CNC x2 Mill

[Rndmann9]

Ok finally made a mount and got the z motor mounted and moving. I have to mount some limit switches and hopefully be up and running real soon. Sorry for the upside down pic. Apple sucks.

 

[Foozer]

It's Alive - -

Have my Y axis drive setup 90% [?] in order - Soon as/when/if I find the cord to grab the pic from the camera - - - The applesauce brain of mine can never 'member where it is the thing was put to be found again . . .

 

[Rndmann9]

Still fighting my y axis. Still binding in spots. Coupling slippage still a problem. I ordered another coupling to maybe grip it on the 10mm part of the shaft and with luck I can use the key slot to lock it down. I also ordered a 16mm x 300mm ball screw if option A doesn't work and I'll just make a new shaft for the y. Didn't want to go there but it's time to get tough on it. Other than that other two axises are moving well.

 

[Rndmann9]

Once I get that I have to figure out how to adjust for backlash. Might need to modify arduino script some. It's not bad but exist.

 

[Foozer]

After I added the additional set screw to hit the flat on the stepper shaft, tightened down the clamp screw, then the set screw for the flat. Took it apart and where the mark was on the flat took a center punch and gave that spot a whack [I didn't say that out loud, did I]

With a little "Tooth" to bite on, it stopped creeping back.

 

[Rndmann9]

Mine is grabbing on the 12mm of thread that formerly was where the two jamb nuts were. I ordered a 8-10mm coupling to maybe grip it on the 10mm smooth section. My problem was when it bound it would basically screw itself on or off the shaft. Was trying not to damage the threads though. I've tried three different 8-8 couplings but had similar results with each after a while. Also having some trouble with my limit switches tripping as soon as a move starts. Must be picking up noise somewhere so I might make some high pass filters to eliminate that. Most of the cable is shielded but I guess the little bit that isn't is playing antenna. For now I'm just using soft limits to keep it from sacrificing itself. Aggrivated with the y though. Tired of messing with it so Tuesday I guess I'll be on the lathe making a new shaft from the ball screw. Either way it's easy to reverse if need be. Wish I had two mills now. I'll prob get a bigger one if I ever move which is soon hopefully but I only want to move it once. I want a new lathe too but same applies. Still trying to get a grip on the grbl program and universal g code sender. Does some strange things with the g code sometimes- so I am still trying to figure out what it wants as far as set up and coordinates go.

 

[Foozer]

Ah, that's right, yours is a front drive - I went at from the rear to keep the manual turn handle in place - With enable OFF they turn as if no motor was attached - Enable On, have to overcome the steppers holding torque to turn it . .

Electronics - Blah - - Last Good to First Bad and ground everything . .

 

[Rndmann9]

Yea the way the column mounts prevents back option for me. So far 8-10mm coupling is working. I borrowed your idea and put a slight dimple in the shaft with a drill. ( if converted back to original that part of the shaft would be in the handle so the dimple is irrelevant as far as that goes). I also machined a backup plan if my y axis keeps giving me grief.

 

[Rndmann9]

Never disassembled and reassembled a ball nut. Interesting but not as hard as people make it out to be. I found it relatively easy once I figured out my method. It was a much harder task machining the screw if compared.

 

[Foozer]

Ball nuts? That's getting fancy - - I'm still in the age of stone ax and flint knife . . . Myself am just dink'n around seeing what I can and cannot do with the contraption. Have to remount the Y motor - Flip it 180 - As it is, the motors just clear each other, if I put the little rear cover on [cosmetic thing] then they hit - Plus can flip the pulley's around and move the belt farther aft . .
Stuck a photo on my arduino thread

The Y, Yup with the windshield washer motor I used originally tapped the coupling to thread onto the motors existing threaded shaft, dimpled into the threads where the set screws rested and lock tight - Never came loose, rather than come loose, the spring type coupling snapped . . .

 

[Rndmann9]

Well after another brief vacation and some minor ADD I got my ball screw mounted and moving. I was having trouble getting it to fit and did a fair amount of grinding on the bottom of the saddle to create some relief. Was going slow so I got fed up this morning and took it over to a machine shop down the road and milled out the area I needed relief. Man I'm jeolous of the old man running the shops toys. I think I made a new friend. Lol. He mounted a mill in his Bridgeport and looked at me and said ok she is all yours. Pretty trusting if you ask me. I don't let anyone near my tools. Told him I might just have to become some free labor on the weekends just to learn more than I already know and maybe gain some access to some tools I can't afford Anywho. Got a few more pieces to put back on and I will be trying to get over this learning curve again. I'm ready for the weather to cool off its hot in the shop and I'm about to get busy coaching soccer for the next three months so I'm hoping to get all the fab-ing done soon.

 

[Foozer]

. . .. Was going slow so I got fed up this morning and took it over to a machine shop down the road and milled out the area I needed relief.

Times when you hit a little roadblock it's better to hire the earth mover than to try and use a spoon - - - Spoon will frustrate while the earthmover is fun.

Pictures - - when you get a chance. Time now to load a hunk of stock and set up an hour or so of cutting time - Gizmo is bolted to the wall so the bass sound of it runs throughout the house, drives the bride crazy . . .

If you can't have some fun, it ain't worth doing . .

 

[Rndmann9]

Ha. I know how that goes. Mine informed me I left my big compressor on and it cycled on this morning and woke her up. That's what she gets for falling asleep on the couch. Lol. I try to get some pics up soon.

 

[Rndmann9]

Here is a run down of what I modified to make the ball screw work. Biggest problem was making room so it sat level and not forced into a slight angle along the length. Red is what was either ground (on the ball nut) or milled from the bottom of the saddle to create some space. Ill take some pics of it installed but not sure how much you can see. Only part not shown is the aluminum slug the ball nut was screwed to that basically took the place of the brass acme nut. It just sits in the slot of the saddle to actuate it back and forth and is held in place with a set screw. That part is pretty generic so I am not showing it yet. Ill put a pic together when I get a minute to show how they fit together. No Binding now...so far at least. Seems to be moving smoothly.

 

[Rndmann9]

Well what the heck while im drawing stuff here is the missing component for clarity.

 

[Foozer]

You're moving right along - - -

Next advent for me is to take the timing pulleys and such down to the machine shop in town and have some little key-ways broached in. Can cut the slots into the shafts - Broaching? Ah No . .

Little pulleys have little set screws - Little set screws have a negative attitude - Little key-ways have positive attitude - Positive Good, Negative not so much . .

 

[Nick Hulme]

Broaching? Ah No . .

What you need is a nice little bench-top Adept hand operated shaper ;-)

 

[Rndmann9]

Could prob do it with a lathe using the saddle movement and cross slide to control depth and a custom cutter to cut the groove. I've never tried it but I have seen it done that way in a pinch.

 

[Rndmann9]

https://youtu.be/HR1pvQYFFck

 

[Rndmann9]

Finally got out to take some pictures before I put the swarf guards back on.