[widgitmaster]

You nailed it! Looks fantastic

Looks like your the only one who frequents this massive post, I'm glad I still have one friend left (chair)


So I guess no one would be interested in knowing about the electrical fire in the control box!
For several days I've been smelling burnt electronics, along with a malfunctioning Z-Axis!
Finally this morning the whole shop smoked up, the Z-Axis stopped functioning, and I had to open the garage door which let the cold in
For several hours, I started dismantling the machine in an attempt to find the source of the problem! When I opened the door on the control box it was obvious the problem was inside!
With a flashlight, I looked around until I saw a trace of soot on the back panel. Apparently, the G203V controller and the PMDX 134 motherboard were arcing across the DC input pins which melted everything in its path!

I'm not sure why they were arcing, but I did send both parts to Gechodrive with hopes they could figure it out! All my connectors are good, all the voltages were good too!

[Bubba]

Widgetmaster,
"Looks like your the only one who frequents this massive post, I'm glad I still have one friend left"
I ALWAYS read your posts as they are always informative and I enjoy keeping up with your progress on whatever project your working on.

As for your "magic smoke", I feel your pain. A while back, the Y axis on my converted mill/drill (from around 2000) quit working at all. For some time, it was giving me a fit coming out of fault on startup, but would always work. When it finally quit, I figured it was probably a combination of the Gecko 340 (Rev 1) and the used brushed servo that I had put on it back then. So decided to try one of the new ClearPath units (built in driver). So because my control box has a less spacious atmosphere than yours, I simply cut out the wiring and pulled that drive. When I got around to looking carefully at the drive, I realized the Power Ground (Terminal 1) wire was NEVER seated into the connector properly. All these years, it was just making physical contact because the two wires were just touching! OH well, buy this time the new servo is in place and the old wiring to short to try and replace the darn thing. The great news is I really like the new brushless servo. The only problem is I have to look close to make sure it is running as it is so quiet! It also comes with software to make setup a breeze.

Good luck on what you find out and hope your back in business shortly.

[TOTALLYRC]

I am still watching this "Massive" post too. Just looking at the unbelievable work you produce keeps me working on my machine so someday I can try to come close to the quality of work you produce.


Mike

[widgitmaster]

I am still watching this "Massive" post too. Just looking at the unbelievable work you produce keeps me working on my machine so someday I can try to come close to the quality of work you produce.


Mike

Thanks Mike!
Glad your still on the Zone, good luck on your new build too!

[stragenmitsuko]

same here ,still watching ...

Most likely a burned capacitor in one of the boards .
These are notorious to fail .And if one starts to fail , it creates a kind of avalance effect
causing the others to overload and fail to .
I have a bunch of industrial power supply .
All have thesame problem .
Cheap to fix them , but a serious pita to gain acces to the faulty parts .

My best guess is you'll get new ones if they are still under warranty .

[widgitmaster]

Thanks stragenmitsuko !

My expertise is Tool & Die machinist, electronics intrigue me but baffle me even more!
Hopefully I'll get a replacement, as the one I used to replace it was from a new project!

Widgit

[widgitmaster]

Everyone comments on the quality of my plaques, which is much appreciated! So I've decided to make a little compilation of the types of cutters I use which enable me to make the fine details!
First I want to say that "Cutting Edge Geometry" is extremely important! If you look at the angles and construction of the little grey "White Side" cutter, the angles are all wrong for wood! As it produces such a rough surface that sanding would take 10x longer! Also, there is NO point!
The remaining cutters all have surgical sharp edges with all the correct relief angles for cutting wood! The yellow bits have a micro point, which allows me to carve extremely fine detail in soft pine! The Primary angle determines how fast the feed rate is.
Now there is much to be said about Feeds & Speeds, but it's my experience to say feed rate's depend on the machine's rigidity!
The Spindle Speed for wood is as fast as possible, for bits 1" and under in diameter. Speed is reduced to 15000 RPM for the big 2" diameter bits!
Most of my carving with small 2 or 3 flute end mills is done at 90 IPM, The fine detail V-Bit carving is done at 40 IPM or less! In VCarve Pro, there is a setting for the federate, along with the Plunge feed rate. My Plunge settings are always 10+ IPM less than the actual feed rates. This will prolong the delicate point, as carbide is brittle and will break off if poked into wood too fast! The chips need to escape as fast as possible!

Most of my cutters are available on AMAZON !

Kempston 202011 V Groove Bit, 1/4-Inch Shank, 1/2 Cutting Diameter by 5/8 Cutting Length by 60D - $17.99


Kempston 202021 V Groove Bit, 1/4-Inch Shank, 3/4 Cutting Diameter by 13/16 Cutting Length by 60D - $16.57


Magnate 707 V-Grooving Router Bits - 90 Degree; 1-1/4" Cutting Diameter; 1/2" Shank Diameter - $26.77


Magnate 708 V-Grooving Router Bits - 90 Degree; 1-1/2" Cutting Diameter; 1/2" Shank Diameter - $30.42


Magnate 709 V-Grooving Router Bits - 90 Degree; 2" Cutting Diameter; 1/2" Shank Diameter - $36.85


I hope this helps with your engraving projects!
Widgit

[widgitmaster]

Now that the Holidays are over, I can get back to making some Wild & Scary stuff

[TOTALLYRC]

Nice to see that you are still "Clowning" around! (couldn't help myself).

