"RatRider" V1E LowRider V4

"RatRider"
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Primary Contact	AJ
Created	02/2025
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Status	Ongoing
Type	Members Project
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I have access to a lot of "scrap" plywood from work, and I just can't make stuff out of it fast enough. Or good enough, I'm not very good at woodwork. So, obviously, I built a machine to do the woodwork for me. It's the "Lowrider" V4 design from Ryan at V1 Engineering which is *awesome*. Super well thought out, and you can build it to a size that suits the available space. Or do what I did, which is build it to be able to chew up a full 8x4ft sheet in one job, and then have to expand your shed to put it in.

The majority of the machine is 3d printed, which I did at home on my trusty Prusa MK2.5 although the strut plates I made on the Laser Cutter in 5mm ply. I also initially made the end plates on the laser in 5mm ply, but the machine couldn't lift it's Z axis without assistance. So I've milled some out of 5mm alu on the Superbox CNC Router and that should have me off to the races.

Ryan quotes the cost to build the machine as sub $800 and much less if you print the printed bits yourself. In my case, because I had steppers, leadscrews and control boards etc laying around the cost came in at sub £400. *Including* buying tooling. Absolutely mad for the capability it has!

My build thread on the V1E forums (where I share my various mistakes along the way) is here: https://forum.v1e.com/t/ratrider-lr4-build-in-the-uk/48329. There's a great community around these machines.

If I can build it, you can too (and if you do, feel free to pick my brain!)