[JohnDeere630]

*Update* For those who may be interested, I bought one of these about 2 years ago and have put about 200 hours on it milling 2D shapes out of aluminum (1/16", 1/8" and some 1/4") 6061 and 5052 and 1/4" ABS. It has paid for itself many times over at this point. A bit about the machine: It is a 6040 from goldraydigital on eBay for about $1700 IIRC, with the black box controller and a 1500 watt spindle, no USB. I run it from a 64-bit PC running Debian Linux and LinuxCNC. So far, other than bits and coolant, the only parts I have needed was some of the little fuses that go in the main AC plug, as occasionally, the ABS will plug the bit, melt a glob around it, stall the spindle, and blow the fuse before I can shut it off. This has happened twice in maybe 200 cuts in the ABS, both times because the coolant line kinked. I have that issue fixed now. I have a box of spare parts (steppers, couplings, drivers, a spare spindle motor and VFD and power supply) but haven't needed anything yet. It doesn't get a lot of maintenance, but I keep it blowed out and apply silicone grease to the slides and ball screws when I think of it, maybe once every month or two. There is no sign of slop or play in anything yet, and it is still accurate to within maybe a thousandth of an inch or so (as near as I can tell). I'm very happy with it, and now that I see the bare machine without the electrics is available, I'll pick one up by and by.

[aarggh]

That's really good to hear, I didn't use mine much at all as I upgraded to a larger machine pretty quickly after getting my 6040, but I still maintain they're a really well constructed machine, even if the controllers are garbage, and offer fantastic value.

cheers, Ian

[nosmokingbandit]

I just recently got a 6040 and I'm having trouble getting it to work correctly. Mine is a 6040 2.2kw spindle, usb, from GoldRayDigitial as well. I use Planet CNC's software since it works with usb (kind of).

I'm cutting slots in my wasteboard and occasionally the whole thing locks up and won't respond. I'm just running the commands manually since its just slots. I have to turn off the controller, unplug the usb, close the program, and start it all back up again. Then it seems to work for a few more minutes. Other times I'll get it cutting along the Y axis and when I let go of the button it simply keeps moving. I have to do the whole turn off/unplug/shutdown process again.

I emailed the seller yesterday but they haven't gotten back to me yet.

Any ideas?

[JohnDeere630]

I just recently got a 6040 and I'm having trouble getting it to work correctly. Mine is a 6040 2.2kw spindle, usb, from GoldRayDigitial as well. I use Planet CNC's software since it works with usb (kind of).

I'm cutting slots in my wasteboard and occasionally the whole thing locks up and won't respond. I'm just running the commands manually since its just slots. I have to turn off the controller, unplug the usb, close the program, and start it all back up again. Then it seems to work for a few more minutes. Other times I'll get it cutting along the Y axis and when I let go of the button it simply keeps moving. I have to do the whole turn off/unplug/shutdown process again.

I emailed the seller yesterday but they haven't gotten back to me yet.

Any ideas?

I have a few thoughts stemming from my own experiences with other CNC machines; I don't use USB to control steppers because USB is not a real-time protocol. I use the parallel port because it is a real-time system. I built a dedicated PC tower for the mill, and the motherboard has a parallel port header on the board, which just needed the port and cable assembly which I got on Amazon if memory serves. I tried Mach3 software and got exactly nowhere. My issues weren't as severe as yours, just jerkiness and a propensity to freezes. I use LinuxCNC, and once the step.conf file was configured properly, it has worked flawlessly ever since.

Sorry to ramble on so; in short, I bet it's the software/PC rather than the mill itself which is the source of your troubles.

[nosmokingbandit]

I've actually been able to run it for about an hour or so straight with no problems. The usb cord was shielded, but the shielding wasn't attached to the ground, making it completely useless. So I soldered the aluminum shielding to the copper ground (which is not super easy, btw) and it has been working great.

I did lose a few steps on both the X and Y (more on the X) on the last test cut I did. It was a multi-pass engrave on glass. I was cutting .005 in per pass with the spindle cranked up to 20K rpm. I kept it wet with a spray bottle and the cut was actually pretty clean. I think I was feeding it at 60 in/min, but I'm happy to adjust that if it is too fast and I'll lose steps.

What is the max feed-rate this machine should run at?

[JohnDeere630]

Well, you could try slowing it down & see if that eliminates the lost steps, I suppose. I have never experience that particular problem, so my insight is limited.

[Adverse Effects]

make a file that runs a big square and make it cut down about 3 mm or 1/8" and keep at about 0.1mm cut depth run it at max speed you can and keep turning it down bit by bit till you dont lose any steps then turn the speed down about 10% more and that should be a safe speed to run it all the time

this is how i worked out the top speed i can run at and it has not lost steps since

and by the way my speed over was over 2 times when i went from the control box that came with my 6040 ( blue box V2 ) then upgraded to a G-540

[aarggh]

and by the way my speed over was over 2 times when i went from the control box that came with my 6040 ( blue box V2 ) then upgraded to a G-540

These machines absolutely fly with a G540, there's just no comparison!

cheers, Ian

[JohnDeere630]

These machines absolutely fly with a G540, there's just no comparison!

cheers, Ian

When I get the 6040 without the electrics, I plan to use the G540. I have a feeling I have just been lucky with the black box controller, especially after hearing so many horror stories. I really need this machine for my business, and luck only carries so far.

