Randy's Router - #1

[randyf1965]

I was thinking of adding a hole thru the short length for two 3/4" pieces of pipe/rod to help in the alignment of the sections.

Figure I would use the 1/2" top as an assembly table then use a 1/4" piece of hardboard on top of theat as a sacrifical cutting surface that I would surface to be perfectly level.

[phillby]

I have been thinking along the lines of surfacing the table but am not happy with with the surface that will be left.

My solution is to surface a piece of MDF so it is parallel to the router ( isn't that why I'm surfacing it any way) then using thin MDF or hardboard on top of that which will still have a decent factory surface on it. OK I know it will then be the sacrificial board but the bits that haven't been cut into will be even and smooth. My thinking is that manufactured boards (MDF) are made to very close tollerences in thickness and surface flatness.

Wat ya think.

[joecnc2006]

why not just mill the ribs prior to placement of the top piece this will be less surface to mill and will be level with machine when finished.

[phillby]

Joe yuur idea is good but the surface of the torsion box in my Jgro has sag in it and is all glued and nailed tohether so I hope to fix all this by skimming the surface. I have stabilised it and even leveled it somewhat by jack screws but would like it better.

Cheers

[randyf1965]

Having issues with my picstep's again. Same issue as before ... smooth running 1 direction rough the other. I have not changed anything in the electronics . I tried programming new pics back to V1.0 same issue. swapped the wires to the stepper 1 pair at a time, same issue.

Sounding like a power supply issue.... using 3 PC power supplies but why would it only affect 1 direction.

I have the stepper off the router. It spins smooth 1 direction then I switch to the other and it starts stuttering then locks.

[randyf1965]

Using 3 ATX PC power supplies daisy chained together.

If I move both x & y at the same time I can run back and forth with no problems.

If I stop either axis the other will continue to move but lock up at some point (usually within 1-5 seconds).

If I turn the last power supply in the chain OFF I can move one axis for 5-10 seconds before locking up.

I have tried putting a load on the 3 supplies (used to OLD MFM hard drives, they just keep spinning) and had the same problem.

I read if you don't have a load on the 5v line the current output on the 12v lines is not very high.

Anyone seen this? I have not tried removing my BOB from the circuit..... will try that tomorrow

[randyf1965]

Problem turned out to be a ground issue on the BOB. I killed the 7805 feeding 12v to it (which it should take) and while I was troubleshooting it I noticed that the plane on the step mode jumpers was not a ground. A quick ground to one of the terminals fix the problem.



Onward and upward....

Anyone compiled a HOWTO on aligning a router?