CNC Gantry Router #A

[rodm]

I am posting this so I get off my backside and start a new build.
I have lost count of the builds so not wanting to tell any fibs this is machine number A - algebra
last machine build number + 1 = A
or if you want to be pedantic
next machine build number - 1 = A :)

It shall be named when something sounding silly enough to be a CNC machine name is thought of. Inspiration eludes me for the present so all suggestions gratefully received.

This machine was going to be a mid sized 500 by 700 by 125 envelope using some long actuators I got a while back but the planets have aligned and a new supplier in China has meant that I got long ballscrews and linear rails for good prices. I can give you links to this seller if you are interested and not just kicking tyres.

So an envelope of 1200 X 900 X 200 is now the target. Design will be my traditional steel base and aluminum gantry but the machine will be able to be used horizontal or vertical or any angle in between. This is an idea floating for a while to use gravity to collect the dust/swarf while it is cutting. Upside down would be really interesting but I won't be that ambitious this time. :)

First photo is the balscrews and two set of rails.
From left they are THK15 rails and four trucks, 1 metre 1605 machined ballscrew and both parts will be used on the Y axis.
Next are 2 by 1200mm 1605 machined ballscrews and then 2 by 1300mm 25mm linear rails and bearings. These are fully supported along their length and would have been good but I ordered some LM25 rails and trucks to replace. This will be a dual screw X axis.

Next photo shows the aluminum plate for the table. It is 1200 by 1400 by 8 and will be cut down a little when the final measurements are known.

Last photo shows the 5056 drivers, power supplies, Nema 497 oz motors, 1.5kw spindle, VFD and Z axis KR33 actuator.

I will be using 200 by 6 steel plate for the sides and hold it together with 50 by 6 steel angle.

Now I am committed keep give me a nudge if I slack off and we will see what this pile of parts can become. :)

[WillyInBris]

Well about Bloody time how long have you had the parts 5 days :D.

What are your thoughts on the Rails so far.


Sean

[rodm]

The quality of the rails is good and I will use them on another build. I have ordered the square rails and trucks to replace these as they are a stronger design. The advantage of the round rail is price as they are less than half the cost of the square rails. If you are going to get the round rails then get this type as they are supported along their length so you will get no flex in the rail.

I have had some of those parts for nearly twelve months but this has mainly been to spread the cost and pick things up as cheap as possible. I am probably over $3k in that stack but it is all new and good quality components. The aluminum plate was $434 but that was discounted from $550. One place I rang wanted nearly $700 and I suspect they were just on sellers and picking up their margin. Steel jumped 25% in July and to give you an idea the angle on the first photo was $130. Luckily I have a good stock of steel plate in the shed and I will source the rest of the aluminum I need from scrap yards.

The ballscrews and rails were a lot cheaper than expected so my local purchases have been offset by this. About all I need now is to get a couple of large pillow blocks so I can pivot the machine to do the vertical bit.

I will have to take a couple of motivation pills and get this started. :)

Thanks for the advice on the VFD wind up - it worked a treat.

[snowyskiesau]

Makes my planned efforts in MDF look very tame :-

The plus side is that MDF is much, much cheaper than that a big sheet of aluminium.
(how do you cut that by the way?).

So rodm, it's been 12 hours since your posting - how's the build progressing? :D

[rodm]

Hi Geoff,
The comparing of machines should be done by the work coming off the table. I have seen a machine made from water pipe, sockets and salvaged electronics and it worked. Built carefully your MDF machine will serve you well.

The ally plate will be cut very carefully on the sliding table saw but I have to say I am not looking forward to this.

I let Willy(who is no longer)InBris :) comment slip through to the keeper but now you guys are ganging up. The only way to answer this is to say watch this space. :D

[Greolt]

Rod

I cut aluminium on my table saw quite often.

Use a sharp blade, a sprits of WD40 or similar and some face protection.

The "sawdust" stings a little more than usual.

Never felt the need for any sort of special blade.

Greg

[snowyskiesau]

Greg,
Up to what thickness aluminium have you cut with the table saw?

[WillyInBris]

Well I have done up to 10mm But I prefer the Bandsaw.

[Greolt]

20mm Take it easy. No problems.

Greg

[rodm]

Thanks Greg,
I have cut my fair share of ally on the table saw as well but my confidence was shattered a few months ago by a kick back with aluminum. It took the side of my index finger off to the bone and then it went on and hit the back of the shed like a gunshot. Since then I have got a pair of Grippers which should stop it ever happening again but my toes curl under every time I use the saw now. It's just a confidence thing.

[twistedfuse]

Rod,

Would like to see the supplier link. I've decided that as i get some money im going to upgrade from my current machine to a 1.4m x 2m machine so i can do bigger work and instead of cutting up a sheet of material i'll be able to just load it up and cut what i need. So would love to see what the difference in price would be compared to what ive been quoted from NSK for ballscrews. I might look at selling the machine i have now to fund it but not sure yet. Eitehr way cant wait to see another great machine build log. I should do the same to get me off my rear too.

Daniel

[rodm]

Hi Daniel,
Sending you an email on the links.
To give you an idea I got 1605 - 12000mm long ballscrew and nut (with seals) machined both ends to my drawing and freight for under $200 Aus.
Linear rails are aslo good price.
A 2m ballscrew is probably stretching the limit of a screw - definately a 16mm diam ballscrew unless you go rotating nut. Have you looked at R&P?
Posting a build log does motivate me to keep going but I am doing renovations to my son's home so shed time is limited. See already an excuse. :-
You have gained a huge amount of knowledge from your first build so this one should be a lot easier for you.

[WillyInBris]

I so need to move to Perth and become another son :D

[twistedfuse]

Rod,

Thanks very much for the email. Just curious what accuracy the ballscrew is. I had a quote for a 20mm ballscrew but they are 0.210mm accuracy over 300mm. So that makes me think it would be similar to the R&P in accuracy and the R&P might be cheaper and better off. The price youve quoted sounds pretty good tho. I guess greg has some experience here, i like the design he has on his machine. I will be looking to do a fair bit of 3d and then some basic profiling. Maybe greg could post a photo of some 3d off the R&P system? Either way the x axis(1.4m) will be ballscrew most likely as i may have acquired a cheap ballscrew with C3 accuracy. But ill cross that as i go. I like the supported sides so i could look at doing some aluminum every now and then, where the others i would think chatter would be a problem.

Daniel.

[rodm]

WillyInBris,
You have to go easy on the red you're too old to be adopted :D

Twistedfuse,
Ballscrews are C7 accuracy so possibly similar specs.

You lost me on the supported sides. If you mean the round linear rails then he also has square rails and trucks - Like THK25HRS, etc. Don't be limited to what he has listed and just ask him on an email for specific parts or suggestions. He is very easy to talk to and no interpretation problems.

