Here is my lathe so far... LEAD 1010 with the High Z modification Reduced size of the width (X axis) to 21" OpenBuilds limit switch at Max of Z OpenBuilds limit switches at the Min and Max of X and Y (wired in parrallel respectively) NO limit switch on A BlackBox x32 controller (Rotary option flashed) OpenBuilds LEAD 1010 machine profile selected --> Reversed X axis direction because motor mounted on opposite side --> Reversed Y axis direction because motors mounted on front (XYZ axis travel in the correct direction) "Limit Switches Installed" option selected K12-100mm Rotary 4th Axis Parrallel with Y (NEMA 23, 6:1 Speed Reducing Ratio) Here is a picture of the machine. I have not added the plywood panel over the frame yet. At this point, the distance from the top of the 2040 frame rail and the bottom of the spindle carriage is 9 1/4". Basically, an 8" round piece of wood stock can be carved on. The lathe chuck and tail support are just in temporary placement to help with visualization. My question.... Facing the machine from the front (you will be looking at the PULLY side of the lathe)... In the CONTROL software, clicking on the A+ button, the PULLY rotates counter clockwise. Is this the correct direction? It seems like the lathe is moving in a negative (counter clockwise) direction. Although, facing the lathe from the CHUCK side, it is moving positively.
Thanks Peter for your reply.... But, as most of the references, discussions and builds that I have found and read, they most often fall in the category of "replacing/swapping an axis (X or Y) for the rotary and essentially still treating it as a 3 axis machine" or "the rotary axis is aligned parrallel to the X axis". I chose to align my rotary axis parrallel to the Y axis to gain alot more room. Both in the circumfrence and length of the wood stock. With that said, if the center section of the picture (the one you sent above) depicting the lathe was rotated 90 degrees counter clockwise (parrallel with the Y axis), it appears that the A axis is turning the correct way (positive) counter clockwise. Would you agree?
I was just reading the cookbook you sent and it says: ******************************************* The first 3 Axes are the familiar X axis, Y axis, and Z axis. The A axis and B axis are potential 4th Axes. We refer to the A axis and B axis as "rotary axis". If the machine has both A axis and B axis and they are independent, it is a 5 Axis CNC Machine. In other words, you can choose to install your 4th Axis as either Axis A or Axis B. The convention is that A has a rotary axis that spins about the machine's X axis and B spins about the machine's Y axis. In practice, since the 4th Axis is usually removable, most of the time you'll refer to it as the A-Axis whether it is aligned with respect to X or Y. Aligning to X or Y is just a decision you'll make based on the job you're doing. Let's assume you choose to set your 4th Axis up as "A". Then you can simply refer to it as such in G-Code. So, for example, you can rotate to the 0 position via "A0". ******************************************* I did get the DeskProto CAM software and when setting up the preferences, I did have to select an additional setting to make the rotational axis parrallel with Y. So looking at the movement picture you sent again, B rotation would be parrallel to Y. But even so, the rotation of the PULLY is the same as A, which is still rotating counter clockwise.
Along X is the more standard (most CAMs will output X+A (and Z) moves for lathe type toolpaths). Our fusion Post is proper 4-axes (XYZA), David will know if that can be used turned to be parallel to Y? @David the swarfer Deskproto allowing A to be along Y is nice yes, we like Deskproto too. As for which spin direction is correct - if in doubt cut a job: if it looks mirrored, reverse the A axis motor direction and try again
Nope, A parallel to X only at this time. One issue we have is 'how to configure the Blackbox for a B axis'. once we can do that we can extend the post to use B instead of A, since Fusion360 will not fake it in any way I can see. it wants real geometry configurations, so A must be paralle to X and B must be parallel to Y other wise the internal geometry will not drive the post correctly.
Let me first acknowlege how thankful I am for the help. I promice I am not trying to be a pain in the butt. I have VCarve Pro. But, isn't VCarve only three axis? My understanding is that it only wraps around the rotary axis limiting the operation to a sperical cut. So, as a basic example, it would not be able to do a four sided indexed carve.... like cutting a cylinder piece of wood into a rectangle piece using only four 90 degree rotational movements of the fourth axis (A axis). Additionally, doesn't it require a swap of the wiring from eithr X or Y to the A axis? Here is the machine configuration in DeskProto that I was referring too..... Notice that it is still referring to a four axis machine... it just sets it parrallel to Y. As soon as I'm able (holiday obligations...), I'm gonna try and get a carve going to test the direction question... Hopefully, not really an issue. But, if not, I have been thinking of a work around for this... what if I was to swap the X and Y motor wires going into the BlackBox X32... Basically, the machine would stay the same ecept for being a "wide / short run" machine with the rotary axis (which gets to stay where it is) parrallel to X.
