4x8 8020 R&P + CNCRP build log

[cd_edwards]

Lots of great ideas for when I start my 4x4 8020 build sometime very soon. I've already started ordering small parts, my motors and breakout board. Although I think I'll just go with a Gecko 540 instead. Need to start ordering my 8020 soon. Probably middle of December.

[svanommen]

Peter, thanks for the kind words. It's good to know someone is enjoying the posts! Also good call on putting some bumpers on the Y-stops. I read you comment and thought "hmmm why not?" Then looked down and saw my box of tubing scraps. Turns out some 1/2"x5/8" clear vinyl tubing is a perfect fit! 5 minutes later and now when the carriages smack the y-stops they don't make such an impact. =)
Initially I was just happy to not have the y-axis falling off the rails while I tinkered with it.

Cd_edwards: Thanks! I get as much joy from inventing as I do hearing other folks appreciate it. One word of advise if you're going the route of buying a few parts here and there like I did: have a really solid plan! I've said it before but I reallllllllllly wish CNCRP had their kits available when I started. This would have saved me 100's of hours of work and planning it in my head only to realize that I didn't take everything into account. Then again, I'm stubborn and addicted to DIY so there's a fair chance I wouldn't have bought the kit even if I could.
For example one major flaw I found in my 'design' is that after all the work to make a true 4x8' machine (work envelope) I am going to end up with a roughly 45"x90" work area. This I could have avoided if I had planned a bit more on paper vs in my head. That and not jumping on a 'sweet deal' for the 3060 gantry. 49" seemed like it would be enough when I purchased it over a year ago... Bummer but the beauty of these modular 8020 extrusion based machines is that I can eventually upgrade just the parts that need to be upgraded over time.
If you are building a machine like mine feel free to post questions here. I've learned a ton building mine and would be happy to share things I've found but forgot to post in the build log.

Next up:
-Extending the 220v line I found in the rafters to the machine console where the VFD will be mounted.
-Need to bite the bullet and order a 2.2KW Chinese spindle so I know what size of tubing I'll need for water cooling.
-Obtain some shielded cable for spindle
-Obtain some 4" dust collection hoses and assorted bits

[Peter Schuldt]

Seth-
I suggest you use a 1.5kw air cooled spindle. You will save money on the spindle, VFD combo, and you will not have to route water lines. As you can see from the CNCRP tread the 1.5 we have really tears up the wood. I will say that I have stalled the 1.5 with a 1.25in bit .25in deep cut going about 150ipm. I will be cutting some aluminum this week and will post the result.

If you do use a water cooled spindle I suggest paying for Festo or other such tube that is designed for automation.

[svanommen]

Peter-
Thanks for the heads up. Your latest videos and photo speak well to how much power a 1.5KW spindle has on a solid machine. I'm looking forward to some more 'aggressive cutting' videos with aluminum. =)

I am not too worried about the routing of additional hoses and such. Most of the spindles I've seen in the 1.5-2.2KW (80mm) class are water cooled. The other bonus with the 2.2KW is the extra range of the ER20 collet. Still I will weigh your advise as I pick my spindle (vendor).

What I'm still wondering is if NEMA 34's are quicker than NEMA 23's. (My gut is that it's mainly just a torque gain) Thoughts?
Doh, maybe I should RTFM and do some of my own research.... Looks like I should google more and question less.

[svanommen]

So I found the new e-chain I purchased for the Y-axis on my front porch tonight.....

Looks like I should have done a little more research before I pulled the trigger. I didn't realize how massive it was when I ordered it. LOL oh well it was a good deal and now I'll have no problem feeding serial cables through it. =P

Might have to just swap it with the existing X-axis chain. Turns out it's long enough and the X-axis will have the most stuff running through it so it would make more sense. Hmmmmmmm

Update: Yeah, totally going to swap the monster chain to the X-axis. I figured out a simple mounting method for the monster chain on the X-axis. Will also need to mount a wider support board and lower the super-strut it's attached to for clearance of the R&P drive. +++ I love that most of the machine is made of bolts and T-track. Quick modifications abound! +++

Added 2 photos. Left (smaller) chain is what I had initially installed. Right is the new monster. It's so wide inside it can take a serial cable plug on it's edge! Space should not be an issue (not that it was before).