I admire you blokes that can draw your machine before you start. Mine evolve from a pile of parts and I never really know what it is until it is finished.
Actually thanks I now have a name for this beast - Morphy.

[Geoff Sims]

Had the great pleasure of visiting Rodm at his home last night to see a couple of his machines up close.......I'M HOOKED!!

Spent a lot of time in his workshop and also a bit of time in front of his computer as he demonstrated the CNC software to me. I throughly enjoyed the visit and learnt heaps. He really knows his stuff.

It's been a long time since I last met such an obliging and helpful person and as a result of his enthusiasm I'm now looking forward to my upcoming build more than ever.

THANKS ROD!

Cheers
Geoff

[rodm]

Hi Geoff,
Enjoyed your visit and always keen to chat with somebody interested in CNC and shed talk.
I am looking forward to seeing a build from you and your input to our pool of knowledge. Every new machine I see has a couple of different features that make me think I wish I had thought of that.
Most of the people on this forum have been very free with information and advice so for me it is just paying it forward.

[Greolt]

Maybe greg could post a photo of some 3d off the R&P system?



Here is a video of some 3D carving. One of the samples from the Vector Art 3D site.

This really torture tests the R&P drives when it gets down to finishing pass. No discernible positional error.

http://web.aanet.com.au/greolt/3D%20carve.wmv

Greg

EDIT: Streaming does not work well for me on this file. Plays jerky. Download and view.

[twistedfuse]

Thanks very much for that video. It really reassures me that it will work, i have a pictures somewhere of some work ive done recently of a chevy 327 logo which i converted and engraved into stainless steel. Its about 75mm across and 60mm high. I would still need to do that type of thing on the large machine which is why i as curious as to the accuracy. But i guess it is nearly the same as rolled thread ballscrews. Just a couple of questions about your mahcine. What were the specs of your r&p(pitch etc)? Where did you get them(rough cost if possible), they look like the are mounted to the channel with bolts, which would be best but lately all i can see are small ones which i would have to weld on. Also In regards to your U Channel, how did you surface the channel(home mill or commercial). I would love to use some channel but not having my own mill, it would take ages to surface with my router so i'd have to get a commercial shop to do it, unless i found someone local to do it.

Daniel
P.S I will start a new thread for my ideas and conversations so im not taking over rods good thread. As soon as i get a chance i will do that.

[jb2060]

G'Day Rod,

Very impressive pile of raw materials there :U. It looks a bit different to how you started out Obott ! Not a skate bearing in sight :D. Could I ask what motors and driver you are using for Morphy ? - this is pretty topical for me at the moment.

Greg, Very impressive 3D cut - what axis speeds were you running for this?

[rodm]

Recieved some rails today to replace the round rails in the earlier photo. Have one of those dustproof electrical enclosures for the electronics. 500 by 400 and 200 deep. See photos.
Had the angles machined yesterday so Morphy has started.

Hi Jason,
I am using Nema 497oz motors and Kelling style 5056 drivers and a break out board. I have a C10 breakout board from CNC4PC but will eventually swap this out for a smoothstepper and go USB.

[rodm]

Hi Greg,
The video didn't work for me the other day and I just tried it again now. I got dizzy watching the Z axis at work. :D
Great work and you have your machine tuned in very well.
What are you running for drivers, interface ,etc and what do you think has given the greatest improvement in speed?
Spindle looks good as well. :2tsup:

[Greolt]

Rod

I have some Geckos in it. They were given to me and that was what started my CNC journey.

Running off the LPT but I think that is about to change to SmoothStepper. Just because I can. :)

".......what do you think has given the greatest improvement in speed?"

Can rapid at 18000 mm/min but that does not mean much in my book. I have it set about 8000 mm/min. Acceleration settings are far more important IMO. As can be seen in the video. :)

The number one factor IMO is the overall concept and rigidity of the build. Everything else follows that.

Start with a solid base as per your designs, use proper bearings, resist the temptation of high gantries and keep everything close, tight and solid. :cool:

Greg

[simso]

Well, I havent been on the site for a couple of months now, and wolla look at all the new posts. Rod why doesnt it surprise me your doing another one, Mmm that would be A = 7.

Steve

[simso]

Gee whiz greg,
I just had a look at that video, is it moving or what. I never run my system faster than 600mm/min, might have to ramp it up a bit more and see what it can do after watching that video, will have to turn the router up a bit faster too
Impressive

[rodm]

Hi Steve,
There is an increasing interest in CNC on this site. Some new ideas coming out of it which we should all benefit from.
Seriously I have lost count on the machines as it has been three years of building them now. Obott the first is still king of the workshop but this build will knock it off the perch. It will be a shame but I might even get rid of Obott after this build.
With a VFD spindle on the new one you will understand why when you see and hear it running at the workshop.

[jb2060]

... I might even get rid of Obott after this build...

enough of the crazy talk, Rod! Obott will no doubt be a museum piece one day. I am sure you can find a quiet corner of your workshop for the little fella to serve out his days - maybe even a few years on light duties, before retirement:)

[rodm]

Sorry Jason missed your post.
Yeah Obott has inspired many to build a machine and has made a lot of machines as well. It has served it's purpose well but Morphy will be bigger, stronger and have all the latest design improvements. Obott will cut the granty sides for Morphy so it will be a relative but Obott will be sold off once Morphy is finished. I just don't have the room and my shed, patio and carport are filling up with machines and materials again.
Absolutely nothing to do with CNC but an interesting thought is that the first machine was hand filed on a bench or a product of that process simply because they didn't have a machine to make a machine. I like the idea that we do a similar thing by building these machines.
Progess is happening on Morphy and the Z axis is finished - I actually did two at the same time so it took a litte longer. The steel is cut and I have sandblasted it and primed it. The steel is a lot of work and seems to take forever but it is the foundation and everything is referenced to the base so it is worth the effort.
I'll post some photos this week.

[rodm]

I was clearing the camera and came across this photo of cutting the cross rails for Morphy. As you can see I have stacked all the angle and cut it in one pass. This makes sure that they are all exactly the same length and sqaure. There are 7 pieces of 50mm angle, five at 6mm and 2 at 8mm stacked in that lot.
These bandsaws are cheap and they are incredibly accurate. I use a bi-metal blade and it lasts about twelve months with a lot of home use.
In addition to cutting technique I use a lot of MDF templates to make sure everything is square and accurate during assembly.

[rodm]

After cutting all the steel, cleaning it to bright metal then priming I came unstuck. My mobile bench is too small so assemble the base so I have been back on the bandsaw cutting more steel for a bench. Another photo of the bandsaw this time cutting gussets for each join. Cut 32 gussets out of 6mm plate. 8 plates cut at a time while clamped to the bed. The good thing is I can work on other bits and pieces as the saw does its thing.

