setups to yours. Keep up the amazing work and don't let the trolling b@$tards get you down. Much love and respect from the Emerald Isle ✌✌✌✌✌✌

[@JimDockrellWatertone]

Yes, it does look neat. Adds to the learning time too. Not at all crazy.

[@TheBowdy666]

Looks great 👍

[@johnwhitley2898]

This is where a "Need Problem" was met instantly by a "Production Fix", with a small learning curve!! What a step into Ultimate Cool 😎! Well, Gents, tighten up your seatbelts-John isn't going to be nailing two boards together anymore.... Lol! Let'er rip John!!!

[@regularguy9264]

I bet that you were also quite happy with how the table for the CNC performed. Nice and stable?

[@matonmacs]

Are you going to talk about why you went with the Stepcraft at some point? I'd be interested to know your thoughts on the different options.