[NIC 77]

Ouch! What kind of damage did it do to the machine?

[1Jumper10]

It ruined a collet spring. I checked run-out afterward and it was .002". Changed collet spring and re checked and it was ~.000. No damage to the machine. I did a couple surfacing routines and spindle tram also looks good.

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[NIC 77]

Nice that it was just the collet that was damaged. Where are you checking the runout? I've seen a couple vids of people checking runout right at where the bit fits into the collet, IMO that's deceptive because with a two inch bit, there is many times more runout than that at the tip. The POS hitachi routers I used to use had alot of runout, there were a few tricks I developed to reduce that, but it was never ideal. If your spindle has less than 1 thousandth of runout, that's really good! Of course, I'm talking about at the tool tip.

So have you tried this thing at some higher accelerations and speeds, or are you content with 35 in/sec^2? That's about 0.09G.

Nice work on bringing this project from start to almost finished now it seems!

[1Jumper10]

I was checking run-out on the shank of a bit up near the collet. I checked run-out on just the spindle when I first got it and it was next to nothing. So any run out is likely induced by my collet or collet spring or tool shank, not the spindle itself.

As for acceleration, even though I'm only going.09G I'm pretty happy with it for now. I think I'm going to try drilling some 1/2" holes at progressively faster accelerations and using a precision dowel pin to check its accuracy and specifically to see at what point the holes begin get oblong. I think that would tell me how fast I can accelerate before things begin to flex. I've only run a few g code files with it so far but I'm very happy with how stable it is. There is no shake at all at the current settings.

I'm making progress on my vacuum table the past couple days. It will have T tracks and vacuum. Still need to set up probing and get Gerry's 2017 screenset. And get an MPG configured. Does anyone have a recommendation for an MPG pendant for UCCNC?
And, probing is going to have to be handled differently with the UB1 board. The board is totally isolated from the machine so simply grounding an input like the normal probing I'm used to will not work. Probably going to need some type of dedicated probe that I have to install in the spindle. Like this:. Machine probe | TPA2. Definitely open to suggestions so post em if you got em.



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[NIC 77]

In my limited experience, runout is normally the result of crappy machining inside the spindle nose resulting in the collet not seating perfectly straight. Measuring next to the collet doesn't tell you much. I've never had a tool shank that wasn't perfectly straight, although compared to others my experience is limited.

[louieatienza]

Got the sub spoil board surfaced and epoxied. Epoxied both sides and the bolt holes with some really thin epoxy that soaked in pretty well. Should seal it from moisture intrusion and vacuum loss. The top will be a vacuum table with some T slots. It will span all the way across the I beams to the outer edges.

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That looks great! Hope to see some example cutting soon...

[1Jumper10]

Thanks Louie! Good to hear from you.

Since that pic I've got a VistaCNC pendant, a Korekesu Probe, and got the air compressor piped in. I'm a bit stymied on the vac table top at the moment. I had planned on using a venturi vac generator for the vacuum source but it doesn't flow enough. It pulls a real deep vacuum, ~25mm Hg, but it wont be able to maintain it over a large surface if there is ANY vac leak. So even though I don't have a suitable vacuum source at the moment, I think I'm going to put in the vacuum ports and the table top anyway in anticipation of a future solution. I'll have the T-slots in the interim. I still need to get probing set up. I cant do the touch -off contact plate like I did with my friends router because the UB1 is totally isolated from the machine. There is no conductive path from the tool to the UB1. When I get that figured out I can get Gerry's screen set installed and make use of its probing functions. I've been thinking about a DIY non-contact laser tool length sensor but I'd still have to have a touch off plate to set zero on the work piece.

I've had the X axis moving nicely at 900 IPM with accel set to 85 IPM/sec. I kept the Y at 800 IPM with the same accel and ran a few test files, just air cutting. The machine is very stable. I've since lowered the top speeds to 600 for the X and Y. I'm just a little more comfortable at that speed.

