this gonna be a long one...
my cnc router's been doing fine and am having a lot of fun tinkering around.
Build Log here... an oldie riding on skate bearings, upgraded to HY 2.2kW spindle and VFD...
https://www.cnczone.com/forums/cnc-w...cnc-forum.html
never really noticed but when i started cutting aluminum, the "issues" became more apparent.
not getting the finish i see on youtube, i'm sure it's mostly my fault and inexperience, but i dub my cnc router, the tuning fork on steroids.
Issue #1, 3D printed sensor mounts
i've mounted my Y axis proximity sensor on a 3D printed mounting... this was the first obstacle.
no matter how hard i tried, i couldn't square it intelligently as the 3D printed plate always flexed and moved depending on how much tightening... so decided to make some new mounts out of 1/2" aluminum...
Attachment 477958
this superglue thing was fun... but don't inhale the fumes!
Attachment 477962
so the 1/4" pegs over 15" distance, get the feeler gauge, measure, sorta, then multiply the difference over 30" (distance between Y home and Y limit sensors)
Attachment 477960
indicator, snug it up, snug up some more... woa... this is a tremendous improvement!... and happy dance!
Issue #2, Lesson in importance of Degreasing and Work-holding(?)
So with the boosted confidence, it ain't broke but why not... got some left over stock... and this super glue and paint tape was fun too...
soooooooo.... X axis sensor mount... small job... until... yea... WD-40 don't like sticky stuff and vice versa...
what do you call it, not the work piece but the left over stock? well, it decided to move... and i have a piece of endmill somewhere in my shop... and the piece suffered minor problems...
but more importantly, noticed a lot of "chatter" on the Y axis cuts... meh, so long as it fits and holds... more sanding... and sanding... and sanding...
Attachment 477964
lesson learned... Degrease the crap out of it... and work holding... seriously...
Issue #3, Improving the Y Axis...
i've purchased some 20mm Linear Rails and Carriage Block to hold on my hand, waiting for an inspiration... or motivation... and finally...
Ok, so yea, i'm not even a novice at this, but with the excitement that i'm actually cutting Aluminum...
i've recently completed my biggest cut to date. the mounting plate for the linear rail carriages.
i opted to buy the expensive milled surface plates as i am still messing with the Z axis consistencies and tramming...
Degreased the crap out of the stock...
Blue tape and glued...
Drill Hole operation, then added screws... sigh, exhale... inhale... hold breath...
Drill bigger holes, sigh, exhale... inhale... hold breath...
Bore, breathe, other operations, breathe... etc...
so far so good.... time running bit late... getting tired... but longest operation yet...
again, my tuning fork on steroids on aluminum extrusions and skate bearings... so taking baby steps... contour (slotting) around the plates, about 30 minute job... slow and steady...
little over half the job, hmm... estop was somehow triggered... maybe something pressed the keyboard... but yea... started to hurt here...
never did i fully learn how to start a job that was stopped in mid job... yea, figuring that out was not fun... nor cheap, tho the broken endmill was an old one.
somehow it lost XYZ zero or something... dove right in and snap... then another, snap... now i have 3 endmills tips somewhere in my shop...
oh hell, i wont risk it... i'll just start the process from line 1... yea, i know... the dumb way... change the endmill, move to re-zero... wait a minute... where did my WCS origin go? oh (insert profanities)...
Lesson in WCS origin point... yea, don't pick a point that's gonna be cut away... right? lol?
so, hmm... 1/4" hole, get it as close to it, re-post gcode... ok... and since i didn't bother really learning Mach3... watched 20 mins of it cutting air...
Attachment 477966
that horizontal line was from the old endmill that had a chip...
the X-axis cut is smooth(er) than the Y-axis cut...
Attachment 477968
here's the bumpy Y axis cut...
checked the skate bearing and rails and lo and behold... chips! and chips galore!
despite my "best" effort in keeping chips clear, there's always some that seemed to have been stuck to the bearings.
a BIG sigh of relief... removed the stock, catch up on breathing... and getting ready for finishing passes...
so why not, despite the mishaps... confidence or foolishness has to go up a notch...
i found a 3flute endmill and i recall reading somewhere that 3 flutes are nicer for finishing passes...
so... yea...