Remove the LDB and retest. It it not that difficult to remove.
I removed my LDB as it never worked well. Replaced with a Power Draw Bar.
Here is a video of my issue. I picked up this used novakon, and it seems the previous owner was all up in the spindle with no business being there. The spindle head paint is cracked where they completely took it apart so I can tell they were deep in it.
The spindle at times won't even turn on with the Ep1C servo controller throwing a err 13 or err 4. When it does turn on it's loud as hell and as you can see in the video the drawbar is moving everywhere.
I tried tightenimg the drawbar head and all it's screws and this resulted in the spindle not being able to spin at all.
The tools seem to slip out of the spindle slightly on heavy roughing also.
Any idea what my options are? Do I just pick up a new drawbar from novakon or is there some tear down I should be doing first? This is my first mill.
Thanks for the help!
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Remove the LDB and retest. It it not that difficult to remove.
I removed my LDB as it never worked well. Replaced with a Power Draw Bar.
I'll give it a shot. Is it okay to test run the spindle with the draw bar removed to rule out that as a issue? Thanks!
It should be fine to run the spindle without the drawbar. The fact that the drawbar is moving while the spindle is turning suggests that the lever drawbar may be poorly adjusted. One of the first things I did when I got my Pulsar was to take the LDB apart and put it back together. It was an educational experience, and there were parts on it that needed some adjustment.
Also - congrats on the mill! I have been enjoying mine with no real surprises so far.
Thanks! I was hoping I would have no surprises, but such is life with used products. They really didnt take care of her.
So took off the draw bar, as much as I could at least. The cylinder around the drawbar bolt dosnt seem to come off, and it seems it is held in place by the spindle bolt itself? (The large cylinder that is threaded for the drawbar head).
So the drawbar platform that pushes on the bolt is absolutely laying on the set screw coming out of the spindle bolt. The drawbar platform has a circle gouged out where the set screw is just turning on it over and over. However, if I loosen the drawbar head, I can no longer remove the tool with the drawbar. If I tighten the head too much it rides on the set screw.
I cannot seem to bunge the setscrew up or down at all.
The good news is the spindle runs quiet and well without the drawbar, however looking down at the sindle bolt it looks kind of lop sided when turning? Here is another video:
I would assume it's not put together correctly. You might as well open it up and see what's going on in there. Might be that the wobble is from incorrectly assembled belleville washers.
2nd edit. Looks like something is bent.
This is what i was afraid of. Any idea how I get the drawbar platform completely off? It looks like It is being held on by the "Spanner Spindle Nut"? Anyone know if that is indeed the case, and if so do i need novakons special spanner wrench to remove this thing?
The spindle nut is held in place by 3 set screws that go in to the collar and lock in wedges that keep it in place. If I recall, once the set screws were loosened, mine was pretty easy to loosen. There should be a decent size gap between that spindle collar nut and the base plate on the top of the head. The socket that comes with the mill makes it easier to remove, but I bet you can remove it without it...
Also, in case you weren't aware, there are exploded assembly drawings on Novakon's website
https://www.novakon.net/products/pulsar
I have decided since im i here already to try and go down the way of a power drawbar for this thing. However, nearly all the old videos and documentation on this topic on here has expired. Does anyone have a pulsar they have built a PDB for that is still around?
Here is the link to my updated PDB post for my Pulsar. I posted a DXF file for the base plate.I used 3/8" steel plate for the base plate. I been using this one for more than a year without issue. It's an easy afternoon project.
I'd recommend you 3d print the base plate first to see how it fits your Pulsar as some of us have found small differences in the castings. I used a Fabco 3 stage Cylinder. You might find a used one on ebay.
https://www.cnczone.com/forums/novak...-0-pulsar.html
I was going to point you to Steve's build as well. I bought the parts to make it but haven't gotten around to it yet...
Hey Steve,
I'm quite happy you have replied! I am using your post as my template of making mine. I bought it exact dimensions steel plate and aluminum, bolt sizes, etc. You provided in that post. Do you happen to have the obj or similar to the baseplate? If not it's fine I'll just modify brian's.
I do have a ender 3 I can print it with first if you think mine will be off.
There is a few questions I had though if you do not mind:
1. Does a small 8 gallon portable compressor work just fine? One that is like 3 cfm at 100psi?
2. Where did you get your button for your PDB that you are routing ur air through between the compressor and the pdb? Is it electronic? Any links would be awesome!
3. What size air hose did you use on your cylinders?
4. How did you remove the set screw and bolt to get the spring washers on? I can even get them to budge.
5. It also looks like you have your spindle nut and the drawbar covered with something? Any chance you could take some pictures of the drawbar area the pdb presses? It would really help.
You have helped me so much so far, thank you! I'll try and pay it forward.
By the way this is the air cylinder I picked up off eBay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/FABCO-AIR-MP4X3X3X1FF-TFR-AS-E-HF-PNEUMATIC-LINE-CYLINDER-PANCAKE-DIAL-A-STROKE-/114378846013?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286#vi__ap p-cvip-panel
Also attached image. It seems like it's exactly what I needed except the stoke length, which it has a adjust stroke on it.