[hacker7]

Pleaase post a video air cutting or really cutting at those speeds!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That would be AWESOME.

[1Jumper10]

Making some progress on the work surface. I'm using 8020 T slot and rigid PVC board. T slots are screwed to the sub board and will be 1/8" below the top surface when finished. T slots are pocketed in. I installed inserts in the sub board so the top board can be bolted in. Planning on a vacuum table but I'm not sure on the vacuum source. Will probably use just a shop vac at first and see how it works.

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[NIC 77]

Looking Good!

[hacker7]

Yes Sir As NIC77 said LOOKING GOOD!!!!! Can't wait for the Video's !!!!!

[1Jumper10]

Finished installing the table top. I cut the boards to size and laid then down between the T-slots. After they were in place I routed in the same hole pattern in the PVC board to match up with the thread inserts in the sub board. I used 1/4-20 flat head screws and finish washers counter sunk 1/4" below the surface. I should have sunk them in 3/8" but more on that later.

When everything was fastened down and having waited a few days I put a 2" bit in and surfaced it. I was pretty happy with the tram on my spindle as the surface turned out very smooth. I had to remove .020" to get it all flat.

[1Jumper10]

Next I cut 6 flanges for the vacuum ports. I used some 1" thick cast nylon sheet and made it so it fit the inside of a piece of 1,1/2" pvc pipe. With the flanges cut I started cutting in the grid for the vacuum table. I used a 1/4" ball nose end mill and cut depth of .275" My intent was to use 5/16" gasketing material and I figured .275" would be about right for depth. I hit 3 screw heads in the first 2ft of cutting . I hadnt accounted for removing .020" of surface and 1/4" deep screws when I CAM'd the G-code. So I had to stop and raise my zero and start again. And replace 3 screws . But I got the grid and the ports cut and the flanges fit like a glove! Next thing is to find an adhesive that bonds nylon to PVC and glue on the flanges to the pipe and sink them into final position. I took some video of it in operation and uploaded it to YouTube. It just some straight cutting of the vacuum grid and ports. I'll cut something more interesting later and upload at least one more vid.

[1Jumper10]

YouTube https://youtu.be/BbCzxLG5edw

I've got a few things to add yet, probing capacity is the main thing, still need a vacuum source but its operational with the T-slot for now.

[ger21]

Do you have heat in that building?

[ger21]

It's a bit weird not hearing any stepper motors.

How are those gearboxes working out?

[1Jumper10]

Haha. No heat. It was 25 degrees today and that's why I was only going 350 IPM. It was ice cold. But we've got plans to ad some walls and keep it a little warmer with a heater. Probably by December.

The gearboxes are working great. Everything is coming out true. Circles are perfectly round, not oblong. As near as I can tell, the one time I measured backlash it was .0005".

[ger21]

That's why I asked. It was 17° when I went to work this morning.

[NIC 77]

It's nice to see this project come to fruition.

I need to really step up and get my own work done, so thanks for the inspiration to do that.

Yep, it's cold in Canada too! I got out and did some more welding before the snow fell. Yep, winter snow is here. The leaves all rained down literally 1 day before the snow fell. It makes raking the leaves a bit more difficult now .

That vacuum board looks real nice!

[1Jumper10]

We haven't had any snow yet. Rain the last couple days. I think the vacuum table is going to work out well. The pipe and valves shouldn't be too hard to install. PVC pipe will work well and it's cheap. I did some tuning on speeds and acceleration. I lowered the Accel a little but bumped up the top speed. I settled on 750IPM 55in/sec for the X and Y. It's a little less abrupt at these settings.

I'm going to install a bigger cable chain on the gantry. The current one is pretty full and there's some things I want to add on the Z axis. Namely a wire for a 3D probe, an LED light ring and a laser displacement sensor.

I also got a piece of polycarbonate for my enclosure cover. Now I just need some time to work on it. Oh and I got a heater for the shop too.

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