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  1. #16
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Port Huon
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    2,685

    Default A step backwards

    Now that the spoil board and bench are set up in the little shed, I moved the XYZ-Carve onto it and tried to align it.
    No matter what I did, I couldn't get it square, the right hand Y carriage was always further forward than the left hand side.
    Using an engineers square showed that the X axis rails were not at 90° to the Y axis carriage plate.I thought it might be swarf from the drilling and tapping of the Makersldie rails but I was careful to de-burr and clean that up. I checked the end cuts of the few pieces of Makerslide I had spare and sure enough, the ends were not cut square. Worse still was a difference of nearly 1.5mm between two of them. I assume that the makerslide I've used to make the XYZ-Carve has the same cut accuracy and is the cause of the problem.

    This isn't makerslide I bought from the XYZ-Carve vendor, 3dtek. It came from a local effort to produce makerslide about 2 (or 3?) years ago, manufacturer is long gone.
    To hurry the rebuild process up, I've ordered some new makerslide from Ben at 3dtek.

    Trying to look on the bright side a bit, as least I can drill holes for limit switches while I have it all disassembled. Assembly the second time through should be a lot quicker as well.

    I should be able to mill the ends of the existing makerslide to be square but it will be a challenge to hold 1 metre long pieces accurately in my little X2 mill.

    EDIT: Turned out to be easier than I thought. I checked the tram of the mill and while not perfect, was pretty close. I only took a skim cut from each end to square them up and then trimmed each to the same length. Overall, lost less than 1/2mm off the 1metre length. (These were spare Makerslides, not the ones from the XYZ-Carve.)
    As I have to take the XYZ-Carve apart anyway, I'll machine the others tomorrow.

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  3. #17
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Port Huon
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    Default

    All back together and square so trying a few test cuts - without success.

    Trying cut a simple pocket but it's drifting in the X direction, badly and randomly. I've followed all the recommendations for this sort of error, tightening belts, v-wheels and pulley set screws but no joy.
    Cutting square and round profiles seems to work, the problem is only evident on pockets, perhaps because of the smaller, more frequent moves.
    Time for a break from this I think.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  4. #18
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Port Huon
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    Default

    Finally sorted out the CNC issues today. It all came down to the speed of the PC I was useing. No errors reported but it just wasn't able to keep up the step rate hence the missed steps.
    I cut several test pockets today and they came out perfectly.
    I did have a problem with the Z axis but only due to a configuration error on my part, it was cutting at 1/10th of the depth it should. I fixed this so travel was correct and promptly broke the only small endmill I had!
    Off to eBay!

  5. #19
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Port Huon
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    2,685

    Default Success!

    Adjustments made to try and get the bed level, close but still needs some attention.
    Here's the first real job cut on the new XYZ-Carve. Still sorting out speeds and feeds but slowly getting there.
    Hobart Hackerspace
    Attached Images Attached Images

  6. #20
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Port Huon
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    Default Dust Control

    One thing my XYZ-Carve needs is dust extraction!
    Even the few minutes I spent today in cutting a few letters, spread MDF dust everywhere. Standing there with the shop-vac is a waste of time as the fan built into the router just blows the dust away before the vac can get it.

    I've a old DeWalt dust extractor, power unknown but I suspect 1HP (or perhaps less), that I'll be pressing into service as soon as I can.
    It has a 100mm inlet so I've got some 100mm DVW pipe to run through the wall so the extractor can sit outside.
    Despite all advice against it, I'll have to drop the connection down to 50mm to connect to the router as the extra load of dragging 100mm hose around may well be too much for the CNC.
    Yet another project...

  7. #21
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Victoria
    Posts
    29

    Default

    Hi Snowy, thanks for the build thread on the xyz-carve, good job. Can I please ask a couple of questions as I'm quite keen on getting one myself?
    Is the Makita router you've used better than the supplied spindle (being the 400w spindle) and did you purchase without the spindle?
    Will the Makita be strong enough to mill light aluminium and brass do you think?
    Are the instructions online or do you get a disk or something when you buy it? i'd like to check them out to see if I'm up to the electronics build side of things.
    Thanks and hope it is going well.
    Mat.

