584,829 active members*
5,071 visitors online*
Register for free
Login
Page 1 of 2 12
Results 1 to 20 of 24
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    17

    Smile Taig 2019 with Gecko 540 on the way

    This is my first post here. About eight years ago was my first (and only) experience with milling. It was for a school project to make a water cooled computer, and the mill was used for the block that sits on the CPU. Ever since I've wanted to do more with a CNC mill but couldn't afford to since the mill at school was about $15,000. You can imagine my excitement when I found the Taig for less than $2,000 with the steppers and controller! Its not cheap but its also not $15,000, know what I mean? I just never knew something like the Taig existed until a few weeks ago. Attached are some images of that water cooled computer I made back in school. Pretty basic but it was a good learning experience.

    I'd like to use EMC2 to control the Taig since I've got several years of experience with Linux. My first projects will be some PC boards, camera mount for the motorcycle, and some electronics project enclosures. I never really learned the whole pipeline for a CNC project or if I did I've forgotten since then. Any suggestions for books about hobby CNC milling or the Taig in particular? I figure its worth doing right this time around and learn everything from the ground up. Glad to be part of the forum, I've found lots of good information here the last few weeks. Cheers!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails block2.jpg   mill1.jpg  

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    21
    Welcome to the club, you have just taken a huge step forward in your life! (Well, maybe not that huge). Anyway, there is lots of knowledge out there and CNC or even just conventional machining is such a huge topic... my two pieces of advise:

    1) Really take the time to know and understand the proper feeds and speeds for your machine. Remember, much of the textbook knowledge applies to machines like the one you learned on, not so much for our little Taigs.

    2) Don't be lazy when designing and programming parts. A few extra minutes to get your NC program just right can save a lot of time and headaches out in the shop. Remember, bits (the computer kind) are "free" while bits (the metal kind) are not.

    Cheers,

    -Chris

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    23
    Congrats on picking up a Taig - it is a fantastic little machine.

    I would agree with Chris - a lot of the equations that give you feeds and speeds don't apply well to the Taig. I always try to start conservatively.

    You might want to pick up some inexpensive machining wax for your first parts. I'd also recommend doing "air cuts" by zeroing your z axis 1/4" or so above your work surface - that lets you see if you are getting what you expect.

    Check out Nick Carters website:
    www.cartertools.com

    It has a lot of great information.

    I haven't found a book that I really like, so I don't really have a recommendation there. But I would say I have learned a lot of great stuff machining with plastics. Here are a few recommendations and things to watch out for:

    * when your machine arrives, adjust the backlash and lube your lead screws (you can find info about this on the carter website)

    * I don't know EMC2 (I am using Mach3 like a lot of other folks out there) but take the time to set up your motor tuning correctly

    * if you haven't already, but a dial indicator so you can measure backlash and set parts up squarely

    * consider buying a toolmaker's vise (3 or 4") to replace the mediocre one included with the machine

    * plunging: set your plunging speed really low if you have to plunge into your material. If you can, try and set your g-code to ramp or helix in to the plunge rather than go directly down. Also, if you can plunge outside the material and come in from the side, that is even better. If you get a lot of vibration while plunging, drop the speed or try one of the other options.

    * feeds and speeds. This is where you are going to learn a lot for your machine. There are equations for chip load. Generally they are assuming a really stiff machine, so the feeds usually calculate pretty high. Try to keep the chip load roughly the same, but drop the feed rate down (this means you will also have to drop your spindle speed). Take the time to get this right and you will have a nice finish and you won't melt plastic or stall out on metal.

    * This goes without saying, but be safe! Before I touch anything near my machine, I trip the reset and pull the power plug off the motor. It might be a bit overboard, but I like my fingers.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    194
    I've been using my Taig with EMC2 and it works very nicely. My controller is different, but it was pretty easy to setup using stepconf and some experimentation. You need to set backlash compensation manually in the .ini configuration file.

    A friend who also has a Taig and uses Mach3 was visiting quickly this weekend and I showed him around EMC2. He was impressed with the 3D toolpath view that EMC2 with Axis gives you.

    The only Mach3 feature that I miss on EMC is being able to jog using keyboard controls at different speeds. In Mach3 you can rapid jog using shift-arrows, or slow jog just using the arrows. In EMC2 you need to adjust the jog rate slider to change this.

    One downside to using EMC is that I haven't found good CAM software for Linux. I do my CAM work on a Windows laptop, then copy the gCode file to a file server and read it from there on my EMC2 machine. Using two machines is beneficial even when running Mach3 because it leaves the machine running the controller to concentrate on that one role. The computer that runs the controller doesn't need to be anything fancy or expensive...you can probably find a suitable one for free or very cheap. I'm using a ~6 year old Pentium 4 with a 30gb hard disk and 1gb of ram for EMC2.