[JohnDeere630]

Now that I'm on the subject, has anyone installed a Z height probe on one of these black box controllers? I've been meaning to do this, as it would save a bunch of time. Any info would be mucho appreciated!

[aarggh]

When I get the 6040 without the electrics, I plan to use the G540. I have a feeling I have just been lucky with the black box controller, especially after hearing so many horror stories. I really need this machine for my business, and luck only carries so far.

Ideally get a 48VDC power supply when you do so you get max performance out of the G540. You won't regret it.

cheers, Ian

[jm82792]

I tried tightening it down some with not much luck.
When it arrived all the axis would backdrive with ease, I tightened up the nut for the Y axis, there is more resistance, and less play but still 5 thousandths' play.. Any ideas? It appears they're kind of bodging the XY axis ballscrews with how they're being retained.. I'm not that mechanically inclined, and so I'm not sure how to proceed to fix this.
https://youtu.be/EOhUbgyYNUM
This one with a crude dial indicator setup..... and yes I'm not rotating the screw or so forth.
https://youtu.be/KGKXAlgoVMg?t=9s

[Adverse Effects]

its called using normal every day bearings 5 for $1 (most likely roller-skate ones 602 i think) instead of the correct $30 each bearings that have no backlash there are ways to reduce the backlash but there a lot of work

[jm82792]

OK so what is the proper terminology for the right bearings?
I'm sounding dull, but I own a couple Microcarve routers and they were perfect in compassion.. so I've never dealt with this before.
I sent the firm that video, I bought via Paypal direct from the factory, and thought I'd be less screwed than I am. I want to file a claim of some sort so I can buy the right bearings, as I won't use it to even cut wood as .005" is a lot of slop.
Overall the quality is decent... But I should have been very specific for what I wanted and don't know how long the linear bearings will last either. However, it appears with single purchases you don't get much freedom, and I surmise for larger orders they bend over backwards. I should have asked my Chinese friend and had her manage everything for me but I've now learned my lesson.

[Adverse Effects]

there looks to be more than just the wrong bearing there but here is the diffrence in bearings

left is normal type right in what all ballscrew's should have at lest

Attachment 324164

[jm82792]

From what I am reading I need two angular contact bearings on the support/drive side of the screw, and the other end is supported by a single bearing which permits the screw to expand, and contract with heat? Therefore, either a double angular contact bearing, or two singles back to back on one side?
They did not design the machine for that, so I must find a way to modify it as the amount of play I have is inappropriate at best.

[CNCRouterMakers]

I purchased mine from BilbyCNC in Australia. I was guaranteed by Chri Bilby that this machine is suitable fro Aluminum work, and it is definitely not, not the one I got in any case.

Problems:
1) Round rails and half blocks on X and Y very sloppy with 11mm play with 6mm cutting bit under full force on Y (long axis) and 4.5mm on X
2) VSD incorrectly programmed for motor in use, and RPM display was incorrect
3) VSD cable NO signal shield connected
4) Stepper motor cables NO signal shields connected
5) Spindle motor NOT electrically grounded. Ground wire runs up to the plug, but not soldered in inside the spindle motor.
6) Machine body NOT electrically grounded either
7) Incorrectly supplied t slot nuts. Unable to get replacement out of them after begging and photos.
8) Spurious e-stops despite using a smoothstepper

Repairs:
1) No solution found so far. HiWin blocks and rails nto a drop in replacement. Looking for other options.
2) Reprogrammed VSD, everything now working correctly.
3,4) Connected VSD and stepper motor shield at one end. No more intermittent e-stops!
5,6) Connected a temporary electrical earth to the machine's body. Electrician said it is safe as long as it is electrically earthed.
7) Still no resolution, I have given up.
8) Fixed now, since I have resolved 3 and 4.

[Adverse Effects]

that is the way 90% of the units where delivered nothing new there

[jm82792]

I ordered only a frame and paid more than the usual sum for it from a decent firm.
However, the Y axis only uses two bearings, and one of them was bad to begin with. However there is a pocket for another bearing, and with some work I might be able to fix the screw into place. I replaced one of the bearings with a $10 angular contact bearing, and it seems to be under .001" movement.
The X axis is well built with three bearings, and has maybe .001"... Not great but not terrible. No play in the linear slides at all, and moves very quickly.
They included an electrical harness. None of the cables are shielded, the spindle connector has no ground, and the wiring for the limit switches was craptacular. I used $100 of higher quality cables....
The X axis has a tiny bit of weirdness so it could be a poorly made bearing but it does glide decent.
All in all I feel the extra $100 was good, but still they cheaped out, and I do have them on Paypal... Maybe I can extract $20 for the missing metric hardware and bearing.

[jm82792]

BAH I have never done this before.
The cables use a foil shield with some stranded wire, so I suppose the shielding might break some but the stranding keeps it good.
I have got the entire thing moving and working. But the box layout is hard for me to organize and so I'm agonizing off of it.