[Dr Zoot]

Rocket, How are you going to fit this in the garage ... will you have to kick out a Mustang?
Zoot

[rocket67]

Rocket, How are you going to fit this in the garage ... will you have to kick out a Mustang?
Zoot

Hi Zoot, No - just an old rustbucket.

How did you get on with your intended router purchase?

Rocket.

[Dr Zoot]

Rocket
I realised I had so much to learn, so I opted to buy a Widgetmaster Midi to get started and would like to build a machine down the track a bit ... something like Rodm1954 or Greolts.
Sorry to put this in the Exitech thread, but it seemed like a logical place.
Have fun with your new router and the Mustangs.
Regards,
Alan

[rocket67]

We had a situation late last week.

Ramon who operates the Excitech lost the USB memory stick - which downloads the files into the DSP controller.

He tried to use another USB stick that he bought at a local supermarket, but it did not work and he lost the files in the process.

So we emailed Taney at sh-cnc to find a way to fix it. He emailed us the instructions to restore the files and Ramon quickly had us up to speed again.

Taney also kindly sent us a couple of spare USB memory sticks so that if we ever lose one we will have spares on hand.

This is another example of the great service and assistance that we receive from Taney and the crew at sh-cnc.

Taney - If you read this - Thankyou - You are a bloody ripper bloke!

Rocket.

[rocket67]

Zoot, I do not know of the Widgetmaster Midi machine, but i am sure that if you bought one they must be good.

You appear to be fairly knowledgable in cnc so no doubt you will quickly master the new machine.

Hope it all goes well for you.

If you need some inspiration for things to make - check out the gallery in the vectric ( V Carve Pro ) forum.

Rocket.

[mhkwd]

Spencer, How is your progress with your router? I am due to have mine delivered on 06/17 so I am getting close. Your experience and pictures on setting it up would be a great help.

Thanks, Mitch

[gavinmetzler]

Sorry, haven't posted in a long while. I ordered an SHM0609 off Taney, with the 2kw spindle. It arrived 3 weeks ago, and has almost paid its way already!

All in all, I'm really happy with the machine and the service.

Some comments that are probably mirrored in this thread ... but I will just related my experience for others ...

I didn't realise that the DSP doesn't use the F Feed speed in the G-code program, but this hasn't been a major problem ... by splitting the program up, I can let one part run at one speed, then come back and run the next program and set it at a different speed. Alternatively, stand and watch it the whole time and adjust the speed during the program.

The other thing that another user also found ... there were iron filings all over the ways and ballscrews. Fortunately I checked for this before turning the machine on for the first time, so was able to clean most of it off, and then washed out the bearings with copious amount of oil until I was happy. Haven't got around to packing with grease again so am just oiling regularly.

THe other thing ... the SHM0609 is HEAVY. Two people can't move it. I ended up dragging it into the garage with my car. I really should have videoed that - it would have been a laugh.

Also, the spindle isn't perfectly plumb. I will adjust this when I get a chance. I haven't checked if the axis are all perpendicular to each other yet. Table was reasonably flat, but I think I will rip it off anyway and put down a plywood vacuum table anyway. Oh, the T-bolts didn't fit into the T-slots in the table. I had to grind about 1mm off the bottom of them to get them to go in.

But I am really happy with the 3D interpolation of the DSP - it is smooth, fast and accurate. It handles tiny line movements of 0.01mm. Its great for 3D carving. Seems to have large lookahead and curved acceleration - something I don't think EMC or Mach3 have ... but once I've done my Mach3 mod I will let you know how the 3D interpolation compares.

Another thing on the DSP - it can't handle large radius values. I'm not sure of the full scope of the problem, all I know is I had a program with large I and J values because it was descriving an arc of 75 metre radius - and the machine just did weird things when encountering these. I changed the post on my CAM software to use a maximum of 9.9 metre radius, and the problem was fixed. Cost me $50 in scrap material, so no biggie.

Like others I found the DSP doesn't work with most other USB drives, so if you're getting a DSP machine from Excitech, ask Taney for a couple of extras.

Also, the 2kw motor is fantastic. Downside is the air cooling thingy is VERY loud. Upside, it has all the power the machine itself could ever drive. I can set the RPM to 6000, and drill with a 10mm drill into polyethylene - The 7.5kW at work struggles with it. I guess there is a compromise when you make the spindle capable of 24000 rpm, that it loses torque at the lower RPMs - but my 2kw is just perfect even though it only goes up to 18000. I actually dont run it over 16000, because of the noise.

