Dear Derek, impressed by your upgrades and documentation! I decided to implement the Y axis upgrade on my standard size 3018. All details clear (will order 300mm lenght rails only), however wondering if the 2080 side increase is a must to have your setup - I mean the printed adapter & 2020 rail & MGN15H rails combo - will work smooth with standard machine hight as well? Appreciate your advise in advance, will wait with my purchase on your feedback.
Howdy, thanks for the nice words, I’m glad you found my documentation helpful. Regarding the 2080, you don’t need to do that mod. I only did it so I could use a really thick spoil board and gain some Z height back. I also have a large Makita router as my spindle, so that helps keep the space below it useful.
Howdy thanks for the superfast assistance. I am goint to start the purchase and the rebuild, again. Not long ago implemented MGN12 rails on X axis with new Z carriage to the usual 500w chinese spindle. Besides all that, a big thumbs up for sharing all your plans and videos, impressing indeed that we can build this little toy to work like a bit bigger beast. Enjoy the day and keep in touch
@dJOS_500 I see that you recommend spring t-nuts. Is that for any special reason? Need to get some to hold the rails and wondering if I get normal ones or that spring type. Thanks
Only for those areas you can’t get a sliding T nut into. Mainly I just recommend not using the rotating T nuts because half the time they don’t engage properly.
I agree with @dJOS_500 about the rotating T-nuts, they have a tendency of not rotating and locking in the vertical position especially when used for mounting linear rails with so many screws. I went with the rotating ones but was rather disappointed when I used them for mounting two long y-axis 750mm linear rails. For peace of mind go with [spam link removed. Visit openbuildspartstore.com instead] instead of the rotating which I think are very good for situations where it is not easy to slide in without needing to dismantle a plate.
Thanks all, ordered the spring type ones. Also changed the idea I had for the Z axis and carriage. Initial plan was to make my own, but realized that cost wise would end up close to buying one plus I'd have a problem to make the moving block. So got this, this one is for NEMA23 but talked with the seller and they sending me one with NEMA17 hole spacing. (went with 50mm effective travel because don't think I need 100mm)
NEMA 23’s are definitely ideal, you just need to make sure there is space to Mount them - I stayed with 17’s on mine because there wasn’t space.
I don't want to spend more into this at the moment. I have loads of NEMA17 but no NEMA23. Plus I'd have to review the board/stepper drivers, the CNC came with a cheap woodpecker. Really don't like it. So prefer to first invest into a more decent board (or convert one of the old 3D printer boards I have).
that z axis looks fairly similar to mine, and it does have space for both size motors. I was more referring to the rest of my machine which only supports 17’s. Btw, I recommend you bin that solid coupler and replace it with something decent. I found the helical slit couplers to be excellent. They have the lowest backlash of any flexible couplers I’ve tested. eg Slit Style Couplings
Ah got it. Yes there is no space for them directly, would require some mounts. Have to check those couplers, mine came with those cheap flexible helical couplers, but I swap it right away for rigid ones. Have some other type here to try.
Those couplers in your first picture are not flexible, and the jaw couplers shown below are IMO very poor, due to introduced backlash.
Also, never rely on the coupler and the bearing in your stepper to hold the screw rigidly. There can be internal play in the stepper motor. There should be a bearing and a lock collar on each end. The shaft coupler should be exterior of those components. That is if you want accuracy and repeatability.
Man, I know you how you love your Makita as as do I as a palm router and all the tinkering you do with it but at those speeds you are going to seriously damage your hearing, at some point even though it's only a super upgraded 3018 don't you think it deserves for your hearing sake a water called spindle and drop those DB's or do you have some sort of case that you can put round it? I'm 62 now and I've lost about 35% of my hearing and that was just from basically 20+ years driving in the UK with the window down on one side and 20+ years living in Spain driving on the other side of the road with the window down and it's done that much damage so God knows what that is gonna do your hearing by the time you're my age..... Keep up the good work, amazing what you're doing with that machine...
There is hearing protection available. I use it all the time due to the noise of both the dust collector and the spindle.
