[Ntl]

Oh **** my bad, yes the legs are 3" and the cross supports are 2" I built the base back in August and I forgot what I used lol. Its taken 3 months to finally get all the parts from Finline. But now that it's close to being finished I'm super happy with the way the build is turning out. I can't wait to get everything button up and start cranking out part's. I'll definitely post some more YouTube videos in the next couple weeks. The Centroid guys want to see it up and running as well.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Dan

[PLJack]

So I got Vcarve pro and it's awesome! Here's my first test cut with the router even though it's not a 100% finished yet. I still have a bunch of little things to finish up. I just got impacent and had to cut something lol. And the text is a inside joke so don't ask lol.

Way to go. Came out great.
You are not the first to throw chips way too soon. In fact I would be concerned about you if you didn't.
It's a good motivator to complete the work.
Jack.

[Ntl]

Way to go. Came out great.
You are not the first to throw chips way too soon. In fact I would be concerned about you if you didn't.
It's a good motivator to complete the work.
Jack.

Thanks for the encouragement! I got the missing hardware installed today still need to mount my spoil board along with a bunch of other things (tool setter, mister/airblast, touch off plate, dust boot, wire up my radiator power supply, install the spindle temp gauge, order my caps for the stepper power supply, install all my t-track when it shows up, clean up some wiring and and a few other things and probably even more once I get cutting) oh yeah and I need to install a few custom macros for CNC12 which I've never done before lol.

Do you know what the thread size is on the base? I asked Nate a few times but never got a a answer? It would be nice if he supplied a cut file like Cnc router does, but not a big deal to draw one up I'm still thinking of hand drilling it anyway since I wouldn't be able to cut them all with the table anyway and it makes me nervous doing it with the router anyway since it's not calibrated and I would still have to finish the holes by hand anyway.

Thanks,
Dan

[wmgeorge]

You mean the tapped screw holes for the spoil board? They are metric and I have that size screws out in the shop I can look if needed.

BTW What spindle did you use?

[Ntl]

You mean the tapped screw holes for the spoil board? They are metric and I have that size screws out in the shop I can look if needed.

BTW What spindle did you use?

Thanks George and yes the spoil board screws, that's what I was wondering, I don't understand why he used imperial for some of the holes and metrics for others. Reminds me of new American cars.

And my spindle is just a Haunyang 2.2 kw water cooled spindle that I made a cover for mounting the cable chain to. So far it cuts great and works great, when it craps out I'm going to to get one of the ATC spindles for it, it just wasn't in my budget though right now.

Dan

[difalkner]

... I'm still thinking of hand drilling it anyway since I wouldn't be able to cut them all with the table anyway and it makes me nervous doing it with the router anyway since it's not calibrated and I would still have to finish the holes by hand anyway.

Thanks,
Dan

The frame is hardened and I can tell you from first-hand experience that you don't want to be drilling into that steel. Since our machine was the prototype Saturn it was before Nate began shipping these with drilled and tapped holes for spoilboard mounting. It took hours and many times of sharpening the #7 bit for tapping 1/4-20 and I managed to do it with one bit but finally broke the tap on the penultimate hole - almost made it with one tap!

David

[Ntl]

The frame is hardened and I can tell you from first-hand experience that you don't want to be drilling into that steel. Since our machine was the prototype Saturn it was before Nate began shipping these with drilled and tapped holes for spoilboard mounting. It took hours and many times of sharpening the #7 bit for tapping 1/4-20 and I managed to do it with one bit but finally broke the tap on the penultimate hole - almost made it with one tap!

David

Oh no David I was talking about drilling the MDF, the steel is already drilled and tapped. I just need the thread size since some of the holes are metric and some are sae.

Dan

[difalkner]

Ah, got it...

David

[wmgeorge]

On CNCRP someplace he has a drilling pattern in VCarve Pro format for the MDF. It was close to mine but not. You can use it for a starter project anyway. My frame did not seem to be hardened in any way, since it was carbon steel tube I don't see how it could be?

When Enco was still in business I ordered maybe 6 or so #7 drill bits the good ones, and I kept a lot of 1/4-20 2 flute taps on hand. Always got them on sale.

[PLJack]

Do you know what the thread size is on the base? I asked Nate a few times but never got a a answer? It would be nice if he supplied a cut file like Cnc router does, but not a big deal to draw one up I'm still thinking of hand drilling it anyway since I wouldn't be able to cut them all with the table anyway and it makes me nervous doing it with the router anyway since it's not calibrated and I would still have to finish the holes by hand anyway.
Thanks,
Dan

Mine were M6. I used M6x25 to secure the deck. The bolts I bought on Amazon here
The reason there is no cut file is because the holes are all over the map.
Details on how I mapped the holes on this video:

https://youtu.be/FnKNykNujIE

I believe I show the making of the holes as well. I only watched the first minute to make sure it was the right video. BTW: Warning. Bad audio.
As for calibration it won't matter. As long as you don't change the calibration between mapping the holes and cutting them. For instance if I was to recut those holes now I would need to map a few holes then extrapolate the rest against the numbers I recorded because I've done a lot of calibrations since then.
In other words I have all the holes positions written down from when I first mapped them.