    I think you'll enjoy your Taig. I've only had one a little more than a week, but I'm enjoying it so far and learning a lot.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    17
    Thanks for the information and welcoming! I'll be sure to heed the suggestions and I'll check out Mach3 too. Cheers!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    17
    The mill arrived today. Overall I'm very impressed by the robustness of it and the rigidity! The steppers and G540 arrive early next week from Deepgrove. I don't think the folding table "workbench" I'm using now will be stable enough so this weekend I'm going to build a basic 2x4 workbench for it but with a reinforced and thicker top board (http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/w...below20xl.html). When its up and running I'll post again. Cheers!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_3413.jpg   IMG_3414.jpg   IMG_3415.jpg   IMG_3418.jpg  

    IMG_3420.jpg   IMG_3424.jpg  

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Posts
    36

    Question

    Awesome! I am getting a taig real soon too, the transaction is in pending at this very moment!

    How long did it take to arive? from ordering over paypal to showing up at the door..
    Was it pretty common sense setting it up? Was the instructions fairly descriptive/intuitive?

    Im really apreciate the pictures im getting so excited!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    23
    For me, the mill showed up really quickly and the steppers and controller showed up a few days later.

    The mill is very easy to put together (as I remember it was only in two parts?). You will want to have a decent machinist's square on hand to help get the headstock square to the table.

    There isn't much in the way of instruction included in the mill and other stuff as I recall, but the deepgroove website and carter tools website are excellent resources. Pretty much everything you need to know to get up and running.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    21

    I would check the backlash

    Congrats! You must be excited--seeing those pictures brought back some good memories. One thing that I would recommend doing when the machine is still new that I didn't do is to measure the backlash on all three axes (use a test indicator). These machines are well adjusted from the factory for the most part, however I would check and make sure your backlash is within an acceptable range (do some research, but probably something like .002 - .005 in, the lower the better). You can adjust backlash following the instructions on Nick Carter's Taig site. If you haven't been briefed on software backlash compensation yet, do some research on the topic. If you can get your backlash low enough you can avoid software compensation all together, which is by most measures a good thing.

    I would also slide the saddle and table by hand while the leadscrews are disconnected so that you can get a feel for how the gibs are adjusted at the factory. I know it is difficult to take the time to check everything when you just want to start making chips, but it is probably better to make adjustments before anything has worn too much, if necessary.

    -Chris

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    17
    Quote Originally Posted by klaymonster View Post
    Awesome! I am getting a taig real soon too, the transaction is in pending at this very moment!

    How long did it take to arive? from ordering over paypal to showing up at the door..
    Was it pretty common sense setting it up? Was the instructions fairly descriptive/intuitive?

    Im really apreciate the pictures im getting so excited!
    Everything that themedulla said. I think the mill comes directly from Arizona, and the steppers and controller come from New Jersey, so in California the mill comes much sooner than the steppers and controllers.

    ChrisPDX, I saw the backlash adjustment stuff on Nick's site but it wasn't very detailed. Not sure how the indicator is used to determine the backlash. Do you know of any links that have more detail? Cheers!

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    17
    Quote Originally Posted by ChrisPDX View Post
    Congrats! You must be excited--seeing those pictures brought back some good memories. One thing that I would recommend doing when the machine is still new that I didn't do is to measure the backlash on all three axes (use a test indicator). These machines are well adjusted from the factory for the most part, however I would check and make sure your backlash is within an acceptable range (do some research, but probably something like .002 - .005 in, the lower the better). You can adjust backlash following the instructions on Nick Carter's Taig site. If you haven't been briefed on software backlash compensation yet, do some research on the topic. If you can get your backlash low enough you can avoid software compensation all together, which is by most measures a good thing.

    I would also slide the saddle and table by hand while the leadscrews are disconnected so that you can get a feel for how the gibs are adjusted at the factory. I know it is difficult to take the time to check everything when you just want to start making chips, but it is probably better to make adjustments before anything has worn too much, if necessary.

    -Chris
    Ignore my earlier post, I just found this which has more detail and it makes more sense now.

    http://www.krupin.net/serendipity/in...djustment.html

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    1738
    I'll have to show you my camera mount I made for snowboarding, I also wanted to make some Gig-Ram heatsinks along with a water cooled blocked. But I don't know. Nice stuff.


    My CPU design was essentially the same as yours. Nice.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    17
    Everything is here now and working. I haven't machined anything yet but setup EMC2 and ran their test program. After lots of tweaking all of the settings seem correct (axis travel and inverts, home positions, etc.). Attached are some more pictures of the setup process.

    The videos from the Deepgrove site were alright, would be nice if there was more about setting up the machines from beginning to end including software information (screw pitch, charge pump, parallel port mode in the BIOS, those kinds of details). Packing for the controller and motors was questionable and some screws were rattling inside of the controller box upon arrival. No major damage and it was easy to fix but worth noting. Then again it was a bargain for the setup!

