CNC

Last night Paul and I fixed some play in the Z axis. It appears there was another issue when I finally got around to doing my cut and I ended up shutting things down at 10:30 for quiet hours. You can see where the CNC started missing steps by looking at the cuts on my project. I left my project on the table and will be down this afternoon to finish it and try to fix the missing steps on the X axis… If someone needs the CNC before then you can take my stuff off the CNC or if you are really kind shoot me an email and run the final pass on the CNC for me.

Coy

Hey, Coy.
I’ll be in this afternoon working on another project. Fill me in on the missing x steps. Was it machine or program?
Dave

Thanks for working on the CNC.

It was machine. I believe the X-Axis got tightened again after I did it last week. After I loosened it up it a little, it appears to be working. Are you going to be there before 2?

Coy

Heads up, I'm going in to give her a test run this evening.
Thanks.

Wednesday, We found the left x-end stop magnet had fallen off the spindle carriage. It needs to be reglued onto the spindle carriage so the hall effect sensor is engaged. I ran out of time.
I did tighten up the lower roller on the spindle x-carriage, which eliminated some slop.

Coy and I found the belt driven x pinion gear was rubbing against the aluminum bridge. On removing the spring load bolt we found the pinion gear is wobbly on the axle bolt.
Please don’t over tighten the spring loaded tensioner. It just needs to be tight enough to avoid gear backlash. It is functional for now.

I will investigate which part is worn; The axle or the gear bearing. (or both)
Dave

FYI, I’m not sure where that magnet came from Dave. I went to put it back on and saw the magnet for the Hall effect sensor was still there. I used the CNC the other night and it seemed to be working well enough to cut a few parts but I don’t have confidence it could complete an extended cut lasting close to an hour or more without error.

Coy

The loose sensor would explain the several random limit switch trips during my run.

I'll be on the cnc this evening around 6.

Does anyone have good sources of walk through cnc builds? Ideally on you tube for visual aid, there's sooo much out there.
I've got a few things figured out for my build now; still sourcing though.
I'm thinking moving forward with an audrino and the board that plugs on top of it for the break out board. Still up in the air...

Paul, I’m hoping this is on target to answering your question. Forgive me if this is old news to you.

You may find the RepRap wiki helpful as a source of information.
https://reprap.org/wiki/CNC_Router

Perhaps one of the better documented CNC projects is the ShapeOko. Not full of video, but very thoughtful.
https://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/
Also pertinent HIVE13 owns an almost ready for prime time ShapeOko. It’s in line for priority behind a few other projects. (Oh, Where does the time go?)

I’m interested in CNC controls and would welcome a conversation on your project. Perhaps there are insights we can share from our ventures down the rabbit hole of machine design. Lorin and I have made our own trips there as we work on the Delta printer project. Despite the differences, there are great similarities in the digital control of stepper motors.

Best Regards,
Dave

Thanks Dave!
No random estop trips on my run last night.

I've seen some folks using the gecko boards.

I'm ideally trying to set it up as a dual system with a router and vertically mounted laser tube. Still trying to find a good example of that though.