Messages

11

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Router/Mill Design & Build

« on: May 02, 2016, 07:30:42 AM »

Bit of progress made over the weekend sorry to say weather was nice so my bikes took most of my free time been neglecting them too much lately they need riding and I need the exercise getting old, London Surrey 100 end of July and Box and Neath hills are both killers if you are out of shape and practice. However fixed problem of slipping pulleys before it occured, a bit of testing/tuning first cuts a few slats of 25mm mdf which I have decided to use for first sacrificial bed, had a selection of 2020 off cuts laying around from printer builds etc so using these for clamping t-slots gives me 5mm to skim as needed. Using 6mm Router bit 1st DOC 3mm 2nd 6mm 3rd 12mm MDF using 12000rpm and 1500mm pm feed no problems with cuts. I have used a BOB I was given I think its a cheap chinese import and I appear to be having occasional problems, axis will refuse to operate in one direction, jogging a different axis then frees the original axis to move as required so another BOB on its way, double checking wiring next on to do list, all wiring is CY shielded cable currently all mounted in small pc tower case whilst waiting for cabinet to arrive so may just be everything to close for comfort. VFD is mounted well away from everthing else.

12

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Router/Mill Design & Build

« on: May 02, 2016, 07:30:02 AM »

Got ten minutes to inspect the plug on X axis and it had a problem caused by old age and drugs, I got older massive doses of steroids prescribed eyesight went to crap, some plonker managed to rotate pins by 90% when soldering late the other night, easily fixed glad I didn't use a 6560 for this build the driver would have gone pop and I would be soldering a new TB6560AHQ IC into the board and tales of magic smoke would be told.

13

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Router/Mill Design & Build

« on: May 02, 2016, 07:29:27 AM »

Decision made I had seriously under estimated how hard the ballscrew material was going to be, so drilling from end between steel pulley ans shaft would have wandered so.
Significant flat ground on one side and loc-tite to ensure grub screws stay put will be my plan of attack for now, just dremelled first one and grub screw replaced by an allan head A2 stainless machine screw should be sufficient to prevent rotation and lock pulley in both directions.

14

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Router/Mill Design & Build

« on: April 29, 2016, 06:14:30 PM »

So much for a day off only ended up working till 9pm, had to plug it in a try it when I got back, spindle fine, Z axis fine, Y axis with A slaved no problem, X axis just a rumble and rock from motor, too tired to even think about it tonight can't be too serious it didn't go bang! The two working axis have proved already it has all the speed I will ever be able to use in the flat and then some if it lived in a shed the shed would have been rocking. Would have been nice to have it all work but 4 from 5 is better than a kick up the backside.

15

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Router/Mill Design & Build

« on: April 28, 2016, 04:18:36 PM »

Progress being made not been able to keep up with posts as everything has been done in snatched moments as and when the free ones occured, all wired and connected ready for a test run tomorrow work permitting. Went with 5 axis BOB, 4 x DM542 4.2a drivers, 4 x 425oz Nema 23, 2.2kw HY VFD and Spindle, linkage I used 2:1 ratio from motors to 1605 ballscrews, power supply a pair of 36v 9.7amp units I had, option to swap in a pair of 48v 10.4amp will be available soon if it will be beneficial.

16

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Router/Mill Design & Build

« on: April 12, 2016, 05:32:16 PM »

Managed to get a couple of hours in over the weekend, and made some progress with Z axis, now have three smooth free moving axis and screws mounted for Y and Z still waiting on delivery of some parts so limited to working with parts already available. Time to start thinking about motor sizes required, being a novice I was surprised by the weight accumulation with the 20-30mm 5083 plate, rails, ballscrews etc used so need to work out totals and ensure adequate power from steppers drivers etc.,

17

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Router/Mill Design & Build

« on: April 08, 2016, 01:01:35 PM »

Have a Y and now almost an X and I have a few spare hours over the weekend to come up with working drawing for Z and start machining. Impressed with Fusion360 so far  simple to use and with a little tinker of the code before running mach3 the little seig conversion goes about its business with little complaining, nice to get some decent size lumps on it to cut eventually and make some decent chips.

Ended up pocketing 4mm each side to centre the gantry raiils onto Y axis bearings. the work area I will be able to use now confirmed as minimum 780x450x100mm

18

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Router/Mill Design & Build

« on: April 07, 2016, 04:06:36 PM »

Made a start on the X axis biggest lump thats been machined on the Seig since conversion, think I upset the seig when I put the fly cutter on to true and parallel top and bottom for rails, it started spitting needlles at me with a vengance!

635x150x30mm Plate backed by two lengths of 3x1X1/4" angle which was drilled and plate drilled and tapped for M4, top and bottom trued and drilled and tapped M4 again to mount rails.

Stomache was thinking throat had been cut so stopped now to eat, just two end to machine true and parrallel and main crossmember is about ready for ends to be mounted, thinking pocket the gantry sides 1/16" to accept crossmenber for strength and ease of alignment.

Spindle and VFD just arrived got a good deal on these £146 delivered and they look ok now I'm cooking with gas.

19

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Router/Mill Design & Build

« on: April 06, 2016, 04:58:50 PM »

First chance to do any work on build today half a day off so made a start, first job decide what to do about the steel and cast iron base I intended on using, top has been ground flat and its ready to go but Base weighs in above 3Cwt and Top just over 4Cwt all to be carried upstairs.

For time being I am going to put base into my lock up and try a different base to as all work in flat is likely to be lightweight, I will be selling my flat and buying a property with a workshop so the base will either be used then with this machine I originally designed for it or with version 2.0 which I have no doubt will be built.

So alternate base? As welding out of question in flat I have gone for simplicity, two sheets of 25mm MDF to make my base, bed laminated 75mm MDF whole base sealed glued and screwed, it's solid, time will tell if its solid enough, I cannot see any problems with type of work it will do whilst in the flat.

As base was drying I decided to drill and tap side rails which are 6"x4"x1/4" Ali box I used M6 with 30mm washers to attach rails to bed, M4 to mount external supporting ribs 300mm 38x38x6mm T section, M4 again to mount 20mm supported rails quite happy with the afternoons work, rails have a little adjustment available and I intend on locking them down with either loc-tite or epoxy when final adjustments made, currently as close as I can measure having just dropped them on and pinched up they are within 0.5mm over 1000mmm on the parallel.

Couple of pics below showing latest design and progress.

20

Mach3 and G-Rex / Re: Control Panel running, Machine is not..HELP

« on: April 04, 2016, 05:40:32 PM »

You need to install a driver go into properties and update the driver, when it searches it may not find correct driver but if you select show all instead of compatable then let me choose from a list, you should be able to find a generic microsoft com lpt port driver.