[thkoutsidthebox]

Well everything is still delayed, but I'm still here! I don't think I can afford anything else until at least May, so its pretty much a dead duck right now unless I win the lotto....cmon numbers!

I was trying to think how I could cut the cost down so that I could keep going, but I just cant see anything I'm willing to sacrifice. I won't sacrifice the rails, or the ballscrews. The only thing that leaves is the aluminium for the base and side plates. I'm not sure that I would sacrifice it for wood and still get the performance, it might just defeat the purpose if I start mixing in wood instead of being patient. It's just that I have lots of wood in the shed so it's essentially free (It wasn't free, but I dont' have to pay again!). I also have to buy the geckos and steppers, plus ancillary electrical 'bits', so I just don't know. I could start on the enclosure for the electronics, because I'm planning to use aluminium angle and some of the polycarbonate sheet I have lying around, but I don't know the correct size because I don't have the electronics! NUTS!

I'm gone away next week with work, so won't be doing anything for two weeks anyway, then I'm gone for three weeks in March, so before I know it, it's really going to be April anyway. I'm still hoping to finish before July, because I might be gone away for a few months at the end of the year, but at least if that happens and it's not finished, I should have some money when I get back to dig into it this time next year....we'll see....

....anyone know someone who would like to donate some HiWin rails, ballscrews, or flat aluminium.....geckos would be nice too.....oh yeah, I forgot the spindle! lol

[thkoutsidthebox]

Hi folks,

I'm using my waiting time wisely, trying to price parts. I'm looking at electronics at the moment. I was thinking about the 4 Axis package from CandCNC to save the hassle of putting the electronics together myself, but I think I could save about €1000 by doing it myself, which in the current situation is a bit of a no brainer! (nuts)I think aswell, that maybe I could even do a better setup for less money, which leads me on to my two questions..... ... I'd like to have an Ethernet or USB hookup on this instead of parallel port. I was looking also at the possibility of using pulleys to increase the speed and maintain torque. I picked some pulleys and a belt from SDP-si.

Is the purpose of the G-Rex G100 to allow ethernet/usb outputs, or does it have built-in drivers (i.e: Do I still need my G203V's with it) ?

Does the G100 perform all the functions of a BOB or do I still need a seperate BOB for E-Stop and such?

Thanks folks for any advice.

[greenb_60097]

TOTB,

One area that you can save on is to ditch the ballscrews and go with acme multi-start screws like the Joe's or like many others have done. I'm running a 0.5" 10tpi, 2 start on my router which is all 80/20 and aluminum, and I use dumpster cnc antibacklash nuts. I was going to do ballscrews, but the cost was sustantial and I can cut very fast like 100-120ipm and the parts in wood are generally within a 0.001-0.003". So for wood that is plenty accurate. Planekrazy (sp.) is running a belt drive system that screams at like 1000ipm rapids and he's doing some very nice lithophanes.

The other area that may be worth saving on is the linear rails, check the specs, I'm running thk hsr15 rails on mine (wanted or was going to use the 25mm rails) but after checking the specs they were more than enough. And the shopbot and mechmate guys are running v-bearings on angle iron.

So, your goberment is raising taxes in a recession, how much?? Really makes you want to spend your hard earned cash, hun?

[ger21]

You don't want to buy a G100. You'd be better off with a Smoothstepper from www.warp9td.com. You'll still need a breakout board (or two) and your drives, but you can run Mach3 through a USB cable.

[thkoutsidthebox]

Thanks,

Unfortunately I'm completely tapped out, so the few hundred € difference won't allow me to purchase straight away. I might have to review it like your saying, but even thinking about it breaks my heart! I REALLY want this to be a great, bells and whistles, 'will last years without even thinking about an upgrade' type build. I just have to be patient, I've seen people spend 18 months building good machines, so I figure I will do the same. But I think it might start improving soon, because this month is my last big expenditure that I can see coming. Car insurance and tax is paid, no anniversaries coming up, etc etc I'll start clearing the credit card, and in a month or two's time I should be able to start buying bits again. I'll just play it by ear, but I will price the alternatives because automation overstock never responded to my email anyway....they must have too much business!

Its depressing the hurry up and wait building track I'm on, but I can't complain really. I have as secure a job thats available right now, and although I'm getting hit with huge paycuts, at least when 1000 people per day are losing their job, I know some money is definately there for me every month. The hits so far have been public sector wages and government expenditure. There's a mini budget out next week which will probably have the first of the tax hikes, but Irelands budget is (was) around 50 billion, and we were side-swiped with an expected annual deficit of 16 billion in the last 3 months, so that pretty much speaks for itself!!! It would be like the USA's 4 trillion running an expected annual deficit of about 1.33 trillion!. Everyone's hunkering down for huge tax hikes over the next three or so years. If I can just get this damn thing built before we're on breadlines, I might have a second income stream, however small.

ger, thanks, I never saw that supplier before and its much cheaper than the gecko....but is it good? The only advantage I can see (Which is significant) is that it will use a USB with mach, and the gecko will only use ethernet. Do you know any more advantages or disadvantages for me, I know jack squat about 'motion controllers'?

