Originally Posted by
handlewanker
Hi, this is a subject foremost in my mind at present as I'm just now entering into the real world of CNC machining, and the aspect of a 4th axis for DIY is where I'm at.
Second question......in this design the stepper is on the side nearest the column.......would it be better to have mounted it on the front side to keep it clear of the column, even though when using the 4th axis the spindle is mostly on the centre line anyway and so clear of the column?
I would think the position of the stepper would be better if it was attached on the back of the frame not the front.
The last question is........why is there no guard or enclosure on the belt drive mechanism......chips and coolant in that area will play havoc with a timed belt drive mechanism.
It's a very neat build and well made, so my comments are just information gathering for when I do the same exercise for real, but as I will be attempting to use a set-up with compound gearing for the 1:60 reduction, I'll use this build as a watch point for comparison.
Ian.