In fact, if you saw what the machine was doing, you'd never believe it came off a <$10k machine.

Oh, the C.A.D thingy (the automatic height gauge) stopped working yesterday. Haven't figured out the problem yet -had an order to get out, so just set the height with a piece of paper.

Had some other random weirdness with the DSP and had to reset from time to time. I think most of it can be traced to trying to use other USB sticks. One stick actually seemed to work for a while, and then I found I couldn't run programs off it, but could copy them into internal mem and then run. Then even that stopped working and it would cause the DSP to hang if I tried to set the XY or Z origins ... just having the stick plugged in. So I went back to the original stick (which is without cover, because I smashed it accidentally on day one, so I just hold it by the edge of the circuit board), reset the DSP and all has been fine since. I really need to get another one of those USB drives.

I bought a Ryobi vacuum ... that was my best buy - I think it was about $250 at Mitre 10. It sucks better than an industrial bag collector unit (single bag that is ... the 3-phase, 4-bag at work is pretty darn powerful) and has a 60 litre collection chamber, a range of nozzles and blows as well as sucks.

I built a big 18mm MDF box right around the whole machine, with rubber strip all around the bottom to seal against the floor and a 10mm acrylic window to peer into. My reason for making the box was the noise (which it reduced incredibly. the neighbors dont even know the machine is running anymore) but it is also perfect for containing the swarf, and acts as a safety barrier too - I don't feel quite so vulerable swinging that 150mm long, 16mm diameter cutter anymore. Oh, the top half of the box hinges open to grant access to the machine. In hindsight, the box could have been a tiny bit bigger and had some access panels in it ... but I had an order to get out and had one day to design, get CNC cut and assemble the box.

I'm a little suspicious of the power cabling on the machine - I'm not sure they took the 2kW spindle into account - I will upgrade it to something of larger diameter soon. Haven't actually checked if it gets warm - its rather hard to access when the machine is running because of the box around it.

Oh, thats another thing - I took the 'modesty' panels off the machine and detached the electrical box from it - they were just acting as sounding boards and amplifying the noise.

One disadvantage of the 2kW spindle compared to the 1.5kW - the 1.5 is round and can be slid up and down on its mount 'continously'. IE, if you need to cut thick material with a long cutter, you can loosen the mounting clamp and slide the motor up a bit. But on the 2kW, you can't. You can, though, turn the mounting plate upside down which raises the motor about 100mm. Fortuitously, this was exactly the amount I needed. Even more forunate for me ... I found the machine actually has 140mm of Z travel and not the 120mm programmed into the DSP limits. So I changed the limit in the DSP and gained an extra 20mm. Yeehaaa! ACtually, same applies to X and Y, you can steal a fair bit more than the 600x900mm.

Phew, I think thats all. I will post photos on the weekend, but only if you want me to. If no one reads this far, then I will be spared the effort.

[Big S]

I have had issues with my USB drive also, I managed to get some Legend 256MB ones that work great.

Ditto on the limit extensions, My 1530 gets around 1560mm x 3180mm.

I'm a fast reader, where are the photos

Shannon.

[cabnet636]

taney sent me the new and up dated site last night

here for you to see
http://www.webshcnc.com/english/index.asp


jim

[gavinmetzler]

I wasn't so lucky with the filings situation actually. I figured just copious washing out with oil and jogging back and forth, washing with more oil would be sufficient.

But I noticed a slight clicking sound on the Z axis today, so decided to completely dismantle the linear bearings, and found they had been seizing - on the round ground rod you can see (and feel) the skid marks.

The bearing blocks were still full of filings. So I washed them out completely and repacked with grease, and touched up the rail with a bit of emery paper. It won't be perfect, sadly, but glad I caught it now. It was only one rail that was scored, the other one is still perfect, so hopefully there won't be any slop. I really should replace all the balls, but will put that off for a few months.

Tomorrow I will check the ballscrew nut, and then move onto the X axis ...

[ksealey]

Hi All

I have been cloistered away in the shed happily enjoying my Excitech for some time. Unfortunately my machine is playing up I would appreciate any suggestions that you may have as to what might be causing it.