Cheers, it’s been a fun project. You are 100% right, I wear hearing protection when I’m using it because it’s so loud. I already had tinnitus to start with, and the Makita definitely doesn’t help. The main reason for using it, is it was cheap. It cost me half of what the retail cost is here in Australia, and Jon Harrison kindly sent me the GRBL_SPD controllers to test for free as in the only person he knows with 240v 50hz power. I intend to upgrade my spindle at some point, but I need to get another job first - I got made redundant after 5 years at the company I worked for, back in April.
Hello Giarc, may I ask some picture of your suggested solution? Thank you in advance, would assist a lot. Cheers
Different system, same concept Bearings constrain the leadscrew lengthwise in the actuator, coupler just transfers rotational forces to spin the leadscrew 250-1000mm we use compression and Over 1000mm (i.e for 1500mm actuators) you switch to a tensioned system to pull leadscrew out of any sag Also see the full playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDeI80MYQtbqZahZvCIcOPhE0wO3RirvY
I think those videos Peter linked show it better than any picture I can take of my machines. Besides, I built them as the videos show.
i use the lead screw in tension config also. I have bearings at either end, with lock collars to constrain the lead screw.
This too a bit to start, In part due to lazyness, mistakes made and waiting for parts. But finally the upgrade is progressing. Have two SFU1204 ballscrews that were for another CNC project that never happened. With a bit of fiddling and testing was able to fit them in both X and Y (along with the Z slider) making it all running with ballscrews. I want to keep it at least locked in one side so had to design and 3D print an adaptor. Tried to fit the ballscrew mounting blocks, that would lock it on both sides but it was far too messy, lots of drilling that I have no way to do and far too many adaptations. For this phase it goes like this more about it later. As for the Y it asked for longer profiles but that also brings more work area. Went from 300min to 400mm profiles, but the ballscrew fits perfectly. Like this was easy to lock it in one side. Placing the pillow block on the inside. First mistake was on the Z slide car. Spindle mounting holes don't match, my mistake here. Picked the 3D CAD, 30 minutes later got one done. Printed and fitted, looks great but will be the weakest link. As the CNC gets upgrade, hopefully have the rigidity to mill some aluminium, and I'll convert or create adaptors to avoid using 3D printed parts. Currently I'm drawing the parts all in 3D CAD to rehearse the mounting of the Y axis MGN rails. Have two ideas in mind that I want to test. 1. Cut 2020 profiles, bolt them where the rods where and fit the MGN on top 2. Mount the MGN on the sides Option 1 is the ones I like the most, less loss of Z travel and less amount of 3D printed parts but those 2020 profiles will only be hold by 1 screw at each end.
Nice work! Am I right to think that that you had a all metal version of the 3018 frame and you are expanding it? With regards to the ball screws, if possible find a way to fit BK10 type supports, or use 3dp adaptation of the same. I think the end result will be a very rigid small cnc machine.
Yes, it is (was) the so called 3018 Pro Max. But material quality is quite poor, my goal was not to increase working area but to increase rigidity. I did try to fit in the BK10, but it was far too messy. So I decided to change the goals, first phase make an acceptably rigid build and with that mill the parts that I need for next phase. I'd like to make new front/back and side plates that would allow me to easily fit a BK10 block.
ball screws is definitely on my todo list also, I have one on my Z axis already, and the motion is really nice. i finally started work on my electronics case the other day, but I’m still deciding between din rails and direct mount. I have most of the cable channels I need printed which is a good start.
I suppose if you are starting out with a big box and are planning to make changes to the layout and or add or remove components in the future then it is advisable to opt for the DIN rails, otherwise the direct mount is the way to go. That being said, since you have an aluminium base plate you can always drill/tap new holes so either way you are good and works out cheaper too Btw - any update on your new build?
True. I do have the din rails, so that isn’t an issue. I’ve done very little on my projects this year, I should have had loads of time due to taking 4 months off between jobs. But I was not very functional due to vision issues. I ended up having eye surgery mid July, and before my savings ran out, I started a new job mid August. It’s been an interesting year.
Wishing you all the best with the recovery of your eye surgery. As we get older the healing process does take longer so do take it easy my friend!
Cheers, the surgery went really well, aside from a regression 3 weeks later. But my vision is still twice as good as it was prior. I am going to need another surgery to which I’m not looking forward to. The first week of recovery was rather unpleasant, but it was fine after that. The getting old thing really does suck, to quote the late great Douglas Adams’s, I feel like a military academy, bits of me keep passing out!