Correct. Fusion and Deskproto are our 4 axes recommendations Would work yes. Just use http://svn.io-engineering.com:8080/?driver=ESP32&board=BlackBox X32 to make X the Ganged axis (2nd X motor on Y1. First X motor on X as expected, Y motor on carriage into Y1)
Hi Peter... as you might recall (I attached the latest picture of my LEAD 1010 machine), I have been heading down the rotary yellow brick road for sometime now. The machine sits ready to carve a tiki statue. The software of choice to generate the gcode is DeskProto. A few threads above is a screen shot of the setting that allows the rotary axis to run parallel with the Y axis. I had wanted to run the rotary axis parallel with Y to allow longer carves. Now, I'm realizing that this configuration is not the norm and all the reference material for DeskProto focuses on the rotary axis running parallel with the X axis. I'm assured by Lex at DeskProto that the way I have it will work, but just a pain in the butt to design it. So, I revisited my comment above about changing the wiring so I could run the rotary parallel with the X axis without giving up any stock length and came up with this "what if" scenario to avoid having to reflash my BlackBox 32X. What do you think about this? Currently... If I am standing with my belly to the pulley of the rotary, the rotary axis (1 motor) turns CLOCKWISE / COUNTERCLOCKWISE. The X axis (1 motor) moves LEFT / RIGHT. The Y axis (2 motors wired in parallel) move FRONT / BACK. The Z axis (1 motor) moves UP / DOWN. The wiring into the BlackBox 32X is: 1. Plug the X motor into the "Motor X" connection 2. Plug the 2 Y motors (wired in parallel) into "Motor Y" connection 3. Plug the rotary motor into "Motor Y2" connection 4. Plug the Z motor into the "Motor Z" connection What if????? If I stand on the right side of the machine, I still have pretty much the same configuration except now, I would have 2 motors moving LEFT / RIGHT and 1 motor moving FRONT / BACK. And my wiring would adjust for the change. The wiring into the BlackBox 32X is: 1. Move the (previous) X motor pluggged into the "Motor X" connection to the "Motor Y" connection 2. Move the 2 (previous) Y motors (wired in parallel) plugged into the "Motor Y" connection to the "Motor X" connection 3. Plug the rotary motor into "Motor Y2" connection 4. Plug the Z motor into the "Motor Z" connection Whatcha think?
yes, that will work, you are swapping X and Y so X is the longer axis. Just make sure you retain the correct movement directions, jog X+ must still move the tool 'right' (stand in the correct place) and Y+ moves the tool 'away'. I might do this on my machine, makes sense for a longer A axis.
After making the change and moving everything around with some gCode, I opted to swap the shortened X axis C-beams for the 1000mm beams that came with the 1010. It is now back into it's original (and last configuration...) I will not change it again (wife laughing hesterically in the background). I will make sawdust , iffn it's the last thing I do! lol After getting it all back together, I now have a problem with the Y axis. The stepper motors are making a VERY loud noise when performing a rapid move of the gantry. They even stall at times. They sound fine when lowering the jog speed on the override. They even sound fine when homing the machine. It is only when making a rapid move of the Y axis with the normal settings. I think I am dealing with a current adjustment issue. So, I did my due deligence and looked for postings and also the BlackBox X32 manual. As stated up above on previous posts, the two Y axis stepper motors are wired in parallel and plugged into the "Y Motor" connection on the BlackBox X32. So far, it has not shutdown requiring a recycle... it just stalls. So, I am thinking it needs more power. So, my question is, would the correct course of action be to add "more" current by turning the potentiometer "clockwise"?
yes, add a bit more. (but this may not be the total solution) you can do it incrementally, turn it by the width of the edge of the screwdriver blade, test, turn another increment, test, etc This is probalby the safest, but longest way to do it. or you can use science and do a binary search.... note where it is now, the start position. turn it to halfway between 'start' and max 0 ------- start ---x--- max (x marks the new spot) test if that is too much, turn it to halfway between 'start' and x 0 ------- here -Y-x--- max (Y marks the new spot) if that is too little, turn it to halfway between x and max 0 ------- here ---x-Y- max (Y marks the new spot) what is too much? red error lights come on motors get too hot to touch for 5 seconds (after some time of course, 5 to 10 minutes, if they get instantly hot, well, that is TOO MUCH) what is too little? not enough power yet easy to touch for 5 seconds should only take 2 tests to find a good spot. total solution may involve reducing the max rate and/or acceleration for this axis and maybe the wheels/leadscrew is just dusty/dirty and needs cleaning?
Loud Whine, Loud Rattle? Louder than normal usual buzzing sound? 'Loud' is more of a description of the volume, but the type of sound would help us zoom in on likely causes better
It is not the normal whining sound... I'd say the sound is more a "struggling" rattle... Just tried a continuos jog and it stalled to a stop.
Checkout symptoms in section 1 of docs:blackbox-x32:faq-identify-motor-coils [OpenBuilds Documentation] - sounds like that to me from the description (rattling, lack or torque, stalls etc)
Can the current adjustment potentiometers be changed while the BlackBox X32 is ON and connected too? Or, should it be disconnected and powered down? USB disconnected?