Mike

[widgitmaster]

Nice to see that you are still "Clowning" around! (couldn't help myself).

Mike

Thanks Mike!

[TOTALLYRC]

Everyone comments on the quality of my plaques, which is much appreciated! So I've decided to make a little compilation of the types of cutters I use which enable me to make the fine details!
First I want to say that "Cutting Edge Geometry" is extremely important! If you look at the angles and construction of the little grey "White Side" cutter, the angles are all wrong for wood! As it produces such a rough surface that sanding would take 10x longer! Also, there is NO point!
The remaining cutters all have surgical sharp edges with all the correct relief angles for cutting wood! The yellow bits have a micro point, which allows me to carve extremely fine detail in soft pine! The Primary angle determines how fast the feed rate is.
Now there is much to be said about Feeds & Speeds, but it's my experience to say feed rate's depend on the machine's rigidity!
The Spindle Speed for wood is as fast as possible, for bits 1" and under in diameter. Speed is reduced to 15000 RPM for the big 2" diameter bits!
Most of my carving with small 2 or 3 flute end mills is done at 90 IPM, The fine detail V-Bit carving is done at 40 IPM or less! In VCarve Pro, there is a setting for the federate, along with the Plunge feed rate. My Plunge settings are always 10+ IPM less than the actual feed rates. This will prolong the delicate point, as carbide is brittle and will break off if poked into wood too fast! The chips need to escape as fast as possible!

Most of my cutters are available on AMAZON !

Kempston 202011 V Groove Bit, 1/4-Inch Shank, 1/2 Cutting Diameter by 5/8 Cutting Length by 60D - $17.99


Kempston 202021 V Groove Bit, 1/4-Inch Shank, 3/4 Cutting Diameter by 13/16 Cutting Length by 60D - $16.57


Magnate 707 V-Grooving Router Bits - 90 Degree; 1-1/4" Cutting Diameter; 1/2" Shank Diameter - $26.77


Magnate 708 V-Grooving Router Bits - 90 Degree; 1-1/2" Cutting Diameter; 1/2" Shank Diameter - $30.42


Magnate 709 V-Grooving Router Bits - 90 Degree; 2" Cutting Diameter; 1/2" Shank Diameter - $36.85


I hope this helps with your engraving projects!
Widgit

Thanks for the information. This will help me when I really get into cutting wood. What do you use for slotting or cutting around the edges of a project?

FYI.
In my cad programs the Z feed rate is 50% of the XY feedrate, but that is for metal.

[widgitmaster]

Depending on the wood thickness, I'll use a 1/4" 3-Flute or a 3/8" 3-Flute carbide endmill. Leaving 3D tabs keeps the parts from breaking loose under the cutter!

[widgitmaster]

Another one for our Veterans!

[Bubba]

Yup, another one up to your usual standard of excellence!

[widgitmaster]

Thanks Bubba!

Well, while trying to solve the riddle of the burnt Z-Axis driver, I decided to dismantle the Z-Axis slide assembly. For some reason, my gut keeps telling me to look into the counter-balance springs! It's a section I had the most difficulty designing, and rushed through in order to get the machine running! If I weigh the slide, ball nut, linear bearings, spindle & clamps & about a shot glass of coolant in the spindle, it's over 90-Lbs. So I used two 25-Lb return springs! A few months ago I had disconnected one of the springs, which helped reduce the load on the Z-Axis stepper motor. Then I disconnected the 2nd spring, which made the Z-Axis crash and destroy a few cutters and carving projects! That told me the springs were too strong!
So I looked through all the springs available from McMaster-Carr, and found a pair of 5-Lb springs. When they arrive, I'll install them and hope it solves the problems! My only other option is to design a system which uses Air Cylinders! This will require a pressure regulator & gauges, to adjust the pressure to achieve a counterbalance equilibrium. Will also require pulling a 1/8" airline through all the wire-tracks, something II would prefer not to do!

[TOTALLYRC]

Don't forget that metal spring are rated in lbs/inch so if you have a 25lb/inch spring and stretch it 4 inches you now have 100lbs of pull!!!
Try to find some gas springs. IIRC they have a more linear force than a steel spring.


Mike

[widgitmaster]

Don't forget that metal spring are rated in lbs/inch so if you have a 25lb/inch spring and stretch it 4 inches you now have 100lbs of pull!!!
Try to find some gas springs. IIRC they have a more linear force than a steel spring.


Mike

Thanks Mike!
I did NOT know that, and it does explain a lot of the problems I'm having with springs!
I'm going to look into the gas & pneumatic cylinders now!
Widgit

[TOTALLYRC]

Everything you wanted to know about springs but were afraid to ask!!!!

Extension Springs - Design Theory

Gas spring info.

Gas Springs Information | Engineering360

HTH
Mike

[widgitmaster]

Everything you wanted to know about springs but were afraid to ask!!!!

Extension Springs - Design Theory

Gas spring info.

Gas Springs Information | Engineering360

HTH
Mike

Thanks again Mike!
Using the Spring info, I was able to calculate the best springs for the 10" of travel for the weight of my Z-Axis assembly!

Today I ran off a plaque to test the repeat ability & dependability of the Z-Axis! Everything is working nicely
I made a nice plaque out of a large blanket (chair)
Widgit

[TOTALLYRC]

WOW,
I was actually helpful! I had better write this down. LOL


Mike

P.S. Nice work as always