[WillyInBris]

Will we get some pics of the Bench :D

[rodm]

At the rate I am going it will be next month before it is finished. :)

Yeah I might post some of the bench and typical of me it is evolving as I think of things to add. After looking at Zoot's fine drawings I have already modified mine a bit to accommodate the switchboard. I am having trouble with the galvanised angle as it is pressed and not a perfect right angle - that's my excuse anyway. :D

Are you still one of Australia's homeless? You need to find a shed with a house on the block. :D

[WillyInBris]

At the rate I am going it will be next month before it is finished. :)

Yeah I might post some of the bench and typical of me it is evolving as I think of things to add. After looking at Zoot's fine drawings I have already modified mine a bit to accommodate the switchboard. I am having trouble with the galvanised angle as it is pressed and not a perfect right angle - that's my excuse anyway. :D

Are you still one of Australia's homeless? You need to find a shed with a house on the block. :D

Yes mate I am :D but found a mate that has a big shed the only problem is we will have to pull the boat out and then if you pull the boat out it wouldn't be good unless you take her out for a fish its a real problem.

Just trying to find the right shed with the right shed to build the next beast :oo: but we are getting closer.

[rodm]

Hi Sean,
Not much of a contest fishing or work - hmmm let me think. :rolleyes:


Ok because there is not much happening here are some photos of the bench for Morphy. I am only doing an hour or so after work so progress is slow.

Photos show front and side and I am adding ideas as this thing is built. You can see all the gussets I have included from the earlier shots of the bandsaw in action. Lots of drilling and tapping in those.

I still have about a mm of twisting going on in the frame and hope that the slide will take that out. The slide is going to be a sealed compartment to collect all the swarf and sawdust and will have a box at the bottom of the slide. In effect it will add a diagonal brace to the bench and you can see my idea in the photo - it is just clamped there while I ponder. :)

I have a set of rubber coated cast iron castors on order. They will hold 560kg so I should be OK there.

The drop in the Aussie dollar has stopped any overseas purchases for me so I will have to amuse myself with what I have got in the shed now. Fortunately I have enough parts to finish this machine and one more so things should have improved by then. I got burnt by Western Union and it cost me $90AUS. Apparently they do an adjustment when the person in the country collets the funds. I paid when the dollar was 77 cents and because of a Chinese holiday the funds were not collected for five days. Dollar dropped to 69 cents and that is the rate Western Union did the conversion. I was a bit annoyed especially as I had to pay their fees again to send more money but you can't expect them to take a dive either so it is just one of those annoying things. Needless to say that is why I am not making any overseas purchases until things settle.

Back to important things like CNC. Just so you can get a perspective of the size the bench it is sitting on is 1400 by 710 and the bench being made is 1300 by 1070.

[twistedfuse]

Great work on the bench. I wish i could make mine as neat as that. Im the same with the build tho, very slow going. Im tied up with the machinist putting my job at the end of his list. Ah well i just hope i get a good deal otherwise it wasn't worth it at all.

Anyway, keep up the great work, look forward to seeing this beauty coming together.

Daniel

[rodm]

Thanks Daniel,
You forget I have seen your work and it is of very high standard.
I bet you are glad you got your rails when you did. It would cost you another 30% if you got them today. Just does not seem right to me.
I know what you mean about dragging on and I am just putting up a few posts that I think might be interesting to other CNC'ers to fill in and make me think I am doing something. :rolleyes:
I will get on the lathe tonight to make some lock nuts for the ballscrews so looking forward to that.

[twistedfuse]

Rod,

Thanks for that but compared to your work it feels like it is child's play. As for the rails, im very happy i did get them when i did, its was a bummer tho. If i had gotten the tax back quicker and bought the rails when i wanted them it would have been nearly 1:1. Ahwell like you said compared to now im happy but was thinking about a spindle but thats gone for now. Im going to try and budget (got rego and compolsory 3rd party due on the car) and buy all the steel, timing belts and pulleys and buy the 80/20 this month. Thinking of 2 lengths of 40x80 or somethign similar for the gantry. Would that work as good as the solid 60x120? Im just thinking about putting the ballscrew through the middle and that way i can seal it inside with brushes unless i decide to use R&P.

Next month is my birthday so i might have to drop some hints for what i want. lol. Keep up the good work.

Daniel

[rodm]

Hi Daniel,
I don't think the two lengths of 80 by 40 would be much of an improvment on one length of 80 by 40 unless you tie them together like a truss. If they are independant of each other then they are still just 80 by 40. Perhaps the Z axis connection and spreading the load over two beams would help but I am not sure.
Greg and Zoot are chippie/buulders so they will have a better idea of how this works so I hope one of them can chime in.

Spindle can always come later when things settle down a bit. Now you can tell SWMBO how much you have saved by getting the rails when you did. :wink:

[Studley 2436]

More impressive stuff Rod. I am always amazed that people can make a cnc machine at home. Saw a nice Mori Seiki the other day 100m/min rapids accurate to one micron has 50 hp machines on 5 axis has a pallet loader and the spindle from memory is only a slow 30,000 RPM. For a mere 700 grand you can have one just like it! I know of one place doing some Aerospace work on a similar just bigger Mazak and they put out parts and are left with scrap Aluminium worth $14,000 every month.

Back on planet earth I am still stunned what you guys manage to do at home. Just a thought but do you always fix the table and move the gantry? Has anyone ever tried fixing the Gantry and putting the table on rails so it runs back and forth under the gantry? This is the way your typical double column Machining Centre works. Table gives you X and Y and the column/gantry Z. They do this to get a more rigid structure, maybe it would help with what you are doing?

Studley

[rodm]

Thanks Studley
I would love to have a manual Mori Seiki as I think their lathes are the smartest looking beasts you could have in your workshop. There is a magic web site where a bloke has 5 (I think) fully restored Mori Seiki lathes and not a spec of dirt anywhere. Very different to my workshop where I bruise my hips on machinery all the time and are forever picking swarf out of my feet. Yeah I know my workshop safety standards are not as good as they should be.

There certainly is some very impressive CNC gear out there and at my scale it is hard for me to to imagine some of the photos I have seen let alone $14,000 of scrap ally a month.

I have looked at building a bridge gantry with moving table but being a bit tight in the pocket I always come back to moving gantry. Much longer travel for same size rails. I have a big slab of 20mm ally plate and an R8 spindle with variable speed DC motor that is begging for a moving table design so it might happen one day. This will be geared more for milling than routing but I have enough to keep me busy for this year.

Building these machines is not hard but you do need patience. It takes me about three months to build a machine and the most tedious part is setting up and adjusting everything once it is built. A couple of dial gauges, a pocket full of shims, some good music and plenty of time is the key to making a good machine. My method is to overbuild so it is rigid and has mass and the rest is just basic metalworking skills.

[Ch4iS]

Nice work ROD. I know how much of a pain it can be working with inaccurate angle, its even worse when it has a slight twist due to bad transportation. And yet aluminium angle is so perfect.

