[scedward]

I got started in CNC Routing a few years ago when I put together my first small desktop machine (Microcarve BBox). Its not a great machine, but it was exactly what I needed to get started at the right price. I've learned a ton using that little machine and made hundreds of little projects along the way. However, it is time to upgrade, and I chose the Pro4824 as the next step. I've spent many hours reading build logs, and thought I would share mine in hopes it might help someone else as they were at the same place I was. And for what its worth, this is a hobby machine for me.

I ordered the Pro4824, Plug n Play Nema 23 electronics, cable track kit, and limit switches. I'll be using my Dewalt 611 as the spindle for now. (I have it and collets)

I received the extrusions, and the remaining parts on Jan 21st. I took a day off work to take delivery, and to work on the table the machine will sit on. I chose to make the table out of wood. I would prefer a metal table made from square tubing, but the logistics of building that just weren't easy to deal with. So wood it is. I had some 1/2" Baltic birch, so I ripped it into 6" wide strips and laminated two pieces together. This 1" thick birch ply make up the perimeter of the table, with a sheet of 3/4" MDF as the top. 4x4's for the legs and some 2x8 fir for stringers along the bottom. The table is strong, and heavy. Oh, and it is 48 15/16 x 38. (I believe the recommended size is 49x37)

Heres some pics of the table:

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Leveling Casters installed.

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And the completed table:

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I'll post some more pics in the next few days as things progress.

[Kosh]

Nice clean work on the table!

[kaetamer]

Depending upon now long the table legs are, you're likely going to need some diagonal bracing to keep the table from shuttering with each short, quick movement of the gantry. I know yours looks sturdy (I used double 2x6s in a similar arrangement with the 2x6s interlocking with each other) and had unacceptable movement of the table. The fully assembled gantry moves effortlessly with the Nema23s but that sucker has an enormous moment of inertia. Scott

[Kosh]

I'm not sure, those stretcher look at least 6" wide? That and the top framing with similar good spacing on screws should resist racking quite well.

[LeeWay]

Did you use pocket screws and glue?
I used my old desk as a base for mine and found that I did need a few gussets under it. It is pretty solid now.
This is a small machine, but it has the speed and gantry weight of a large machine. It will be slinging some mass around.

[scedward]

Depending upon now long the table legs are, you're likely going to need some diagonal bracing to keep the table from shuttering with each short, quick movement of the gantry. I know yours looks sturdy (I used double 2x6s in a similar arrangement with the 2x6s interlocking with each other) and had unacceptable movement of the table. The fully assembled gantry moves effortlessly with the Nema23s but that sucker has an enormous moment of inertia. Scott

Hopefully not, but I'll know soon enough. Since the gantry moves in the short distance of the table, where it is the strongest, I hope it will work fine. But not a big deal either way. Adding some diagonal bracing won't be a big deal.

Thanks for the feedback! I'll post the next days assembly this evening.

[scedward]

I'm not sure, those stretcher look at least 6" wide? That and the top framing with similar good spacing on screws should resist racking quite well.

2 x 8's....so 7.25 wide.

Did you use pocket screws and glue?
I used my old desk as a base for mine and found that I did need a few gussets under it. It is pretty solid now.
This is a small machine, but it has the speed and gantry weight of a large machine. It will be slinging some mass around.

Yes, pocket screws and glue.

I'm quite interested to see how it works out. I spent a bit of time thinking about the rather simple design of this table, but I'm not a structural engineer.

Live and learn, right?

[LeeWay]

You also have some valuable storage under there as well.
I have a set of drawers under the middle of mine and keep material on both sides.
Worked out great.

[kaetamer]

Three quick points.
1) The table height (and subsequent center of gravity) should be as low as possible to avoid amplifying any movement - hence my comment about table leg length. If you get seasick, stay off the top deck of a ship where the movement is greatest.
2) While I used the longest screws the wood would allow and fit the table pieces as tightly as possible, I did not use glue. I wish I had and I suspect your use of it will improve the table stiffness measurably.
3) While it is true the gantry moves along the shortest (and presumably) strongest axis of the table, I'll say again, that gantry is quite heavy. The majority of unwanted movement my machine experienced was indeed along the short axis.
Two years after building my machine I've learned the table can't be too heavy or too stiff. But it can be too high.
Good luck. You're gonna love your machine. Best tool in my shop thanks to CNCRP and Ahren and Cory. Scott

[scedward]

Day 2 was Saturday. I only had a few hours free, so I got the base frame, rails, and gantry plates assembled.

