[cambosoup99]

Thought id post some progress of my current build. Still waiting on the postman to deliver some odds and ends to complete the build. So far its going together smoothly. I had to cross brace the table, didn't like the way it came out but its rock solid now. I'll probably come back later and replace it with plywood when I get all the underside electronics done.

[ahren]

Sing,

Looking really good! Even in these smaller machines there is a lot of moving mass, so the bracing is important on the base. Your idea to replace it with plywood should work fine -- but whatever gets the job done Nice work!

Ahren
CNCRouterParts

[DonFrambach]

Looks great!!!! Congrats!

[vtx1029]

Looking good

[neilw20]

Just a thought.. Has the PC a solid state hard disk?
If not, the vibration into the mechanical hard drive won't be too nice to it.
Have the PC mount isolated from the main machine on it's own legs or some other arrangement that gives 100% mechanical isolation.
The heads 'fly' above that disk so close, that a molecule of smoke won't fit in the gap.

[cambosoup99]

Just a thought.. Has the PC a solid state hard disk?
If not, the vibration into the mechanical hard drive won't be too nice to it.
Have the PC mount isolated from the main machine on it's own legs or some other arrangement that gives 100% mechanical isolation.
The heads 'fly' above that disk so close, that a molecule of smoke won't fit in the gap.

Thanks i'll look into it. This wasn't something I considered when I decided to put it underneath. I guess the better choice would be to put it on a separate stand underneath if there's to much vibration.

Also need help on deciding how to mount my t tracks for clamp hold downs. I have six 48" long pieces of these. Pictured below how it might look. Blue represent the track and the orange / red box represent the possible 2x4 workpiece. In between the blue lines will be 1/2" Mdf filler panels.

What would be the better way to mount it?

[kinghong1970]

Just a thought.. Has the PC a solid state hard disk?
If not, the vibration into the mechanical hard drive won't be too nice to it.
Have the PC mount isolated from the main machine on it's own legs or some other arrangement that gives 100% mechanical isolation.
The heads 'fly' above that disk so close, that a molecule of smoke won't fit in the gap.

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never used sandisk ssd but if price is good, i may just go and grab one for my cncrp computer.

[neilw20]

ANY vibration is not good for the hard disk.
If it MUST be attached to machine mount the HD or the PC on a HEAVY block of steel.

[Lasersolution]

Hello, it is realy a good work. but why not purchased a used machine from you country? you can use it's machine's body, and add other configuration by yourself. I think the machine's body should be stronge enough to provide a precision and stable work.

Web:Farleylasercnc international Co., ltd - CO2 laser cutting machine, fiber laser cutting machine, waterjet cutting machine, CNC Router Machine, laser engraving machine
Email:[email protected]

[cweston]

Just a thought.. Has the PC a solid state hard disk?
If not, the vibration into the mechanical hard drive won't be too nice to it.

That's a great suggestion. I just picked up a few SSD's from some killer Black Friday sales. Might be a little too late to get a really good deal now

[vtx1029]

Thanks i'll look into it. This wasn't something I considered when I decided to put it underneath. I guess the better choice would be to put it on a separate stand underneath if there's to much vibration.

Also need help on deciding how to mount my t tracks for clamp hold downs. I have six 48" long pieces of these. Pictured below how it might look. Blue represent the track and the orange / red box represent the possible 2x4 workpiece. In between the blue lines will be 1/2" Mdf filler panels.

What would be the better way to mount it?

What ever you do I would make your spoil board or board you have go all the way to the insides of the extrusion but thinking back you may not have done this because the carriage would hit? I have a 1/2 piece of ply under a 3/4 sheet of MDF on my machine and it has served me well. It keeps a ton of sawdust from falling under the machine.

As for the placement of the T-slots I would space them out as far as possible and then equally space the other three between the outer 2 running lengthwise on your table.

[cambosoup99]

What ever you do I would make your spoil board or board you have go all the way to the insides of the extrusion but thinking back you may not have done this because the carriage would hit? I have a 1/2 piece of ply under a 3/4 sheet of MDF on my machine and it has served me well. It keeps a ton of sawdust from falling under the machine.