Jack.

[Ntl]

Thanks guys for the info and video, I checked out my frame and I'm pretty sure mine are 1/4-20 since I have a bunch of them from a different project and they thread right in by hand. I'm pretty sure if they were 6mm the 1/4-20 screws wouldn't work since 6mm is smaller than 1/4 inch also I think metric thread pitch is totally different than sae. For the hell of it I'm going to pick up a 6mm screw and see if it thread's in, but I don't think it will.

I'll post some pics when I'm done this weekend, my t-track showed up for the top piece that is getting mounted on the spoil board. Good thing the table has a lot of z travel since I'm losing 1.5" once everything is bolted up. I can't wait to start cutting parts, I have a bunch of jobs that I need to run. Hopefully the spindle is close to level and I won't need to do a lot of work getting it dialed.

Thanks again,
Dan

[PLJack]

A 1/4 20 will not thread in a M6. I just tried it for you.
1/4 20 it is.

Jack.

[wmgeorge]

A 1/4 20 will not thread in a M6. I just tried it for you.
1/4 20 it is.

Jack.

Yes mine were M6 and I wondered why not 1/4-20?

[Ntl]

A 1/4 20 will not thread in a M6. I just tried it for you.
1/4 20 it is.

Jack.

Thanks Jack for saving me the time! Quick question, how did you level your spoil board? I watched the video from cnc router parts but I was just curious if that was the easiest way to to do it. Also how close to being level was your z axis from the factory?

I'm just having a hard time grasping how you level the spindle if the spoil board needs to be surfaced to be level? I don't want to waste my waste board and make a mess until I know exactly how to do it.

Thanks,
Dan

[Ntl]

Only Nate knows, but mine have to be 1/4-20 since I don't think there is a metric screw that would have the same thread pitch. So far the only metric hardware on my table has been on the z axis and bearing blocks.

Dan

[difalkner]

Thanks Jack for saving me the time! Quick question, how did you level your spoil board? I watched the video from cnc router parts but I was just curious if that was the easiest way to to do it. Also how close to being level was your z axis from the factory?

I'm just having a hard time grasping how you level the spindle if the spoil board needs to be surfaced to be level? I don't want to waste my waste board and make a mess until I know exactly how to do it.

Thanks,
Dan

I know you asked Jack but I'll chime in anyway; I think you'll have to lightly surface the spoilboard, then tram the spindle, and then lightly surface the spoilboard again. You can check to make sure the spindle tram is still good but if not you may have to rinse and repeat. That's the way I did it and I don't really see a way around those three steps.

David

[PLJack]

I know you asked Jack but I'll chime in anyway; I think you'll have to lightly surface the spoilboard, then tram the spindle, and then lightly surface the spoilboard again. You can check to make sure the spindle tram is still good but if not you may have to rinse and repeat. That's the way I did it and I don't really see a way around those three steps.
David

Yep. Pretty much it. No way around it.

The only thing I would add is that the bottom rails are not on the same plane. You will not end up with a spoil board that is the same thickness throughout. Once the deck is secure run a dial indicator , or by other means, over the entire surface to get an idea of where the high corner is. I think mine was 1.5+mm. That is the minimum you will have to remove. If it's a really large number I would consider verifying the rails are off by that much or look suspiciously at the Y axis.
Remove half the minimum and see what the mill marks look like. If the spindle is badly tilted it will be pretty obvious. If its really bad tram on the milled part. Sneak your way down to the minimum depth and tram as needed.
Once you reach your minimum you should be decently trammed to take the final cut.

I would also add that what I just said takes a long time.
You can also just surface a small part of the board.then tram if needed and rip the rest off with a deep cut. I choose the prior.

Jack.

[PLJack]

Also how close to being level was your z axis from the factory?
Dan

Can't speak to that. I removed the gantry before use.

I'm just having a hard time grasping how you level the spindle if the spoil board needs to be surfaced to be level? I don't want to waste my waste board and make a mess until I know exactly how to do it.
Dan

I know what you mean. Sounds confusing. The answer is that you do both at the same time.

Jack.

[Ntl]

Thanks George and Jack, Im working on it tomorrow I'll let you guys know how it goes. If I didn’t have 15 projects going on at the same time I would do a video. I wish I had more time.

Dan

[Ntl]

Still have a ways to go but here's a little test cut video. Turn the volume down, I still need to build a enclosure for my shop vac and move it to a permanent space. It's loud!
https://youtu.be/61ZO9kzZlbs