[Biggs427]

That's a really nice finish!

What's the dimension of this fin?

Is the 7075 really harder to machine than 6061?

[Devastator]

Thank you!

Machined area of 6" X 13". 7075 is just slightly harder than 6061, but machines cleaner because it is not as soft. I like the way it polishes too.

[Devastator]

Finished in copper anodizing. Pretty convincing.

[Devastator]

I've got a problem that's been driving me crazy for awhile. When I use my rotary axis, Mach 3 is ignoring acceleration settings during Z retracts. Only after every "A" move. Anybody know a workaround? The only thing I can think of is to slow my Z speed way down but I'm doing engraving files so that would double my processing time. Maybe some sort of post processor that codes in the acceleration after every "A" move?

[ger21]

Sounds like you've run into the Mach3 trajectory planner bug.
The only real workaround might be to add a short move before the retract.
Most people that I've seen, that run into this bug, stop using Mach3 altogether, and move on to a better control.

[louieatienza]

If you're just engraving, you could try making another Mach3 profile and set your rotary axis as your Y axis; use the circumference of your part to figure out steps/inch.

[Devastator]

If you're just engraving, you could try making another Mach3 profile and set your rotary axis as your Y axis; use the circumference of your part to figure out steps/inch.

That's what I'm doing already because I'm only using a 3 axis driver. So I unplug the Y and plug in the A, then load my mach profile.

- - - Updated - - -

Most people that I've seen, that run into this bug, stop using Mach3 altogether, and move on to a better control.

Ok, thanks. Been considering that for awhile.

[louieatienza]

That's what I'm doing already because I'm only using a 3 axis driver. So I unplug the Y and plug in the A, then load my mach profile.

With your A axis as A in Mach, or Y?

[Devastator]

With your A axis as A in Mach, or Y?

The profile is set up for A. But I've run it in angular or distance with the same result. I think it may have something to do with the high resolution requiring so many pulses to the harmonic drive because I've also noticed that it's not just when it raises the Z, it's also when it changes direction in X after every A move. There's no ramp up to full speed, it just goes full bore.

[Devastator]

After five years using the hobbycnc ezdriver I finally switched over to the Gecko G540. Through no fault of the driver, a flake of aluminum shorted out my Z chip. So after a few hours of soldering new cable ends and configuring pin-outs I'm making parts again. I can sure tell the new driver is much stronger, those motors really get singing now. I have to make a new enclosure, right now it's just sitting loose so I can get back up and running. Nice to have the charge pump feature and of course the 4th axis so I don't have to swap cables and load a different XML every time I need to use the rotary axis.

[Devastator]

A bit of time invested in this one.

[ger21]

Can I ask how much those sell for?
Really nice work.

[Devastator]

Can I ask how much those sell for?
Really nice work.

Thanks! This one was $500. A steal at that price. Good to mach 5+.

[ger21]

Nice.

[Devastator]

Nice.

Thanks for the comment! Good to know that someone is still following my thread. I think I've finally found out why my Z is ignoring acceleration when I use my A axis. I believe it's my slow computer. My A axis takes so many pulses due to the high resolution that it's too fast for the lowest kernel speed. So after every A move, it tries to catch up so it skips the acceleration and tries to go full speed. How I discovered this was by accident. After I installed the G540 I decided to try a higher kernel speed. Then all the axes starting doing the same thing!

So I think I'm going to upgrade to a computer built sometime this century, lol. But that will take some reconfiguring because my SuperPid is installed in the old computer case, so I have to build an enclosure for it.

[Carl10]

I read your build thread and am very impressed with the quality of your finished products! I am in the process of designing a mostly Baltic Birch machine. Looking through your posts (and since you said you were 3/4 complete when you started this thread) I didn't find an overview of your build and with the mostly black parts it was hard to determine what was wood or metal. From the quality of parts you make I'm guessing there are a few modifications made to the basic Solsylva build. Could you provide a 3D shot of your machine and an overview of your build.

Thanks in advance.
Carl

[Devastator]

I read your build thread and am very impressed with the quality of your finished products! I am in the process of designing a mostly Baltic Birch machine. Looking through your posts (and since you said you were 3/4 complete when you started this thread) I didn't find an overview of your build and with the mostly black parts it was hard to determine what was wood or metal. From the quality of parts you make I'm guessing there are a few modifications made to the basic Solsylva build. Could you provide a 3D shot of your machine and an overview of your build.

Thanks in advance.
Carl

Sorry for the slow reply, I'm just seeing this. I don't come to the zone very often anymore, I'm just too slammed with jobs and I haven't done any new modifications to my machine in a long time. All of my critical wood components are made from laminated birch ply to a thickness of 1.5" and the I use 1.5" steel angle iron glued and bolted as edging. Keep in mind if you try this, you have to radius the edge of the plywood because the angle iron has a fillet radius on the inside corner.