[ger21]

The SmoothStepper was designed specifically to work with Mach3, while the G100 was designed as a standalone motion controller. The G100 had/has some limitations which could not be overcome, and the one person who wrote the firmware to interface the G100 with Mach3 disappeared before completion, and further development of the Mach3 plugin for the G100 stopped years ago. If you read the Mach3 Yahoo group, you'll see that most G100 users have abandoned it in favor of the Smoothstepper.

The Smoothstepper is technically still a beta product, but the majority of features are working great (from what I read) and it is supported very well. All the users that I see post about it seem to be extremely happy with it.

[thkoutsidthebox]

Great! Thanks, Smoothstepper it is. One more box ticked.

[thkoutsidthebox]

Ok,

So I've been looking at the whole ballscrew situation.....

I can get a 1" dia ballscrew with a Leadx1, 4start, 4tpi, 1effective tpi, for $31.76 per foot. The nut is $85.28 and the flange is $41.28. There is an Operating Load Rating of 2100lbs.

or

I can get a 1" dia Acme screw with a Leadx.25, 1start, 4tpi, for $10.72 per foot . The nut is $35.58 and the flange is $39.85. There is an Operating Load Rating of 5000lbs.

I could get the Acme in Stainless Steel for $35.84 per foot, almost the same as the ballscrew. I presume the ballscrew is chrome, not stainless.....do I need stainless for milling aluminium with coolant?


All priced with Roton. Thats a big difference per foot for ball vs steel acme. But I always believed that you pay for what you get. What do you all think? I'm still in the ballscrew camp....

PS: For the price of the ballscrew I could also get a 2" dia Acme 1 start 4 tpi !!!! No chance of whip with that baby!

[thkoutsidthebox]

Hi folks, two questions....

1. Has anyone had any experience with Zapp Automation, I might buy from them?
http://www.slidesandballscrews.com/i...64ab7fc0467f1f

2. If I buy rails longer than I need because my measurements are not Exactly to the 100mm, can I cut a bit off the end of the linear rail without damaging it?

Thanks.

[alien_X]

Hi folks, two questions....

1. Has anyone had any experience with Zapp Automation, I might buy from them?
http://www.slidesandballscrews.com/i...64ab7fc0467f1f

2. If I buy rails longer than I need because my measurements are not Exactly to the 100mm, can I cut a bit off the end of the linear rail without damaging it?

Thanks.

He will do custom sizes I'm sure. Checkout www.mycncuk.com - there are several posts regarding his services there, and the owner of zapp frequents the forums .

[thkoutsidthebox]

Thanks alien.

[thkoutsidthebox]

Unfortunately due to personal reasons this build is stopped indefinately. Thanks for all your help with it folks. I'll probably keep collecting parts, but until further notice I have nowhere to build it. Ces't la vie!

[pumelloman]

Sorry to hear that thkoutsidthebox, I was really enjoying reading about your machine progress.... at any rate I hope it won't be long before you're back building it again. I'll be waiting until then.

[Drools]

I was watching this one too
I don't suppose your sketchup files are available for download?
I do not know if that is a bad think to ask or not...
I hope things get better for you thkoutsidthebox.

[thkoutsidthebox]

Hi folks. I'm still alive (Touch wood!). I'm abroad with work until next year, and when I get home I have to shop for somewhere to live, which will hit my pocket like a sledgehammer in the back of the head! So unfortunately WHEN (Not if) I continue this build it will probably be next Sept/Oct. That said, if I'm very lucky I can find a house that will allow a proper workshop at some point, with some decent space. Again touch wood!

I didn't get much internet, although its getting better this past week even though I dont have much free time, and if anyone from the Vectric forum is reading this, I cant post to it. There's have some sort of protection on the Vectric Forum which rejects my IP address. Thats understandable, I'm not in the nicest part of the world, but if Tony/Brian/Mark is reading this, that's why there have been no posts from me.

Drool, do you still want my sketchup files? I can compress them and email them to you or try and post them.....sorry for the delayed response but let me know.

Thanks folks, I hope everyone is keeping well.

[Jason Marsha]

Good to know you're in one piece, we await your return.

Jason

[epineh]

Good to hear you are still kicking, life certainly has a way of getting in the way of us getting some things done. Sometimes I think I should take up paper mache or origami instead of hobby CNC, it would certainly be cheaper !

We will be here when you pick up the reigns again, good luck in the meantime

Cheers.

Russell.