    Once I'm sure the EMC2 setup is solid I'll post that for others who want to try EMC2 out. Hopefully this weekend I'll be able to mill my first parts. Until then, cheers!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_3427.jpg   IMG_3428.jpg   IMG_3429.jpg   IMG_3431.jpg  

    IMG_3433.jpg   IMG_3440.jpg  

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Posts
    36
    I have to say im getting rather nervous about the setup process i got my 4th axis table the other day and i can tell already i neglected to order a bunch of stuff. there is no right angle attachment or tailstock, none of those jaw things that close the part into the rotary table (chuck?) it'll be interesting to see how long it takes figure out (not to mention the final cost!)

    sorry schmutzig i need to quit hijacking your thread.. im following your progress closely though all the pics are really helpful to me (and the whole taig community im sure!)

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    17
    Its been a very enlightening week. I forgot to get some stuff and have figured out a pipeline to get information from one end to the other. Main thing I forgot was a way to hold the work down to the table. It took me a while to find a clamping kit that would fit the TAIG mill, so I'll share it here to save others time.

    http://littlemachineshop.com/product...18&category=11

    Its already here and it fits and works great. I also bought some end mills and a Keyocera .02" engraver bit. Between the workbench, mill, Deepgrove controller and steppers, end mills, clamping kit, and engraver I've spent about $2,000. With the cost of the computer its about $2,500 but already had the computer around. So if you see the $1,700 price tag think about the extras that you'll need too.

    As for the data pipeline I use high end visual effects software (Houdini) at work and already know my way around it. Through PyCAM I've found a way to get geometry out of Houdini and make a tool path from it (full 3D, not just 2D). Awesome! Same thing could be done with Houdini Apprentice which is free, or Blender which is similar and open source. CAD software is probably the ideal, but since I don't know the first thing about CAD this is perfect for me.



    On a side note, would anyone be interested in a tutorial for that computer graphics software to PyCAM pipeline or maybe EMC? I'd like to give back to the community since I've learned so much and made use of the open source software out there. Cheers!

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    21
    I have the same clamping set from LMS, it works pretty good on the Taig, although it is probably better suited for a slightly larger machine. I may make something similar to these clamps on instructables: http://www.instructables.com/id/maki...lling_machine/

    You may also want to check out http://www.shars.com for tooling and such. I just ordered some items from them recently, although it is import quality, it does seem to be a little better (from my limited experience) than what you can get from Enco.

    I am interested in PyCAM, although it probably won't become part of my work flow in the near future. I use Blender to do renderings and animation from imported CAD data. Probably the main challenge with theses type of programs is that they work with mesh data, which is great for the tasks they are intended for, but not so great for precision work (i.e. CAD). For a real solid modeler on a budget I would recommend Alibre. It offers much of the functionality of SolidWorks, et al. at a fraction of the cost. From the CAM side of things, I would be interested in your experience with PyCAM. I assume it is written in Python, which as you probably know is integrated very nicely into Blender... could make for some interesting possibilities. I find it interesting that today you can buy a CAD system that is comparable to the "big three" for under $100, but there is nothing out there even close to Mastercam, etc. for anywhere near that price point.

    -Chris

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    17
    Thanks for all the information! Alibre looks great for the price. I was not aware of a CAD tool with those features in that price range. Downloading the demo right now. Cheers!

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    17
    Better late than never. I'm setting up EMC2 on another machine and realized I never shared the configuration files. The setup is basic with no switches for limits or home. Hopefully it'll help somebody out.
    Attached Files Attached Files

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    980
    Not sure if the picture is telling the truth, but please check your coupler distance for the nylon tubing as from the picture, they look too far apart? According to the recommendations, the optimum gap is found to be between 1/32” and 1/16”.


    Hope this helps,
    Dave




    Dave->..

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    17
    Quote Originally Posted by fretsman View Post
    Not sure if the picture is telling the truth, but please check your coupler distance for the nylon tubing as from the picture, they look too far apart? According to the recommendations, the optimum gap is found to be between 1/32” and 1/16”.
    Dave, you have excellent eyes! I'll double check the gaps today. The machine has been taken down and setup several times since that picture but it wouldn't surprise me if it was still incorrect. Thanks! :idea:

Page 1 of 2 12

Similar Threads

  1. Powering a U.S. Taig/Gecko 540 in AUS.
    By dre101 in forum Benchtop Machines
    Replies: 29
    Last Post: 07-08-2010, 07:01 AM
  2. Gecko 540 Mach 3 Keling Steppers on a Taig
    By gunlocators in forum Gecko Drives
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 02-21-2009, 09:58 AM
  3. Taig Micro Mill model 2019 Collet & cutter help!
    By conlimon in forum Taig Mills / Lathes
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 04-07-2007, 07:12 PM
  4. Servo on Taig with Gecko
    By Jcadwell in forum Gecko Drives
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 03-09-2004, 06:13 AM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •