[voltsandbolts]

Is anyone running the 320 oz steppers with a 48V 12.5A power supply? Curious about performance...

[Spk64]

I am running that setup on my machine. Runs well I have my rapids limited to 100 ipm using 5mm pitch ball screws. I could probably go to 150 but 100 has not been an issue.

[voltsandbolts]

I am running that setup on my machine. Runs well I have my rapids limited to 100 ipm using 5mm pitch ball screws. I could probably go to 150 but 100 has not been an issue.

@Spk64, thanks for the reply. My only issue with the 320 oz steppers is they have a 3/8” shaft and I have already got couplers for ¼” motor shaft to ½” lead screws. I guess I could drill/bore out the couplers. Where there’s a will, there’s a way… Did you get the kit from CRP?

[voltsandbolts]

Ok, so I went ahead with the 380-oz, 4 axis kit with the ¼” shafts. This driver setup will be smaller than the power supply or my driver box from my jgro controller. I have seen so many people here on the zone happy with the G540. I hope I will be one of them.

[voltsandbolts]

I completed the replacement bearing blocks for the gantry, they are a simpler design and give the “X” carriage more clearance and travel. Had to remake the motor mount from thinner stock. I hope I can get the mounting bars for the “Y” axis bearing blocks on the machine tonight. I drilled the table ends and the bars, also shot some paint on the bars last evening.
I can only imagine how it will look after I’m done and can clear all the parts and hardware off the table…
Still have lots to do, have to finish the “Z”, install “Y” lead screws, and make stepper mounts, setup all the electrical. So much fun ahead…

[voltsandbolts]

I couldn’t resist mounting bearings and a lead screw to see how it looks. Somehow it seems a little flimsy and weak looking, I can turn the screw by hand and the gantry moves ok no binding, adding the second screw on the other side should make it very solid… I hope.

[voltsandbolts]

Looking forward to the week end to hopefully check a thing or two off of my to do list.

( If the Honey do list doesn’t get in the way.)

Still to do

Install lead screw on right side.
Develop stepper mounts and install on rear of machine.
Complete “Z” axis.
Make mount for DW611 router.
Connect the steppers, driver, Pwr/Sup & E-Stop. And test before install.
Install the steppers and test movement.
Deal with cable management.
Clean up all the mess I have created building this thing.

This is what comes to mind, I’m sure there’s more I will discover.

[voltsandbolts]

Did not get as much done as I would have liked to.

I did get the right hand lead screw installed.
Adjusted the lead screws so I have the amount protruding from the front I want. (about 1” past the collar clamps, any reason to leave more? Maybe to add knobs?) (looks like I will need to cut 6”-8” from the other end)

Found and changed the bearing mounting hardware to a more reasonable length.

Put some thought into how I’ll mount the steppers for “Y”

More to come…

[voltsandbolts]

Over the course of the week I squeezed in a little time for stepper mounts.

This is what I came up with.
The support posts are 1”x 3-1/4” and the mounting plate is ½” ply.
I reinforced the point where the metal meets the ply with 1.5” washers on both sides. I think this will hold up fine for a while.

1. Mount plates
2. Support Posts
3. Assembled (one with stepper and coupler)
4. Where it goes (still have to drill holes in the steel, and cut off lead screw)
5. Day dreaming how one would look on the "Z"

[voltsandbolts]

Over the weekend.

I added the holes to the “Y” bearing bars to install the stepper motor mounts.
Installed the mounts and checked that the steppers would fit. I think it’s time to wire up the driver and steppers and make sure everything works. Also need to find where I slave 2 steppers in Mach3 then I can think about motion on “X” & “Y” axis’s .

[ger21]

Config > Slave Axis.

[voltsandbolts]

Config > Slave Axis.

Thanks! I will familiarize myself with it tonight.

[voltsandbolts]

I checked and it looks like Mach3 makes it easy!

[voltsandbolts]

This past weekend I connected the G540, Pwr supply and Steppers.

I got Mach3 up and running (un licensed, I still need to figure out how to add my existing license) on an old PC. At first I only connected a single motor for X Y & Z and everything seemed ok. I then added the second motor for Y and slaved it. I installed the X motor on my gantry leaving YY and Z uninstalled.

Now things get weird…
I can jog the X axis in both directions (success) the Z carriage is alive!
I can jog the Z motor CW & CCW (looks good)
When I jog the Y Y motos I’ll call them Y1 and Y2 , When I go CW both spin the same way. When I go CCW Y1 changes direction but Y2 goes CW still? If this is a setting I did not jump out at me.

I guess I have some trouble shooting to do.

Anyone experience this?

[voltsandbolts]

Problem solved after much troubleshooting I tried a new printer cable, looks like the first cable used was faulty. I now have X and Y moving!

[voltsandbolts]

I forgot to add that the Z motor is good so I need to finish up the Z axis.

[Qicker306]

Build looks good, I enjoy the use of steel, mdf, and aluminum throughout. Did you go with the CNC RP motor/driver kit with the 12.5A power supply? Are those motors 2.8mH?

[voltsandbolts]

Yes I used the 4 axis kit from CNC RP the 48V 12.5A I went with the 380 steppers because I needed the 1/4" shafts

[voltsandbolts]

Well its been some time (a year!) but I have my Z axis together. Now I need to do testing and tweaking.

[voltsandbolts]

okay it's been quite the long journey getting this machine assembled lots of twists and turns and changes made along the way but today I finally got the top cleaned off put a couple coats of poly on it and then...

cable management to do testing, and making it work the way I want to. in the attached picture you can see my old Jgro in the background it may be looking for a new home before too long..