Any reason the frame was not welded? Also I wanted to ask is the above with the triangle pieces what you were refering to in my post so that the frame would not twist?

[rodm]

Yeah this duragal is all over the place and I have a bit of trouble convincing it to go where I want it. Lots of clamps and plenty of measuring to make sure it is right.

I am primarily a woodworker so welding in a woodworking shed is not a good thing to do. In any case I would not weld this stuff as it is galvanised. The triangular gussets are there to make the joint stronger but will not remove twisting. Twisting can be from the joint but is more likely caused by flexing in the length of the mateiral. A diagonal brace from bottom corner to top corner will remove that.

I have to fit in an electrical panel, a coolant tank for the spindle, a vacuum pump / tank and an aquarium pump into the base so lots to do yet.

[WillyInBris]

Mate you left out the ............ :2tsup::2tsup::U

[appiwood]

Hello Studley and Rod

I think the size of the machines that most here build is why we go for a fixed bed / moving gantry, most ?? machines seem to be around the 1200mm X axis length, with a moving bed that would be at least 2400mm, the shed size available to us would be the major issue, having said that I have finished the design of a 3.6m machine so where there's a will there is a way.

I had a cousin who was a sheet metal worker and he said when weld gal steel part of the award was some milk to drink at smoko and lunch, apparently the milk negated the fumes from the weld. I have just done a quick google and the milk theory has some propents, most are saying work in a well ventilated area.

Finally, I approached Triton recently to see if they had any plans to have as an accessory a weld visor for the powered respriator they have, they don't but I wish they did, they are on the net but the $$$$'s aren't good.

Ed

[Studley 2436]

The aluminium they are using to get all that scrap Rod is 7075 so high end aerospace stuff. It isn't cheap.

Sounds like you are on all the right paths about being rigid and getting mass into your machine.

Mori Seiki grew up making Toolroom Lathes. High precision stuff was always their thing. I do know of Moris that are 25 years old and still just bang on. The hubs they use in V8 Supercars come from a place here in Adelaide and are made on Mori Seiki SL 2's or 3's. (CNC Slant Bed Lathes) I think they go up to around 4000 on the SL 2 and 2400 RPM on the SL 3. Rapids are about 10 m/min and tool change two to three seconds so they are way below state of the art speed. They make lathes with 0.2 second tool change now and 100 m/min rapids. Frightening stuff. Spindle Speeds aren't that much faster as you need tools to handle the speed. Similar sized machines these days go to 5000 or there abouts. Small ones I don't know the old Mori SL OH of 1980 had 8 hp and 6000 RPM spindle they might go to 10 or 12,000 now but I don't know.

Mills are getting really juicy, spindles that run at 30,000 RPM and on light machines up to 100,000! Can you believe that? They run them at 30,000 and 10 m/min feedrate and just obliterate billets into finished parts. Mind you the guys doing that are using HSK spindles, and shrink fit tools as well as some pretty expensive balancing gear as well.

That stuff all fits into what they call High Speed Machining, the basic idea of which is that you run high speeds and feeds and light cuts. Very possibly that is the sort of stuff that might be interesting to guys with CNC Routers. The result of High Speed Machining is much higher output and much lower loads on the machine. It might be beneficial when you have a light machine without that much power.

Studley

[rodm]

Sean,
Damn I knew I forgot something - :2tsup::2tsup:

And an extra for the stocked firdge :2tsup: :D


Ed,
I had galvanise poisoning from welding many years ago and after a couple of days of feeling really nausieted I just don't weld it anymore.
Not sure the Triton would be any good for fumes but probably better than nothing. I feel too restriced in a helmet but then again my safety standards need improving anyway.

Studley,
Apologies as my memory is not what it should be - it was the Monarch lathe that I dream about and here is a link to the workshop
http://www.cnccookbook.com/CCHallOfFame3.html
Even though I am heavily into CNC I love old iron and I think the new stuff lacks design and has a fabricated look but obviously is a lot more functional.
That site has some really nice workshops so worth a look around while you are there.
I fully agree with you on high speed machining. I am fitting a 1.5kw 24,000 RPM water cooled spindle on this machine - it is heavy. I am trying for better than 5m/min on steppers and 5mm pitch ballscrews but it might be too big an ask.
Adelaide would have to be the prime machining capital in Aus with all the car manufacturing. I hope it can survive and continue to provide training for future generations. Too much of our expertise has already been lost to overseas manufacturing.
Thanks for the info on large scale CNC - it is really interesting to hear about it.

[WillyInBris]

Jesus I need a cold shower after seeing that but now the wife understands why I need a workshop and a JOB lol :wink:

http://www.cnccookbook.com/CCHallOfFame3.html (http://www.cnccookbook.com/CCHallOfFame3.html) =

I need am off for a cold shower after that :oo:

[Studley 2436]

Those are gorgeous shops Rod!

Old machines are interesting. Machinists and Toolmakers by religion will never say a machine is bad. They always say a machine is good. I was on a Hafco Lathe not that long ago which was meant to be good, well it wasn't horrible but was out of level so didn't turn that parallel and putting a long boring bar on it as required you could see the bar dive 5mm at the start of a cut. Dodgy electricity in that place meant that you could only get 2 mm depth of cut in 4140 which is regarded as a free machining high alloy steel. 2.5 mm cuts worked unless someone turned on a grinder or anything then the machine threatened to stall!

Go figure. The old flat bed lathes are good within limits but are not a spot on the newer slant bed lathes which are box way as well.

Box ways v Linear ways is a standing argument. Some think that box ways are better but they take more power to drive. This can cause flexing in ball screws causing inaccuracy. High end Vertical machining centres usually combine both. Linear ways for the table and box ways for the column, that is choosing what suits the application better.

Anyway talking old iron I think it comes down to what bit of old iron you have. The Yanks are big on South Bend, LeBlond, and Monarch which all hark back to the days when the US had the biggest machine tool industry in the world. For many years now the Japanese have been bigger. I think they have 55% or 60% of the world market now. There are many really old manual first rate Japanese machines. If you come across one be prepared to consider it. The Big Three, Mori Seiki, Mazak (Yamazaki), and Okuma. Then there is a long list of other first rate Japanese Machines. Makino, Hitachi, Hidekai, Nakamura plus another 10 or 20. My experience is only with Manual Mori Seiki's and Mazaks. They were brilliant machines even when they were very old. I have run Okuma's and Hidekai's but they were CNC machines and top machines. One thing to be careful with the Hidekai's is that they went bust and were bought by Shanghai Electric in China! That one surprised me as Hikekai did make some weapons grade machines but there you go. Hitachi's machine tool section has been bought by Mori Seiki who basically kept it and rebadged them as cheap Mori Seiki's. The Hitachi's were good without being at that rarefied level Mori is in.

Another one that has come up with stuff that impresses people is Daewoo! Believe it or not. They have shown themselves to be a first rate manufacturer, so if you happen to find one around the place give it a good once over it might be a really good thing.