  8. #22
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    Jul 2006
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    Port Huon
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    Default

    Hi Mat,
    A router, either the Makita or the DeWalt, is much better than the 400W DC motor spindle and much more reliable. As I already had some Makerslide, V-wheels etc, I just purchased the missing bits to make the XYZ-Carve, not a complete kit. I bought the Makita based on reviews from the Inventables forum - and the fact that it was a LOT cheaper than the DeWalt option. It should be able to handle aluminium, not sure about brass. You will make/buy a suitable mount for the router as the one sold by 3Dtek is meant for the 400 W spindle and is too small. You can find suitable 65mm diameter mounts on eBay or there's a user on the Inventables forums that sells one ($US125)
    The instructions for assembly are on-line at Inventables.
    3Dtek do have an on-line forum but it's just getting started. Sign up for the Inventables forum, they're a helpful bunch and are doing some amazing things with the X-Carve.
    The electronics build seems fairly straight forward and Ben from 3Dtek is very helpful. My electronics are different to the Arduino based controller as I'm running Linuxcnc on a PC.

    I'm doing a final check on belt and v-wheel tension tonight before doing some accuracy tests tomorrow.
    Be sure to factor in dust collection, these things make a mess!

  9. #23
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    North Of The Boarder
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    68
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    Geoff I enjoyed this build thanks

    Shame about the rails and small annoying troubles but without them us observers would not learn and when and if we get them would be tearing hair out. That little Makita looks a real beaut I have volume down so didn't hear the scream. I was noticing when it was cutting "Hackerspace" some deflection of the bit could this be the size or the length protruding?

    Have you tried cutting any other material as yet?

  10. #24
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Port Huon
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    Default

    Hi Ray,
    The worst thing about setting this CNC up is getting the belt anbd v-wheel tension just right. Too tight or too loose and you get very similar problems. Lots of trial and error but I think I have it sorted now.

    The 'hackerpsace' was the first successful cut after sorting out the software issues so it certainly wasn't optimised for tools paths, type of bit, stick out etc - I just wanted to make dust (lots of it as it turns out!)
    The word 'Hobart' is engraved using a v-bit and there are a few glitches noticeable. Turns out these are due to not optimising the tool path or cutter compensation or some such thing. Lots still to learn.
    While I've had the 6040 CNC for a few years, it really didn't get the amount of use it should so I could learn all these things. Hopefully the XYZ_Carve will get a lot more use.

    I had a minor technical today the bed is not level so I thought I'd run a dial gauge ove it to see how far it was out. Got the dial gauge and magnetic base out and then realised the whole machine is aluminium - no where a magnet will stick to! Decided to mow the lawns instead ...

  11. #25
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
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    North Of The Boarder
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    Default

    Don't feel bad Geoff I found magnets pick up use won't pick up alloys or brass, plastic. I broke my claw pick up desperately need to find a new one.

    You dill-ema now is which shed to go into for the day

  12. #26
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Port Huon
    Posts
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    Default made a thing

    My air compressor lives out in the carport and the hose and power run though a hole in the fibro. I've just finished lining the shed so had to cut a matching hole in the lining. The hole saw was about 15mm bigger than the 50mm PVC pipe I planned to put in to span the cavity so wanted to make a cover for it. A job for the XYZ-Carve!

    A bit of time last night to create the gcode and about 5 minutes this morning to cut it. The stepped end goes over the end of the pipe which gets inserted into the cavity. Not that flash but a lot quicker/neater than any attempt I could make to cut it on the bandsaw/router.

    Not that flash but very happy with the result

    It has shown the desperate need for some form of dust extraction in the CNC room...
    I'd planned to make a dust shoe today but the temperature got up to 38 degrees so a small shed was no place to be.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  13. #27
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    Jul 2006
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    Port Huon
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    Default

    As the spoil board on the XYZ-Carve has a bit of flex and is in need of a good surfacing to level it, I've decided to replace it completely.
    I saw a design that used t-track for clamping with sacrificial MDF between the t-track and it seemd like a good design.
    T-Track is ~$23/metre so as an alternative, I'm using sail track from Ullrich Aluminium, it's only $2.50/metre.
    Spacing of the 7 tracks is ~135mm and it's fastened down every 100mm.
    As the top of the table/torsion box is only 9mm thick, I've used hollow wall anchors to fasten a piece of 18mm MDF as a base for the sail track.
    Nearly finished it today but I have to redo the countersinking as it's not deep enough and the screw heads protrude. There's only 4mm of space inside the track compared to the 6-7mm in a t-track.
    The sacrificial pieces will be joined to the fixed portion with threaded inserts scavenged from the removed spoil board. I'll mount these pieces using double sided tape and write some g-code to drill the holes for the inserts. That way, when it comes time to replace one of more of the sacrificial panels, I can be suer that the holes line up.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  14. #28
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    Feb 2016
    Location
    Canberra
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    5,124

    Default

    Have you managed to get it up and running?

  15. #29
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    1

    Default

    Yeh, T-tracks are way overpriced comparing to similar aluminium products. Its a rip off.

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