Attachment 305646

My 7 Year old nephew was staying with us for a few hours, and was eager to help.
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First small snag. Once bolted down, this counter sunk screw was too proud for the cross bolts to thread in.
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No big deal, a few passes on the belt sander and it was good to go.
Attachment 305652

This was as far as I got on Saturday. But so far, everything is going together just as it should.
Attachment 305656

[Kosh]

Odd, I didn't have that problem

[scedward]

Odd, I didn't have that problem

Of the 9 or so of those I've installed, only one of them didn't fit right. I think the cross hole was drilled/tapped to close to the base. No big deal tho.

[scedward]

Day 3, Sunday. I had most of the day to work on assembly. I didn't really run into any real problems, though I did find it difficult to get the V-con rails parallel and true. Not difficult, but it does take some time and plenty of fiddling.

All in all, quite uneventful.

Some pics from Sunday:

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Light at the end of the tunnel? One of those cool pics that I didn't even notice at the time I took it.
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At this point, I'm about 9-10 hours into the build.

[scedward]

Question for Mach3 and ESS users:

The computer I will be using has been in use with my small desktop machine. I have the latest version of Mach3(***.66), with the parallel port driver installed (to a G540). I believe I can install the recommended older version of Mach3(****.62) on top of the current version. I am curious tho, if I need to remove/uninstall the parallel port driver? Or can I leave things as they are? Am I going to run into problems because the parallel port driver is already installed? I'm also using Ger21's 2010 screenset.....

[Kosh]

I think I removed the driver to make sure.

It is Windows after all, the biggest POS software of them all. Part of me died when I had to buy a Windows box to run it!

[LeeWay]

You should be given the option during installation to install that driver or not. Just skip that part. Just make sure you reboot the computer afterward.
That should work fine for you.

[ger21]

I'd probably remove the driver. Instructions are in the manual to uninstall it.

[LeeWay]

The problem with the manual is that it is made based on early versions.
I have done it both ways and you should not have any trouble either way.
In fact I have just overwritten the driver before as well with no issues.
The booting is optional too, but good practice for any software usually.
It may be that different versions of Windows handles how you manipulate it differently.

[scedward]

This week I only had a few hours here and there in the evenings to work on assembly. But I did get the Z-Axis installed, motors, and cable trays/E-Chain. The only issue I had was one Pinion gear just did not want to spin freely on the shoulder bolt. After working with it for awhile, cleaning, lubricating, and spinning by hand I was finally able to get it smoothed out. Other than that, everything went well. I did also take time to locktite the motor pulley set screws.

Pics:

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[scedward]

Today, I ran cables and worked on the computer get Mach3 sorted out to talk to the ESS.

For the computer part I already had Mach3 installed with the parallel port driver. The changes I made were:

1. Removed Parallel port driver from Windows.
2. Backed up Mach3 folder
3. Installed older recommended version of Mach3 on top of current version.
4. Installed Ethernet Smoothstepper Plugin
5. Installed/Ran SCU setup utility to set ethernet settings and verify communication with ESS.
6. Launched Mach3, selecting ESS driver.

With everything plugged in and powered up, I reset the Estop. And guess what? It all just worked.

Next, I shut down Mach3 and created a duplicate of the CRP profile so I could configure things to my liking. To that end, I made the following changes:

1. Since I intend to work from the front of the machine I swapped the X and Y Axis(Changed Pin assignments for each), Slave axis is now slaved to Y instead of X.
2. Z was backwards, so I reversed that. Up was down, and down was up...
3. Once everything was working, I setup X-Box controller plugin and verified function.
4. Selected 2010 Screenset, and copied macros over. Verified homing, and slave homing was working. Big thumbs up for Ger21's screenset. Been using it for a few years.

Next on the list will be getting a spoilboard installed so I can do some tramming. I have the first layer cut, but need to drill holes while I wait for some T-nuts to arrive.....