Studley

[rodm]

Sean,
They are not real - no swarf, no sawdust and nothing hanging from the rafters. :D
Some of those guys must have a lot of spare cash but I suppose it is much cheaper in USA.
Bones (RP of RPM fame) is over there for three months with work and been buying up while he is there. Like to see him throw a lathe over his shoulder and board the plane back. Mind you if he is flying Quantas it might anchor him so he doesn't bump his head mid flight. :rolleyes:

[rodm]

Studley,
Yeah I look at that site every now and again to remind myself of how my shed should look - never going to happen.
I have a Hafco 12 by 36 and a 9 by 20 (for future CNC conversion) and I really enjoy using them. I am relatively new to metal machining and self taught so my skills are low but they give me a buzz.
Interesting history about the shift of manufacturing around the world. Maybe China or India will eventually take over like the Japanese did from America. Perhaps not as the operator cost verses machine cost have changed considerably since CNC so chasing cheap labour may not be the issue anymore. Better to pay for highly skilled workers so as not to damage their machine investment.
I hope Australia still keeps manufacturing and we retain the trade skills here.

[appiwood]

Hello Rod

So, is milk a preventive for welding gal'? I can understand your reluctance, now you have made me a bit worried for the next 8 or so hours, I finished a welding table this afternoon, mostly made from 75 SHS 4mm wall section ( gal'd ).

The " problem " in welding is we put our heads in the fumes, the idea with the trion mask was drawing air from behind you at or below the normal welding height, might be a chance to butcher a perfectly good mask and bodge something up.

Ed

[rodm]

Ed,

From memory I first noticed a sweet taste then felt really nausiated. It then turns to a flu like sympton - feeling cold but running a high temperature and aching all over. I got a really bad dose as I was welding in a closed shed - did not want the dog to get a flash and was ignorant to this many years ago. I was crook for about two to three days and haven't welded the stuff since.

Sounds like you should be right doing it outdooors and smart thinking about drawing air away from the fumes with the Triton.

I have heard the milk cure as well but not sure if it works. Fumes go in lungs and milk goes in guts so how does it neutralise the zinc? Might be one of those placebos invented by a supervisor to keep the crew working.

[Ch4iS]

I got this one for when welding gal

http://www.egpworld.com/ultrahobby/teamuhp/FMFINI5.jpg

Looks like the above one. You cant smell anything so I guess it works :U. But you need to get the proper filter, I just grabbed mine at BOC gases when I got the bottle of Argon Light. Around $70 I think, but it sure beats those cheap ???? masks (I use this one for painting also even thou its not made for it it still absorbs the vapors)

[Studley 2436]

*L* trust me to pick that brand hey Rod? Bit of love and attention would make all the difference to that one I was on. Mind you I was using a big 50mm boring bar and knocking it into what was going to be a biggish hydraulic cylinder. It did need some maintenance. Had lost a couple of gears because of using a "snap tap" to cut threads. You just run the tool along at the end the snap tap pulls the tool out of the job and you slam it in reverse to get back to the start. Naturally the shear pins in the gearbox didn't like this and eventually gave it away. There was no chasing dial on that machine. Seems absurd but there you go. I think it was a typical business thing. Makers sell machines with great sticker prices plus options. That way they can promote a really great price. Then you pay for all the add ons, like chasing dials tool holders and so on. Management looks at the sticker and doesn't think about things like chasing dials as they think they can get away with it, not knowing better. This practise still continues, Mazak is known for it think of anything that isn't a basic part of the machine. So chip conveyors for one, tool holders, Q setters, attachments for a bar feed and so on.

Anyway any tips or questions just ask, I am happy to help.

Studley

[WillyInBris]

Yep I have been using a respirator as well when welding anything, bit of a pain but once you get used to it they are ok, I wore one every day for about an hour when working with Ammonia Jesus thats bad stuff when it ain't watered down. I was given a new respirator every 6 months changed the filters every week.

One thing I learned from my boss was to suck on a couple of ice cubes in hot weather when you have it on seems to make it more comfortable sounds stupid but worked for me but didn't for other guys I worked with all they did was complain about them but we only have one set of lungs.

Also if your going to shave do it the day before otherwise the rash really sux and clean them regularly as things like to grow in the warm moist conditions.

I thought the milk was to get rid of the sore throat and taste? but it still worries me as as then your ingesting the crap cant be good for you at all.

[Ch4iS]

I thought the milk was to get rid of the sore throat and taste? but it still worries me as as then your ingesting the crap cant be good for you at all.


Milks to settle the stomach. ?

[rodm]

Hi Studley,
No offence taken at all about the Hafco. I am realistic it is made in China and built to a price. Come to think of it I should start blaming the lathe and not me. :D
Actually I find lathe and mill work fascinating after doing hobby woodwork for thirty odd years. It has changed the way I do things now and a digital vernier is always closer to me than a steel rule or tape.
Last night I was wrapped because I used a parting off tool successfully for the first time. My first attempt a couple plus years ago was distrastous and ended up with the parting tool jammed under the job. I am pleased I got it to work as it is one of those things you have to do on some jobs. I was making nuts for a ballscrew out of hex bar and needed square faces both sides.
By the way one of my prize possessions is an Adept hand shaper. I said I like old iron. :)

[rodm]

Sean,
Ice cubes definately work but you have to use Burbone as a lubricant - Jack told me that :D

On a serious note preventing any industrial fumes from getting into your body is the best way and this is one thing I listen to the advise. Masks are cheap compared to the cost it vould have.

Ed if you are not aware then stay away from welding anything gold plated - cadmium. It contains really nasty stuff much more dangerous than galvo.

Geeze I have been serious so I better go lighten up and have some ice cubes. Been handling galvo so that is my excuse. :rolleyes:

[Studley 2436]

Good One Rod. Parting tools can be tricky to learn. Be sure to set them square and a smidge above centre height.

With machines there is the saying a good tradesman never blames his tools. There is some truth to it as a good tradesman looks after his tools. BUT even a genius cannot get them to be better than they are.

I have run machines and gone wow it is so easy to hit a size on this, others you bent over backwards and struggled to get a part out to spec, so we do depend on our machines being up to it for sure.

Another thing is the standard of the steel you use. 1012 for instance never seems to machine that well, then they give you some 1040 and you get great parts excellent finish and so on. Then of course every machine has it's quirks.

Studley


Hi Studley,
No offence taken at all about the Hafco. I am realistic it is made in China and built to a price. Come to think of it I should start blaming the lathe and not me. :D
Actually I find lathe and mill work fascinating after doing hobby woodwork for thirty odd years. It has changed the way I do things now and a digital vernier is always closer to me than a steel rule or tape.
Last night I was wrapped because I used a parting off tool successfully for the first time. My first attempt a couple plus years ago was distrastous and ended up with the parting tool jammed under the job. I am pleased I got it to work as it is one of those things you have to do on some jobs. I was making nuts for a ballscrew out of hex bar and needed square faces both sides.
By the way one of my prize possessions is an Adept hand shaper. I said I like old iron. :)

[snowyskiesau]

Another thing is the standard of the steel you use. 1012 for instance never seems to machine that well, then they give you some 1040 and you get great parts excellent finish and so on. Then of course every machine has it's quirks.

