Pretty sure the pinions are my issue or most of it anyway.
The video on the Y that is kind of far away is doing something weird with the camera...I think it has something to do with the cameras software...you can see it looks like the rack is moving but it isn't... probably just ignore that video...I didn't see the artifacts until after I posted it. The close up on the Y is a good video and that is showing the pinion moving laterally... Perhaps they are missing the roller bearings...like in Nate's videos of the upgrades to the drives. On the X axis when I pull in it too hard the spring compresses and the teeth start to slide out of the rack. I tried to balance how hard I was pulling so that I could see the movement without pulling it out of the rack. One of my biggest issues is zero time to spend...but I think these videos show me alot.
Pretty sure the pinions are my issue or most of it anyway.
That looks like a considerable amount of wear. Am I seeing that correctly, Erik?
David
David
Romans 3:23
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Edit: sorry David. What you are seeing was just grease build up.
Yes pretty noticable contact point. Also the swing arm part of the drive had a fair amount of wobble as well. The pinions are Nate's updated pinions with the additional bearings. I tightened all the pinion center bolts down a little extra. Then I loosened the retaining collars for the swing arm and then used a clamping to crank the collar as tight as I thought prudent and then re-tightened. These two things seemed to take 95 percent of the play out...I don't think there is a way to get the rest out. Disappointingly I ran the same grid of 1" square that still seem to be anywhere from +.005 to -.021.
Last edited by Erik F; 06-18-2018 at 12:30 AM.
After adjustments and tightenings.
Here are pics and video from before I ran through and tried to snug everything.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/nCSx33sibPbLaW2Y6
Talked to Erik today. He actually do not have the latest pinions. Sending him a replacement set today with belts to try.
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Yes, Nate looked at the pics I had and offered the new updated pinions right away. Thanks. I will try and keep the thread updated once I get the new pinions and belts installed. While I was working on the machine last night I was thinking getting this thing to cut at .003-.005" precision is kind of like trying to get a Rhino to dance the ballet. I have tried a few 600 in/min jogs...pretty sure if someone were to get in the way at those speeds they would end up across the room. Hopefully after this update, the Saturn can be everything I have been hoping it can be.
That's what I have set as the limit, 600 ipm, and you're correct, Erik. You don't want to get in the way of that gantry when it's moving at that speed. I know it's capable of going twice that fast but I don't see a reason to go over 600 ipm, at least not on what I usually cut. But all my rapids are at the full speed of 600 ipm so I see it often - pretty cool, actually.
David
David
Romans 3:23
CurlyWoodShop - www.etsy.com/shop/CurlyWoodShop
David Falkner - www.youtube.com/user/difalkner
difalkner - www.instagram.com/difalkner
Thanks for chiming in. I know my process to getting things done is pretty clunky, but I'm lucky if I get 2 hours a week in the garage. So problems and trouble shooting take a long time. I really do appreciate everyone's input.
So I received the new pinion spindles and belts yesterday. I was able to install them last night. I was able to run one quick 1" set of squares and the results were promising. I need to do a little testing and probably adjust the pinion tention a little more, but hopefully this is it
All squares were within .010 but most were better than that.
I changed bits part of the way through and never adjusted the NC file for the new exact bit diameter... So I'm guessing that accounts for .002-.003" of the error.
I do have the Precise Bits collet set for 1/4" and 1/8" and have been running them for these tests. Its a very nice product that works well. That is one reason I stuck with using the Dewalt DWP611 since I already had the collet set. I'll have to re-check the belt and the pinion tension since it was midnight last night by the time I got everything installed. I just quickly got it up and running...so maybe there are a few more thousands in there I can flush out.
Was able to do a little bit more testing. Decided to run 3" squares to help make calibration a little easier. At first the pieces were about 0.20" too small. I played around with the settings in my EstlCAM controller and am currently at the following: 1.004643" per rotation vs the theoretical 1.047xxx" per rotation. Does that seem like a larger than normal adjustment to make?
I'm sure I am ruining this thread, but...after running those 3" squares was excited to run another test and have it come out good enough to call it quits for a little bit on tuning. I must have been doing something wrong the other night when adjusting the firmware. The test file I ran this morning the parts were over sized. If I take the error percent they were off and multiply the current firmware numbers...it puts me back pretty close to the theoretical numbers I was supposed to have in there