8020 CNC Router Design-Build

[blatterjr]

Here are a couple images of the table assembly.

[blatterjr]

I have most of the electronics now, save for the cables and am searching for some place online to get an electronics housing. I'll need to be able to fit the Gecko into one side with exterior access for fan, cables and power.

Can anyone recommend sources?

[ahren]

Robert,

Looks like a rock solid machine. Your cables should be to you in a couple of days -- they shipped Friday if I recall. As for an electronics enclosure, you can get them from automationdirect -- they seem to have pretty reasonable prices. I'll be offering them eventually, but judging by how long it took to fill your order, I should focus on getting current inventory under control first .

Best regards,

Ahren
www.cncrouterparts.com

[blatterjr]

Ahren,

I received the cables today. Thank you for everything... I'm going to be working on the electronics next week if all goes well. I'll check out AutomationDirect.

I found a couple rack mount enclosures from BUD Industries that I believe will provide adequate space and allow me to fab the necessary component layout:

http://www.budind.com/view.php?part=ch-prm

I can get one from Mouser Electronics for about $56.

I'm running hardware deficit for the next few days. The local Fastenal is closed on the weekends and HD/Lowes don't have a great selection.

R-

[blatterjr]

Additionally, I've searched around here and not been able to find a lot of collet information for my router (Dewalt 618). Are there any educational resources or sources that project builders are using for bits/collets/etc?

I've been to PreciseBits so far and have a couple questions in to them about the viability of their collets on my router but would like any help I can get. =)

[blatterjr]

Some additional Images...

[blatterjr]

I finally found enough time to finish up the wiring and install Mach3. This weekend we experienced the first motion. I'll take some shots and maybe a quick video. It's a jungle of wires at the moment.

Thanks for everyones help getting me to this point... more to come!

[johngalt47]

I love your design I have been researching and designing and collecting materials for my first build. I one comment is on your X axis you have fixed both sided of the axis. If they don't run exactly parallel then binding can happen. I have read that fixing one side with two carriages and floating the other side with just up and down containment will prevent this type of binding. I hope some one can help with some practical experience as I am only theory so far.

[blatterjr]

John,

I have both ends powered and have not had any issues, save for the setup when I mistakenly inverted the rotations. =)

I imagine if a motor drops in the middle of a run it would be an issue... but that's not happened yet.

[johngalt47]

I was have design using a single truck on my second x axis and removing the vertical wheels to prevent any binding even if the carriage moves freely as it could cause an uneven load on the motors as a small binds happen. I am hoping someone can help with this issue as I like the issue of having both sides symmetrical and fixed. I hope Ahren at CNCrouterparts can clear this up for me.

[ahren]

There have been dozens of machines built with dual drive X axes, and uneven motor loading has not been an issue. Indeed, on single side or center drive machines, racking has been an issue when machine frames are insufficiently stiff or have too great a span.

Leaving all of the bearings in place is advisable -- this helps prevent racking of the system under cutting loads. When setting up the machine for the first time, you can fix one rail and float the other, and then tighten the floating rail down gradually as you drive the system back and forth by hand. This helps insure that the rails are parallel to each other. While the system is theoretically over-constrained, this is really only a problem if you had an infinitely stiff machine. This approach is done all the time with other linear motion systems (THK and IKO linear bearings, etc) -- think of a set of two carriages as a really large linear bearing truck.

Best regards,

Ahren
CNCRouterParts

[MelE]

Hello, just joined the forums last night and I have to say I'm liking this place. I hope I'm not going far off the original topic but I've seen the laptop issue be mentioned a few times in this thread.

My professional background is with computer support so maybe I can shed some light on the laptop issue. Yes, if using all default settings the advanced power management will hamper many intense operations. Be it CNC, games or anything that will tax the computer CPU and or I/O functions.

Without getting overly technical some laptop hard drives will park the head after about 8 seconds of idle time (no I/O calls). And on top of that Windows by default will do a similar function. A laptop can be made to work like a desktop but it might involve voiding the hard drive warranty. That would require editing the firmware settings of the HDD.

If you are having to use a laptop, you can try a software solution. I have been using a program called "CrystalDiskInfo" to disable the APM for the hard drive on my 1 month old laptop. Just keep in mind that with the APM disabled the head might not park anymore so bumping the laptop violently might cause data errors. Just park the laptop as you would a desktop and be careful with it.

To use CrystalDiskInfo to disable APM you would click the "function" menu. From the drop down menu mouse over "Advanced Feature". Select "AAM/APM Control". On the pop up menu click on both of the "disable" buttons and you are done. You will need to run the CrystalDiskInfo app everytime you start the computer, so it's not permanently disabling the APM for your hard drive.

Also you will want to disable hibernate/sleep functions for your plugged in mode.