Studley

Studley,
At the risk of driving this thread way off topic - what's a good grade of steel for machining?
I recently picked up some 1214 and some 4140 rod. The 4140 is for a replacement toolpost mount stud. The 1214 is for use in a CNC router so it's not too far off topic.
Sorry Rod.:-

[rodm]

At the risk of driving this thread way off topic

I thought I had already done that. :D

[Studley 2436]

OK let me dig. 12XX series is Resulfurised and Rephosphorised. It is a free machining grade. In Machinery's Handbook the only thing close I can find is 12L14. 4140 is typically used for Transmission shafts. I know it is popular for hydraulic shafts too. It has really good hardenability and high tensile strength also. Machines really well with Carbide tools.

It is only a guess about the 1214 that it should machine easily but be lousy to weld. The L stands for lead so another thing that makes it easy to machine. Might be really good stuff for routing. I am only guessing though.

You might have to suck it and see.

Studley

[rodm]

I haven't been sitting on my hands but progress has been slow. The trolley is nearly finished and has turned out a mismatch of materials but it will be functional.

Bracing has worked well and the swarf slide and collection chamber look like it will work. All I have to do now is a bit of trim here and there and a door for the back.

Photos probably look stange as it is on another trolley and waiting for somebody to help me lift it to ground level.

Back to building Morphy soon. :2tsup:

[rodm]

Ordered 4 Gecko 251's and some TZ-7311 limit switches this morning. The Gecko drives are on special for $49 each so good value despite the poor exchange rate.
I had Kelling drivers but seeing I have named the machine Morphy then it was fitting to get geckos. :D The real reason is that I want quality components on this machine so that I can get maximum speed and realibility. I will be building an unregulated (I hope I got that right) power supply so need to spec up a Toroidal.

I got a smoothstepper last week and already have a bob so things are still moving ahead albeit slowly.

Trolley is finished and at ground level now and I am making progress on Morphy's base frame. Should be some photos this week.

[crocky]

Good on you with the Gecko's.

I am progressing well and slowly too, I have all the parts for the Gecko's, Power Supply and just waiting for the S&D Monitor to arrive then I can get busy and do some routing on the case and then start putting everything inside it :)

[rodm]

Hi Bob
What is a S&D monitor?

If you want a MPG for your case yell out and I will send one over. No charge as I am paying it backwards for some already recieved gerousity from this forum. I have mine hooked up to a CNC4PC uncle bob and they are easy to configure. Send me a PM with your address if you want the challenge.

[appiwood]

Hello Rod

Your trolley / frame looks the go. Even though you didn't ask I'll give you my 2 cents worth - if you like.

I built a big power supply using a toroid, caps, bridge recifier and bleed resistor, the transformer came from Harbuch Electronics in Hornsby ( eventually ), to be fair to them is was something like 30 amps on the secondary at 50 volts,the cost was high ( $400.00 ) I thought and the service was just non- existant with delivery dats coming and going, the 2 week lead time turned into 2 months, when I did get it it was a well made bit of kit but sitting on my hands was..................

I wouln't go near them again ( and have told them so ), if you need an off the shelf tranny then they may be the go.

I have recently looked at Ocean Controls, they have a switching supply that from memory is 6 amps at 42 volt DC, the best bit is it is only $109.00.

Good luck with your machine.

Ed

[rodm]

Thanks Ed,
Always keen to have input. It is a fool that thinks they know it all.

Thanks for the heads up on your supplier and I'm sure if their supply response was better you would have given them a good wrap.

I already have a switching power supply of similar specs but are going to try to make this machine bullet proof. I have a huge capacitor about the size of a baked bean can and a rectifier so really all I need is an appropriate toroidal to finish it off. Altronics have quite a good selection around $100 to $150 that I think will be suitable - I get a trade discount through them so I save a little off the retail price. I have a mate returning from a three month stint in USA who will keep me honest before the power is applied. If you haven't realised I am electronics challenged. :-

I need to get my head around the bleed resistor which I think implies it get rid of residual current in the cap to make it safe at shutdown. I'll throw some specs on here this week and seek some feedback on those.

[appiwood]

Hello Rod

I'm sort of one step up the electronics ladder than you, I have been " fiddling " with it for as long as I can remember, the first real stuff I did was back in the 70's when Electronics Today International ( I think ) ran a series on building a smaill computer, and have been hooked since then, although the swing to PIC's leaves me cold, that in turn led eventually to CNC, I have designed simple stuff - best one was a card that read the limit switches, cleaned up the signal and sent it to Mach3, it also controlled 2 relays from Mach3, I was using a controller card without any of those I/O's.

So, anything I know I have learned from letting the magic blue smoke out, or from other who have, sometimes both.

My understanding of the bleed resistor then is more to do with powering down the card when changing steppers than safety, it is bad practice to disconnect the steppers with power applied ( the smoke WILL escape ), I don't think I would want to be kicked at those voltages either.

Hope you are well, Ed

[crocky]

Hi Bob
What is a S&D monitor?


The S&D monitor is a device that monitors your step and direction lines and sends the signals to LED's and it requires only +5 volts. It was a part of the CandCNC kit of parts and was the only bit I ordered, I like to look at flashing lights :2tsup: no guarantee it will work, but..... you don't know unless you have a go :D

I'll send you a PM :)

[rodm]

Thanks Ed
I has me baffled how you blokes can understand this stuff. Nice job on the PCB. :2tsup:


Hi Cocky,
Sounds good. My mind got stuck on computer monitor and I couldn't work out the acronym. Got your PM.

[twistedfuse]

Rod,

In regards to the bleed off resistor, you are correct, it is there to drain the capacitor's voltage and current so there is nothing on the lines if you put your hand in there. Its a safe guard for working and good practice. Keep up the great work. When were those drivers on special till. Im looking at options for my machine(just finished first coat of colour, only one to go).

Daniel

[rodm]

Hi Daniel
They do not give an ending date on the Gecko sale so probably best to contact them.


OK time for an elecronics ignorant to get confirmation of specs for a power supply.
I am using the link here for a reference.
http://campbelldesigns.net/files/power-supply-part-1.pdf

My motors are model 23H2100-30-4B Nema 23 Steppers and I will be using Gecko 251 drivers, smoothstepper and a CNC4PC C10 bidirectional break out board.
Motor Spec are 3.6 Volt, 3.0 Amp/phase, 497 oz, 1.8 degree Nema 23.