It is shuddering and banging when it gets "Home" on the X axis but only if the Y is already home as well. I presumed that this meant that there was a problem with one of the limit switches and one of the axis was hard stopping.

I have checked the limit switches by intercepting them with a handheld metal object as they are returning home and each axis stops dead where it was intercepted without any subsequent shuddering.

The Y axis switch lights when the limiter is reached but then turns off. When the X axis reaches the limiter the red LED on the switch remains lit and the machine shudders. If I push the metal strip away from the limit switch the red light goes off and the shuddering stops. When I allow the metal strip to return the light relights but there is no shuddering. If I hit Home again in that position even though the machine has nowhere to go and does not move the shuddering restarts.

I have created a new trigger strip 300 mm in from the existing one on the X axis and it reproduces the error. Also the X axis appears to get confused and on occasions will head away from home instead of towards it when I hit the Home button.

Does any one have any ideas?

Ken
PS gavinmetzler my CAD thingy stopped working a while back to. It turned out that the connection between the wire and the brass disk was broken.

[Big S]

Sounds a bit like a software error, Have you tried disconnecting the DSP and making sure it is getting a good contact with the cable? I would also check the connections into and out of the stepper driver modules inside the control cabinet and see if anything is loose.

Also it should slowly back off the homing limit sensor if it has been jogged too far onto it before the machine is homed.

Shannon.

[fixtureman1]

It may be your ramp speed is set to high.

[ksealey]

Sounds a bit like a software error, Have you tried disconnecting the DSP and making sure it is getting a good contact with the cable? I would also check the connections into and out of the stepper driver modules inside the control cabinet and see if anything is loose.

Also it should slowly back off the homing limit sensor if it has been jogged too far onto it before the machine is homed.

Shannon.

Thanks Shannon and fixtureman1 I have checked all the connections and everything seems OK.
Does anyone know if there is a way to "reboot" the DSP and reset it to its defaults? I presume there isn't any data stored elsewhere in the machine.

Ken

[Big S]

I think there is a way to reset it, just be aware that any files saved on it will be lost and also the settings for home direction, travel speeds, etc,etc. You will need to write down all the settings so they can be reloaded. I don't have my DSP here as it is on the machine at the workshop but I can bring it back with me today and get some pics.

The other thing is to check all the settings in the DSP.

Have you emailed Taney about the fault?

Shannon.

[ksealey]

Thanks Shannon. I have contacted Taney and he gave me the default settings but not the technique to perform the reset. I have checked the settings he gave me against what is on my machine and they are correct. Can anyone tell me if it is normal for the red indicator light on the limit switch to remain on after it has triggered and the machine has come to rest on that axis? Ken

[Big S]

Hi Ken,

I can have a look at my machine and see, The proximity sensors will have the light on when the metal is detected. In the manual for the sensors it states that the light can still operate even if the sensor is faulty. I think on my machine the axis goes onto the sensor and then backs off slightly, I cannot remember if the light goes out though. I will have to check.

You could try checking the y and z axis to see what they do?

To change the topic slightly here is some good info on plastic routing I came across.
http://www.plasticrouting.com/van.asp

Shannon.

[ksealey]

Thanks Shannon the Z axis switch is hidden which just leaves me with the Y axis. The Y axis goes out after it is triggered but I can't tell from that if the Y is the good one or the X!

I am starting to suspect the lead to the DSP may be at fault. I lost the top of one of the pins 6 months ago. I bent it accidently and when I straightened it the top part snapped off. Even though it was shortened a bit the machine had been working fine. I can also recall that once when the lead wasn't quite plugged in the machine headed off along the X axis away from home on its own in a similar manner. I have been looking on the net but haven't been able to find a similar lead. Does anyone know where I can get one?

Ken

[Big S]

I would email Taney and see if he can supply another, (hopefully he isn't getting too many emails )

Shannon.

[rocket67]

Hi Fellas - Been a bit busy on a couple of projects.

Ken - Good news on the DSP cable. Jimmy 007 had already looked into this, and the details are on his post - no. 1294 ( 17th Jan 08 ).
Jimmy put up a link http://www.unitechelectronics.com/scsicables.htm

He believes that it is a Honda scsi 50 way Male to Honda 50 way Male cable. It should cost about $40

Of course it may be easier to get one from Taney.

Hope this sorts out the problem with your machine.

Rocket.