New VFD Tri-Power

[rdeeming]

Hi everyone, I wanted to introduce myself to the forum.

I have finally put enough money together to buy a Patriot. While I wait, I am working on getting things set to roll it in. 220v 20A and 110v 20A drops and get ample lighting in the work area. Slated work area will have 4' around the footprint with the exception of the drill press that I may move.

Browsing this forum there are quite a few items of improvements once the machine is in the owners hands. It sounds as if Shopmaster has been busy making improvements in rapid order that offset many of these changes.

Of the improvements made to your Patriot, if you put together a top five list that has not already been done by Shopmaster, what would that order look like and why?

Pictures of the process will commence soon. For now it is just an empty 64x32 square.

[Quadramaster]

I actually don't know since I don't have one. It seems like they come with most everything you need. Do they come with a DRO? If not, I built a ShumaTech DRO-550 kit with the LCD-200 option recently for my machine, and would highly recommend it if you're handy with a soldering iron. The firmware is "Open Source" and is undergoing continuous improvements. Check them out at Home Page | shumatech.com. I'm currently in the process of installing linear glass scales made by Sinpo (.0002" resolution). A DRO is more useful on a manual machine than for CNCs like the Patriot.

What kind of racing do you do?

Mark-

[rdeeming]

I did get the 3 AXIS DRO option they sell with it. Being an easy target for OpenSource DIY projects, as my car is running MegaSquirt and I am working on a GPIO to control a GM transmission, this is good I did not read about the ShumaTech until now.

The Patriot CNC retains manual operations that I am aware of.

I raced street bikes, mostly here in Colorado with the MRA. It would have been nice to have this thing around then.

[rdeeming]

The machine will be on a truck headed my way today.

While waiting there is plenty to do. I purchased BobCAD-CAM Mill/Lathe software. After watching the 15 video series on YouTube, it looks it should work for what I need. Other than my avoidance policy of using Windoz.

Speaking to that avoidance policy, I am putting a system together with EMC2 on it with the expectation of using the Mach3 system as a short term fix to impatience.

Those that have chosen to use EMC2, coming from a system set up for Mach3, any advice regarding what I can expect to run into to do so would be appreciated.

[Quadramaster]

Ha! Good for you...

Sorry, since my machine isn't CNC I can't help much with regard to which software you should use. But I'm interested in what you plan to manufacture with your CNC setup. Dahui makes flashlights. So are you going to do something like that?

I've worked for a large Aerospace manufacturer in the Seattle area for over 34 years as a CNC technician. I work for an organization that maintains the CNC machines. So I have acquired some knowledge about them, and one day I plan to upgrade my machine to CNC just because I can. :-)

So, what are your plans, or is this just for fun?

[rdeeming]

No plans yet regarding specific projects. I guess you could call it an education plan. Well at least how I go about education. I have had enough years of Software and Systems engineering. It is time to work on changing things up.

I'd imagine most things will revolve around mine and other peoples hobbies related to performance parts for automotive and motorcycles. Also, have some firearm interests as well.

The goal is to get to the point I take on mine or other peoples project with the sole intent of prototyping and sending it off to a shop better suited for redundant manufacturing.

[rdeeming]

Cool. It is now in the shop. Been going full speed dealing with a building permit that expired, the state electrical code guy, in addition to the shipping company YRC for the machine. I love it when you get this well we will be there between 9AM and 5PM. Ended up burning two days of being off work over the deal but the machine is here and I have about 50 electrical code rule violations to take care of.

Pretty messy one person job getting that thing out of a truck with an engine hoist and wimpy straps. It got the job done and its what I had on had at the moment. I would not completely recommend it.

[rdeeming]

I have a question. If you put a dial indicator on said position. What is the runout on your patriot?



https://www.bladeracing.com/gall/mai...geViewsIndex=3

[instructor37]

I have a question. If you put a dial indicator on said position. What is the runout on your patriot?

That would be your drill chuck arbor. It appears to still have the cosmoline on it. Before checking runout, be sure to remove the arbor from the mill head and clean it as well as the inside of the mill spindle. Any little bit of dirt from the hands of the assembler could put this out. After cleaning those parts, clean your drill chuck and press it onto the arbor and grip a ground drill rod in the chuck- test runout at this point, which is where the work will happen. For these Chinese chucks, expect runout at the drill to be in the 0.010"-0.015" range. If you want to do precision drilling, look to a quality Jacobs or Lambrecht chuck set ( 125.00).

PS-
Not sure of your experience level, but DO NOT try to mill with a drill chuck.

[rdeeming]

Thank you for the information. The runout is in the range you described .012. I'm trying to determine if the attack of a forklift did any damage to the mill head. So far it looks like I got lucky and the legs just punched the top of the crate on either side of the mill head.

My current lever of experience next to nothing.

Next question I have is regarding the tailstock. I assumed the top lever on the thing would unlock the main shaft and therefore allow me to rotate the wheel on the end to move the shaft. This did not work out at all and the inner screw simply pushed out a pressed in bearing near the wheel. I'm now wondering if I overlooked the lock mechanism for the tailstock shaft to travel.

[rdeeming]

Well I just answered my own question. I now understand the mechanics of the tail stock. It needed to be cleaned up in there anyway.

[rdeeming]

Not much time on my hands and sadly any of that time is messing with something else I am not a professional at. Conforming to NEC 2008 Electrical code.

With the DRO connected, the machine turning the mill and lathe, all levers and switches wiggled it was time to find out about this Camtronics Mach3 piece.
Camtronics

With a fist full of instructions that came in the mail I plugged it all in. Ergonomics, cable management and the hassles of computer equipment are now really apparent that time will be spent dealing with that before things get to far along.

For now I just want to it turned on and tested after its travel.

Getting the PC hooked up, Mach3 reinstalled and the camtronics nuclear box plugged in I did the first MDI G01X.1. I got zero results other than my radio went crazy with static noise from the camtronics box being powered on.
First command fail

It was good that I stumbled on to the arrow keys and pg down/up keys on the keyboard as this traversed the X, Y and Z servos into action.

My next thing to tackle other than why MDI did nothing is getting the configuration for the servo steps right. This is a shot of both the DRO and Mach3 zeroed and then moving the three axis an even amount using the DRO.
DRO and Mach3 disagree

Thats it for now.