Using the guide in the link above I need a minimum of 20 times the motor voltage so 20 times 3.6 volts equals 72 volts and I am not to exceed 25 times 3.6 volts or 90 volts. To calculate the toroidal voltage of this it is 72 volts divide by 1.4 or 51.4 volts.

Looking at what is available locally (remember I am in Perth) I can source a toroidal that has the following specs for $111 and I can pick it up so no shipping cost.
55 + 55 500VA Toroidal Transformer
Primary voltage: 240V AC
Regulation: Better than 10%
Maximum temperature rise: 75°C
Dielectric strength: 4000V for 1 Minute
Insulation class: Class B (130deg.C)
Sec. Parallel: 9.1A
Sec. Series: 4.54A

I am running four steppers so 4 times 3.0 amps per motor equals 12 amps. According to the guide I only need 67% so adjusting the required amps equals 0.67 times 12 = 8.04 amps. So assume I use the toroidal above I need 55volts times 8.04 amps which equals 442.2 VA and is within range of the 500 VA toroidal spec above if I wire the secondary parallel. The toroidal will deliver 77 volts DC which is also within range for the steppers. Hope I got this bit right.

To calculate the capacitor it is (C=(80,000 times Current) divide Voltage))
So C=(80,000 X 8.04)/77) which equals 8353 uf. This seems very low to me so a bit worried about my calculations here.

I already have a bridge recifier speced 400 volt 35 amp so should be OK?

Remember this is a purchasing spec so nobody can be held responsible for offering incorrect electrical advice. After it is all put together it will be a fully licenced electrical guru that will confirm and commission the unit.

[Geoff Sims]

Hi Guys

The end date for the gecko sale is November 19 according to the Gecko website

Cheers

[epineh]

Hi Rod, nice work as usual, will be interesting to see the result :)

One idea for the bleed resistor, I have used a few variations but the good old lamp is a nice method, you may have to do some basic electronics but the idea is the lamp lights up when the power supply is on, and when it turns off drains the caps in a minute or two. The basic electronics is because the lamp voltages are rarely the same as what we are running for power supplies, generally the correct resistor in series is enough.

My current machine has limit switch opto's powered from the motor supply and they drain the 80,000uf cap fast enough for my needs, about 1 minute.

I kinda skimmed over the build as I only found it tonight and it is late but looking good so far and I will go back over it to see if I missed anything.

Cheers.

Russell.

[rodm]

Hi Russell,
Have just finished having a yarn to you on another thread.
Like the idea of a lamp. KISS is good for me.

[rodm]

I have just read the specs on the Gecko drives and they have a maximum of 50 volts so back to the drawing board on the power supply for me. I said I was electronics challenged. :-

[rodm]

The power supply specs have been sorted out through a PM which saved me from making a fool of myself on here.

The machine itself has started again and I have managed to get a bit done this week. A couple of night checking parts and measuring making sure the plans in my head were going to work.
I thought I would post a couple of photos showing how I join the angle iron to the side plates. I use stainless socket head screws (with a spring washer) and tap into one part (doesn't matter which one) and drill an oversize hole in the other. In this case I drill 6.5mm for a 6mm screw. This allows for fine adjustment to make sure the fit is perfect. The angle iron joiner has one edge sanded round to fit the inside corner profile of the angle iron. The photos should show all this. I know this is basic and boring but it might help newcomers.

I have fitted a temporary 32mm thick chipboard top to the trolley so I can screw jigs and whatever else I need to make construction easier. You can see another switchboard under the trolley which is for the next machine - can't help myself if there is a bargain out there. :D

[rodm]

I have done a bit more and it is now starting to look like it might become something. :)
All the steelwork is finished for the base and assembled. There will be a piece of 76mm X 10mm aluminum angle running down the outside of the steel plates and this will hold the X axis rails.I dropped in a couple of lengths of 50 X 25 RHS down the guts to help support the cross rails. Probably not necessary but I had them and it is easier to fit them at this stage than later on. I have also overdone the rails but better to be stronger than on the flimsy side.

Photos are from front and rear and sides so you can get an idea of how the collection chamber will work. I will have to rip it all apart on the weekend and paint the steel then get serious about allignment on re-assembly. While the paint hardens I will do the lathe and mill work for the motor mounts and bearing blocks. I have already sandblasted and primed the steel so it just needs a bit of colour on there.
All the aluminum I have recycled from a scrap yard so it does have a few marks but the flash makes it look at lot worse than it is.

Obott has found a new home at my son's place so there will be two of us making a noise at night now - he lives close to my house and I am really pleased he has decided to give CNC a try. He already has an order for hundreds of trophies (family connection in Sydney) so it looks like he will pocket some funds straight out of the starting blocks. :2tsup:

Gecko drives arrived yesterday and I have all the electrics/electronics now for this machine. I will have to pick up on this machine as I don't have a Gantry router to play with anymore. :)

[rodm]

I remembered to take a couple of photos of the type of jigs I use.

I have to attach 76mm by 10 mm ally angle to the outside of the steel uprights. This needs to be referenced to the table so measuring from the outside has no relevance to the table height. Plate steel is guillotined so the edges are not square and plate is never perfectly straight so the jig overcomes this..

This is a simple mdf jig just glued and braded so I can set the ally angle parallel to the table rails. Obviously care was taken to make sure the jig was accurate.

[rodm]

A couple of hours later here is the result.
It has straightened the steel plate niclely and I have plenty of cap screws to keep it in place.

One of the problems with my lack of planning is coming across the unexpected. I had intended to fit the screws from the outside but I could not get my counterbore tight enough to the inside of the angle to get a good fixing. The difference is cosmetic but hats off to those who draw their machine in detail and get a chance to plan against this sort of problem.

I have cleated the table rails to the centre bearer and it has improved it considerably. I was sitting on the rails while I was drilling the holes in the side and there was no flex in the angle.

[crocky]

Hi Rod,

Looks good :)

Been having a ball with Aspire :) and I am starting my new website now that the Company no longer owns it.....

[rodm]

Hi Bob,
Alright for you retired blokes :2tsup: you have plenty of time to tinker. I have only run a couple of jobs on Aspire but these could easily have been run on VcarvePro.

[rodm]

It's all systems go this week and have attached the rails and cut the gantry sides. The gantry sides were done on the trusty Obott much to the disgust of my son, the new owner. Note the woodworking influence of housing the connecting plate into the gantry sides. :)

The connecting plates were done on my CNC X3 mill and the finish and cut is much better than on the gantry router as the mill has flood coolant. The mounting holes are slotted to allow for adjustment when I put it all together.

Cutting these parts on a CNC machine is a big advantage as each part mirrors the other making assembly easier.

Last pictures show it all together.

I have cut the ally table top but are avoiding the 170 tapped holes I need to do to fix it to the machine. :rolleyes:

[twistedfuse]

Looking great Rod,

Cant wait to see what masterpieces will come off this machine.