[svanommen]

Well I've been working on the e-chain setup on each axis. I fab'd up a mounting method with an aluminum 'dowel' and a piece of copper tubing. To maintain the offset I needed I soldered some 24ga wire around the copper tubing. Works great!

Still need to order that spindle . . . =P

[svanommen]

After getting the first table top / spoil board mounted and tuning Mach3 to my machine I realized it's so close to being done(!) that I needed to see it cut something.

So after several beers I decided to whip up a quick and dirty mount for a cheap HarborFreight trim router that I had in the shop. Don't laugh too hard, I just wanted to see how quickly I could make a mount. Yes those are Popsicle sticks I used as tennons / biscuits. I wasn't expecting them to do much for strength, just there to help me align the parts while the gorilla glue set up. =)

It turned out ugly as sin but quite straight and sturdy. This should keep my entertained till my spindle paddles across the pacific from China.


Tonight I see if I can make my first cuts and not break anything

[jsantos]

Hey Seth,

Really nice looking build!

I love the router mount. :-) Funny how you just couldn't wait to get the thing up and running, isn't it?

Spindle is definitely the way to go if you can swing it. The difference in power and quality of cut between my router and my spindle is worlds apart. Also, the reduction in noise alone was well worth the price of the upgrade to me.

You'll be very happy with the CNCRouterParts components. A friend of mine convinced me that I would get better quality if I convert to linear rails and I did get all the components I need to convert. However, my machine has been giving me the quality and accuracy that I could have ever asked for that it's been almost a year since I got everything to go linear rails and still haven't done so. :-)

I got tired watching you in your shop. I wish I have a shop as big as yours. Looks like your shop can compete with CarveOne's.

[svanommen]

Jsantos, Thank you so much. Please take some credit for yourself. =)

Spindle= agreed. The last post was just my goofy side project while I wait for the spindle to arrive. (I was out of needy projects for the machine so I caved and hacked that mount together).

I have been VERY happy with the CNCRouterParts components! Ahren gets lots of free advertisement from me.

Yeah I got lucky when I found this place for rent. Shop leaves much to be desired but it does have good space. I've fixed up a bunch and spend enough time out here that I should just rent out the house and live in the shop.

Dang, that's quite a purchase with a working machine. Did you show him the deer carving demo your machine did? To me that example leaves little to be desired regarding accuracy. Not to mention all the work to adapt your existing system to new rails.... Sounds like you should convince him to by your extra linear rails. ;-)

- - - -

Good news! I have made my first ever CNC cuts tonight. Yet something isn't quite right...... Using the Mach3 wizard to cut a box I end up with a very accurate box yet the internal "machined" space has left over 'ears'. What the heck am I buggering up...?
It routes out a trapazoid shape on passes 1&2 then the finish pass it finally cuts out the exterior of the box. I tinkered around with the settings in the wizard and didn't seem to find what setting was out of whack.

Photos say it best...

[ahren]

This looks like it could be a very gross "CV setting" -- you might try reducing the CV steps or turning on the "exact stop" check box in Mach 3. Google Mach 3 CV settings to learn more about this.

And thanks for the free advertising -- recommendations from customers are the best form of promotion!

Best regards,

Ahren
CNCRouterParts

[svanommen]

Thanks Ahren, I will be sure to look into this tonight.

I'm quite sure it's some setting as I spent half the night of initial testing before I realized my Z axis was backwards "Why is it milling up not down?!?!" I would love to know Mach3 inside and out but learning it as I go is the best way.

[svanommen]

Well my screwing around *ahem* testing is showing some promise. One thing I noticed is that slowing things down makes the most different in accuracy. So much for running before you can walk!

The other problem I have is that I discovered while routing my serial cables for the steppers through the e-chain is that I had mashed yet another cable when I was dorking around with loose cables testing initial movement.. Damn! Oh well time for another cable order from CNCRP. I considered repairing one of the several damaged cables in my inventory and realized it's cheaper time / hair wise to just order another 20'.

Thus I've been testing with the A axis (1/2 of the Xaxis) disconnected as it appeared to be shorting out and causing e-stops randomly when left connected.

Oh well.. growing pains.

Some testing pictures (too tired to explain them all now)