It has arrived :)

[ullbergm]

Originally posted by keithorr

What software did you use to program the gcode for cutting the letters? What ipm did you choose?

I'm running at 9 ipm which is the fastest i can go right now.

I still dont have a good solution for converting the text to gcode. The same friend that helped me with the celtic knot pattern made the gcode for me.

Do you have any suggestions for a good software in the couple of hundred dollar range?

I'd like OneCNC but i cant find a price other than

From www.onecnc.com
Our CAD-CAM solutions range in price form $1,000.00 USD to $7,000.00 USD so we cater for all users whether you are a home model maker through to a high precision mold maker or toolmaker.

and that puts it outside my budget

i haven't tried ocr-trace yet, dont have a copy of corel draw, but i may give that a shot.

[keithorr]

Is there a limitation on your speed? I would spend money on upgrading the driver or whatever is holding down the speed before buying an expensive cad/cam program.

I use the corel OCR program to scan client line drawings. It is only a start. After cleaning up the scan and converting to dxf, I open in OneCNC, set a new layer on the drawing, and place points at all relevant places and intersections, then make a new CAD drawing as an overlay.
The OCR settings take a while to figure out, the lines can end up jagged. Also, my scanner can alter the scale of the original drawing, so everything needs to be dimensioned before I start or I can be off by up to 0.1 inch. On my system, the scan is saved to a bitmap, the bitmap is opened in Corel OCR, vectored, saved to dxf, then opened in OneCNC. Like translating from english to french to korean.

[ullbergm]

Originally posted by keithorr
Is there a limitation on your speed? I would spend money on upgrading the driver or whatever is holding down the speed before buying an expensive cad/cam program.

I'm debating which one is more important.. i'll know more after i getahold of corel draw.

I'm not using the driver/motors that cheap cnc usually ships with, i already had a stepperworld controller.
i'm looking at making a chopper circuit instead, that way i dont have to use power resistors and loose power there.

I use the corel OCR program to scan client line drawings. It is only a start. After cleaning up the scan and converting to dxf, I open in OneCNC, set a new layer on the drawing, and place points at all relevant places and intersections, then make a new CAD drawing as an overlay.
The OCR settings take a while to figure out, the lines can end up jagged. Also, my scanner can alter the scale of the original drawing, so everything needs to be dimensioned before I start or I can be off by up to 0.1 inch. On my system, the scan is saved to a bitmap, the bitmap is opened in Corel OCR, vectored, saved to dxf, then opened in OneCNC. Like translating from english to french to korean.

sounds like a lot of fun

[balsaman]

i'm looking at making a chopper circuit instead, that way i dont have to use power resistors and loose power there.

A chopper will give you more speed but it needs to be combined with a higher voltage. For example a unipolar controller on 12 volts with resistors will give you roughly the same speed as a chopper on 12 volts. A chopper board is really nice because you can go to the higher voltage without having to buy and try to cool those big resistors.

Eric

[ullbergm]

Originally posted by balsaman
A chopper will give you more speed but it needs to be combined with a higher voltage. For example a unipolar controller on 12 volts with resistors will give you roughly the same speed as a chopper on 12 volts. A chopper board is really nice because you can go to the higher voltage without having to buy and try to cool those big resistors.

Eric

right. i'm running at 12 volts right now and it feels like you could start a fire with the resistors..

i'd like to up the voltage but im affraid i'd have to get some really big resistors and some serious cooling..

at first (before the resistors came in) i ran the motors at 5v. going to 12v was a big improvement, should i expect the same improvement going 24? (or higher)

[balsaman]

yes,

I went from 12 to 24 and then 30 volts. I was getting around 15" then 30" then 40" per minute. What you can do is put resistors in series. For example if you need 20 ohms at 50 watts, you can put in two 10 ohm at 25 watts in series. Use a large finned heatsink or a piece of 1/2" aluminum and a fan. Aluminum or steel sheatmetal isn't as good.

Those resistors are meant to get hot. It is perfectly normal for them to be uncomfotably hot to touch.

Eric

[cadcam]

ullbergm, I use Mastercam. I can do raster to vector in side the software includ coining.

then I can send you most cad file types.

So if I am getting this correct the fastest cutting speed is about 10 ipm?

[ullbergm]

Originally posted by cadcam
ullbergm, I use Mastercam. I can do raster to vector in side the software includ coining.

then I can send you most cad file types.

So if I am getting this correct the fastest cutting speed is about 10 ipm?

Yes, but that is with my setup.
the one Cheapcnc sells is maxnc which is a bipolar, im using a unipolar.

i did see someone else talking about speeds around 12 IPM
(http://www.cnczone.com/showthread.php?threadid=832&s=)

[cadcam]

I guess it is safe to say in the small routor typs like this one I can not see 40 imp and say spend about $3,000?