Daniel

[rodm]

Thanks Daniel,
How is your build going?
SWMBO laughed when she saw this machine and said you won't be selling this one. It is too wide to get it out of my backyard. :(

[twistedfuse]

LOL.

Yeah my build is still going, but it is a lot slower than i would like, but then again a lot of what is slowing it down is a good thing. We are looking at building soon so it is a push to get the cnc done before we definitely have no money. lol. Shouldn't be too hard. Steel was meant to be here friday but its not, so its jut one of those builds i guess. Ill be happy once the machine has a proper frame since it will ahve shape and its pretty much downhill from there. The Pulleys have been ordered for the reduction and next week should be the gantry 80/20 still not sure which way i want to go with it, it really depends on wether i go with R&P or ballscrew.

Daniel

[rodm]

Hi Daniel,
Building a home is fun so good luck with that. I had to backtrack and do a base for mine so at least you are starting on the right path.


I had some concerns about the gantry sides only being 10mm plate so instead of making new sides I decided to do a bit of badge engineering. :)
I CNC'd a piece of 20mm plate and engraved the name so now there is no going back -it is so named Morphy, son of Obott and brother to Jabott, Nobott, Rodot, RPM and a couple mills and cousin to many. :)
OK to get serious the additional plate worked a treat and it was a cheap way of fixing the problem. The ally was ex scrapyard and fairly marked so I hit it with the orbital and the finish is now great. A quick easy fix for any of you that want to improve a surface finish on ally.

[epineh]

Hi Rod, looking good so far :D

I missed your earlier question regarding power supply cap's, I generally work on a rule of thumb of 1000uf per amp drawn. This is for servo's but I think steppers would be the same in this case. So for your approx 8 amps a 8000uf should be OK, it does sound a little small, but you can always go higher, Jaycar sell a nice 10,000uf cap with mountings that I am going to use on my next build unless I find something better. Having said that I am running an 80,000 uf on my red machine with servo's that would be lucky to draw 15 amps in total, but it was free !!! Mind you the transformer groans a little at startup.

I may have missed it but what are you using for a spindle ? I am planning a build but am thinking of a dedicated spindle rather than a router, the noise factor alone should be worth it, also it gets hot wearing earmuffs all the time here :) Also it offers some toolchanging options but that is another can of worms entirely...

Cheers.

Russell.

[rodm]

Thanks Russell,
Greg sorted me out on the electrics and I am going to get Bones to check my connections before I fire it up. I sort of know but are not foolish enough to do it without somebody knowledgeable to check it over.
I am going to use a 1.5kw, water bucket, 3 phase spindle with ER16 collet. I also got the VFD from them as well.
3 phase water cooled spindles are really cheap ($210US) at the moment. See this thread and how prices have come down.
http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=80283
You could probably get hold of a VFD in your field.
I think we have all had a guts full of the router screaming in our ears for hours on end. I have been using the X3 all afternoon and evening and really enjoying the low noise and slow going. I had to back feeds off to 100mm/min as I broke 3 carbide V bits on the job - only 4k on the spindle :-

[Geoff Sims]

Looking very impressive. Keen to see it in action.

Cheers

[rodm]

Thanks Geoff,

Me too :)

[twistedfuse]

Hey Rod,

Yeah im looking forward to building. Its exciting...when we can agree on what we want.lol. Actually its going well if all goes to plans we should hopefully be building early next year. Im looking forward to finally having a home for the machines. Just not sure what type of shed will be right just yet.

Definitely looks the part after the naming ceremony. Im sure the 20mm plate will stiffen the gantry sides considerably. That coupled with the 3 phase spindle will be great. I really like this build, especially the frame/coolant tray.

daniel

[epineh]

Thanks for the link Rod, I have been sourcing a few parts slowly and that will certainly help, I must remember to forward the link to that big fella with the white beard...

Cheers.

Russell.

[rodm]

I have been making bearing mounts and finished one tonight for Morphy.

It is milled on an X3 CNC'd machine and it was a 20mm thick block of ally. The motor is recessed in the back of the block to allow enough shaft to poke through the front to get a pulley on. As you can see there are slots to adjust up the belt.

Bearing is also housed in the block and will have a plate over it to stop it pulling out.

The outside shape is to fit into a 76mm by 10mm ally angle and the gantry sides.

The pulley are around the right way. I am after speed and rather than get a 10mm pitch screw I used a 5mm pitch screw because there are more ball tracks in the screw. Motors are not affected as much by mid band resonance if they work through pulleys and belts.

[rodm]

It has been so quiet in here anyone would think it is Xmas. :D

I have got a couple of days in the shed and decided to do the electrics - avoiding those tapped holes still. :-

I have fitted a panel above the electrical enclosure for a main switch and 5 switches for driver board, spindle, vacuum, air and a spare. I cut the panel on my mill so that made it easy. These are either hard wired to the component or exit via a three pin plug in the side of the enclosure. Cooling inside the enclosure is by two 12 volt fans at the top and drawing air through two filtered holes in the bottom thereby creating a flow from bottom to top. I have fitted microphone plugs for the motors and limit/home switches in the side of the box.

I built the transformer and got very close to the 50 volts I wanted - see meter in photos. The toroidal outputs 8.4 amps so should be a good power supply given the 33000uf capacitor that was very kindly donated to the cause. The Geckos I have mounted on a large heatsink and just for fun I added some 12 volt fans wired in series to take 48 volts. This is connected direct to the transformer and it empties the large cap in under a minute. The geckos should keep cool enough on the heatsink but you use what is lying around. :)

OK enough waffle from me.

[rodm]

Another day into it and I have mounted all the boards, finished all the AC wiring and added USB and parallel port exits from the enclosure.

I have a smoothstepper, C10 CNC4PC breakout board, digispeed board for the spindle and of course the Gecko drives mounted on the heatsink.

Removed the power points from the door, re-located the RCD inside the cabinet and made plates to cover the holes. Sorry the wording is corny but what else do you do to cover things up? I cut the plates with a 45 degree V bit so that the edges are angled to lessen the dust clinging there.

Typical of me I just started fixing things in the enclousure with no master plan except that I wanted to keep the AC away from the boards as much as I could. If I get any grief from EMI I can cover the AC cables with a metal duct.
I will be mounting the VFD tomorrow and then back to the mechanical side and those tapped holes.

[John H]

Gee Rod, you're becoming an expert on this electrickery stuff ;)

[Zoot]

Yes, Rod you seem to be getting on well with electrickery. Will you be mounting your VHD under the table as well?

I know that you built a separate Control Unit some time ago ... will you be using that for Morphy? I don't see that I will be having a succession of machines and was thinking of installing my PC under the table ... is this advisable or should it really be kept separate?

Cheers,

Alan

[jb2060]

Rod,

This is turning into a really stunning machine. The componants, machining and craftsmanship are really first class. You must be right at the top of your game !