Homemade 4th Axis

[GeeksGoneBad]

Hi guys!

I just wanted to share my homemade 4th Axis that I completed last night! I will be making some parts on it soon!

Here's a link and I've attached a picture too - also there's two videos on the site as well at the bottom

http://www.backyard-workshop.com/pro...-4th-axis.html

[low_48]

No expert on this, but wouldn't a gear reduction be of benefit here? Fine carving will require a .040 or less step over. Just thinking out loud.

[GeeksGoneBad]

I'm no expert either but I think because my gear on my stepper is much smaller than the gear on my spindle that I have some gear reduction already?

Edit: Here's a look at the other side (for those that don't want to jump to my site for all the pictures)

[The J]

I have been researching this for a while and actually have started work on my own variation of this. With what I have learned so far, the weight of the router vs the pressure of it feeding into wood will cause excessive wear on that drive system.

I do not have a picture with me, but what I wound up testing (and so far liked) was a timing gear set out of a vehicle. I had two custom shafts made to hold the gears and everything works fine.

Just my 2 cents...

[GeeksGoneBad]

Thanks J - I guess time will tell how everything holds up - I plan on playing around with some stuff tonight so I'll report my findings tomorrow

btw the bearings I used were not "skate" bearings - they are for some pool pump motor or something, so they are bigger and more "industrial" - hehe - not that that means they'll hold up any better - but I thought they might

[The J]

I was more or less talking about your drive (the belt and plastic pulley) system more than the bearings.

So you are doing what I think you are doing, you plan on mounting the router/spindle to that rotating disk or are you planning on putting your wood on the disk and then turning the wood (Like the 4th axis system people having been doing on here like a lathe)?

[GeeksGoneBad]

I am planning on putting the wood on the rotating disc - like a lathe - I also have a 3-jaw chuck that I can mount there as well

[FandZ]

Gotta say Greeks, I'm impressed on how quickly you can get a new project going. Your website has a ton of great ideas and good information. Thank you for taking the time.

Eventually I'd like to make a Z mounted 4th axis. In my research, I've come across posts that indicate that it's good to have friction in a 4th axis, to help the stepper hold it's angle of attack. Have you came across anything like that?

[Switcher]

Nice job on the Custom Tackle Tray

[Glidergider]

Thanks for posting your efforts. I'm enjoying the thread.
Dave

[holbieone]

Originally Posted by GeeksGoneBad I'm no expert either but I think because my gear on my stepper is much smaller than the gear on my spindle that I have some gear reduction already? Edit: Here's a look at the other side (for those that don't want to jump to my site for all the pictures)

the further away from the center of rotation the larger the error will be

1 degree one inch out is 0.017449748621094079277473953506144 of an inch

1 degree two inch out is 2 x 0.017449748621094079277473953506144 of an inch

and so on

if you need a higher resolution use a bigger pulley on the spindle

or

add more pulleys like motor pulley to pulley to spindle pulley

[GeeksGoneBad]

Thanks guys for the comments and advise

Here's just a quick little update - I finally figured out a little programming for the 4th axis - there doesn't seem to be an abundance of material out there (at least that I could find) so the "part" is a little simple hehe

I've posted up a video of it working on my site in my post (every time I try to upload a video here it times out)here

and here's a few pictures to get you going

I also have a youtube channel where I'm uploading all my videos too also if that's easier for anyone at http://www.youtube.com/geeksgonebad