[ullbergm]

Originally posted by cadcam
I guess it is safe to say in the small routor typs like this one I can not see 40 imp and say spend about $3,000?

The Cheap cnc seems very sturdy, im going to upgrade to a 48v chopper and see what kind of speeds i can achieve.

[cadcam]

The higher cutting speed in at least 40 would be of great help.
thanks for your time.

[balsaman]

You can get 40 ipm on most home made machines running a xylotex contoller and 24 to 30 volts (from what I have read, as I don't own one).

Geckodrives and a higher voltage (up to 80 volts) would go even faster, but they are a little more money.

Eric

[cadcam]

Balsaman, what would you say one like this that can do at least 40 or more run about?

thanks jay

[balsaman]

The xylotex controller is $125.00 for 3 axis. The gecko 210's are $114.00 per axis.

These are controllers only, no machine, no motors. These can be used to run the CheapCNC machines (or a home made machine) though.

Eric

[marvinstov]

ullbergm,
I have a Cheap CNC machine, CS-12-24P. I tried the motors, driver/power supply and software that came with it and could only get about 10-12 IPM. I sold the motors, driver/power supply and software. I tried my Xylotex setup, 3 axis board with a 30V power supply, 116 oz/in motors and could easily get 50 IPM with the 1/4x20 lead screw so I ordered another Xylotex board and ordered some 210 oz/in motors to try. Motors are not here yet. On my home made machine, I can get up to 72 IPM but I don't run it that fast as the X lead screw (5/16 all thread) wants to start whipping with the gantry and one end or the other. It is only supported with a bearing on one end and the motor on the other. I think if it were supported with bearings on both ends it would not do that. Just thought you might want to know that on the Xylotex board.

Marv

[cadcam]

balsaman , sounds as though I may be able to do this in the 3,000 range.

thanks.

[ullbergm]

Originally posted by marvinstov
ullbergm,
I have a Cheap CNC machine, CS-12-24P. I tried the motors, driver/power supply and software that came with it and could only get about 10-12 IPM. I sold the motors, driver/power supply and software. I tried my Xylotex setup, 3 axis board with a 30V power supply, 116 oz/in motors and could easily get 50 IPM with the 1/4x20 lead screw so I ordered another Xylotex board and ordered some 210 oz/in motors to try. Motors are not here yet. On my home made machine, I can get up to 72 IPM but I don't run it that fast as the X lead screw (5/16 all thread) wants to start whipping with the gantry and one end or the other. It is only supported with a bearing on one end and the motor on the other. I think if it were supported with bearings on both ends it would not do that. Just thought you might want to know that on the Xylotex board.

Marv

very interesting, i'd love to be able to speed the machine up some.
What kind of motors are the 116oz/in?
Are you running them in the 1/8 step configuration?

[marvinstov]

ullbergm,

They are the Pac Sci motors that Jeff at Xylotex sells. And yes I am running them in 1/8 step mode. They run very smooth and ran the Cheap CNC machine very smooth. They also did not stall as easily as the 145 oz/in motors that came with the machine. I believe they have a higher inductance which was one reason they would not move as fast plus I believe the MaxNC board that comes with the Cheap CNC is a phase driver, not step and direction, I'm not that well educated on this stuff yet. For what ever reason, they did not perform as well as the 116 oz/in motors I got from Xylotex.

Marv

[ullbergm]

Originally posted by marvinstov
ullbergm,

They are the Pac Sci motors that Jeff at Xylotex sells. And yes I am running them in 1/8 step mode. They run very smooth and ran the Cheap CNC machine very smooth. They also did not stall as easily as the 145 oz/in motors that came with the machine. I believe they have a higher inductance which was one reason they would not move as fast plus I believe the MaxNC board that comes with the Cheap CNC is a phase driver, not step and direction, I'm not that well educated on this stuff yet. For what ever reason, they did not perform as well as the 116 oz/in motors I got from Xylotex.

Marv

thanks again for the info.
does he really sell 3 motors for $60? sounds to good to be true..

be sure to let me know how the 210 oz motors turn out.
i can definately see myself upgrading to a xylotex board soon.

[marvinstov]

Yep, my 3 axis board and 3 motors were were about $190.00. I'm using the Xylotex board, the Pac Sci steppers from Xylotex, and Turbocnc and it works great. If you have problems with setting it up, Jeff is really great about helping you get going. I'll be glad to help too if you get one. I'll let you know when I receive my other motors. The MaxNC worked fine but just didn't do what I wanted it to. Jogging was too slow and I was used to using Turbocnc.

Marv