[tonydiethelm]

Hi All,

I built a 3 axis wood mill. It works for me. Better than that, I wrote a python script that generates all my part dimensions for me. Don't like my dimensions? change the script, it'll spit out dimensions for whatever X, Y, Z space you need.

There are probably bugs. Everything seems to work for me though. I used these scripts to build a gantry suited to an already existing table.

G+ page with links/pics is:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/?tab=mX#...74504751/posts
(pardon my messy garage)

direct links to a dxf file and the python scripts are:
http://ubuntuone.com/22fEzg0grXRTJCtKIA6taT
http://ubuntuone.com/4DFl2P7zKR6VwiqoLR8NOb

I could really use the help of a python programmer. I want to use this script to spit out my parts into FreeCad (which uses Python) as a FreeCad macro. It'd make testing new versions a LOT faster.

Anyway... I want to release this to the world. I don't know under what license. Lets say an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA ).

Thanks for looking,

Tony Diethelm

Edited to reflect new script due to feedback.

[PaulRowntree]

Hi Tony!
I love your spirit of sharing. Could you please post your work here, instead of behind a registration based G+ system? I am sure you will get more interest from this targeted forum that way. Pics here on the 'zone will generate more interest and discussion too.

Can you describe your machine? Size, performance, speed,...

Cheers!

[tonydiethelm]

Ah, right, G+ registration... sigh. I hate that about social networks. Anyway.

Here are some pics. As for speed? Dunno, I've been taking it slowly for now.

Size doesn't matter. Use the script and make it whatever size you want. That's the point.

I will say that I have about 1% error on my axes straight from initial hookup, using (calculated-true)/true*100. I have yet to fiddle with my settings to try for something more accurate. For what I'm intending, this may be good enough not to care.


I do have some more things to fix. I need to double up the Z axis motor mount to avoid any flexing there. I'm not happy with the nut holder.

Tony Diethelm

[PaulRowntree]

Here are some pics. As for speed? Dunno, I've been taking it slowly for now.

Size doesn't matter. Use the script and make it whatever size you want. That's the point.


Tony Diethelm

Looks good Tony. Congratulations, make some chips and have fun with it!

Just a caution about the size & scaling. Most folks find that size controls design, and that you cannot simply make a bigger machine by scaling it up. What works well on the 12" length scale will be flexy at 36" scales, and could collapse under its own weight at 6'. Knowing the speed and performance at a particular size helps people judge the limits of scaling.
Cheers!