As for the placement of the T-slots I would space them out as far as possible and then equally space the other three between the outer 2 running lengthwise on your table.

Yes it would have hit the carriage if i went all the way around with the 3/4" mdf. But im not to worried about dust falling to the floor because the extrusions sit on top of butcher block that supports it all the way around. May get some dust in between the butcher block and space under the spoil board. Which i could just vacuum up after im done with the job. Although I do have plans later to ad vacuum ports to the underside of the butcher block.

I came up with this today I think doing it this way would allow me to clamp down my 2'x4' workpiece more effectively? Only used 4 of the 6 slots. Its not mounted just layed out to get an idea of how it would work.
I should have ordered the longer tracks but when I planned this out initially, the tracks were to be mounted horizontal not vertical but after laying out a piece of 2'x4' material on the machine I found out that horizontal tracks wasn't the best way to mount it.

I may end up just mounting as pictured and cut the remaining slots to fill in the gaps where the slots don't reach the ends of the table. That would give me solid 4 clamp down areas at the ends of the workpiece.

[cambosoup99]

Made more progress on the machine last night. Got the t-slot track mounted. The spindle power cord soldered and the coolant flow meter installed.

I made some progress on how I might install the limit switches and seems to be a workable solution. Got some 1/4" aluminum strips from Home Depot and tapped it for M2 screws so I could mount the switches. Then the aluminum strip gets screwed to the t slot extrusion. When mounted the roller lever hits the carriage bearing as pictured.

I got a chance to plug everything in and make a test run. Seems like everything is wired correctly and working.

I think i might have a little gantry racking going on though or maybe I just need to ad more shims to the risers. How do you guys make sure that your racks on both sides of the y axis are aligned to each other? I used a ruler and measured the spacing. Is there a better way?

[vtx1029]

To square the gantry: remove tension from the Y and A axis rack and pinion, Pull the gantry to the front or back of the bumpers if one side is not touching shim the other side between the upright and the extrusion in the back.

Read the tips and tricks or what ever its called on the CRP website there's some good stuff there.

[cambosoup99]

To square the gantry: remove tension from the Y and A axis rack and pinion, Pull the gantry to the front or back of the bumpers if one side is not touching shim the other side between the upright and the extrusion in the back.

Read the tips and tricks or what ever its called on the CRP website there's some good stuff there.

I did that and BTW I read all that whole section before I put the machine together. Still when I run the machine with the keyboard it seems to still not be square. That's why I thought maybe the racks weren't aligned.

[vtx1029]

I did that and BTW I read all that whole section before I put the machine together. Still when I run the machine with the keyboard it seems to still not be square. That's why I thought maybe the racks weren't aligned.

Is your steps per inch and accel set the same for the master and slave axis?

[cambosoup99]

Is your steps per inch and accel set the same for the master and slave axis?

I'll check I'm using the xml file from the website. thanks

edit: checked the y and a axis and they both match.

I removed tension to the gantry as you suggested moved it so it lined up to the bumpers again. Retightened the tensioners. Ran the machine with keyboard again and now it seems square.
It may have jumped a tooth or something in my initial test run probably because didn't have enough tension. All seems good to go now.

[cambosoup99]

My idea on limit switch mounting isn't going too well, I manage to break all the M2 taps. Making me think, maybe I need to reconsider using these switches all together.

[cambosoup99]

I needed a place to connect all my 12v accessories and this is what I came up with. A ground bus bar and 6 circuit fuse block epoxied into a pvc electrical enclosure.

[vtx1029]

I'll check I'm using the xml file from the website. thanks

edit: checked the y and a axis and they both match.

I removed tension to the gantry as you suggested moved it so it lined up to the bumpers again. Retightened the tensioners. Ran the machine with keyboard again and now it seems square.
It may have jumped a tooth or something in my initial test run probably because didn't have enough tension. All seems good to go now.

If you e-stop the machine you should be able to pull it to the stops and do the same thing. I did that forever before I set mine up to auto square.

FYI when you get to that point you may want to edit the homing VB to home the Y and A axis at the same time. This way it won't rack the gantry when it homes.