So far all looks in good condition. most of the shipping expenses was 'ok' in my case ... except for that express DHL from China ! I'll look for a closer source next time, it will cut cost way down on those items (steppers and power supply).

Second "half" of parts started arriving late yesterday at drop off in Detroit. I have to pick it up hopefully tonight. This time, I'll be sure to bring along the invoices. On the first batch last Friday, for some idiotic reason, I left the invoices on my desk at home. Maybe I thought a copy would be part of the packages ? Anyways, when I got to the Canadian border with the stuff and mentioned "CNC" with just an estimated value, it was not a very nice situation. As the older agent told me, it is not up to them to figure the value. He must also of thought "commercial" not realizing a homemade DIY CNC (router, I forgot to be precise) can be done at a relatively low cost in a garage. The fact I had no invoices certainly made things extremely bad for me... It is the stupidest thing anyone could of done ! Luckily for me, expensive looking parts, the extrusion, came with a packing slip with the prices shown. It was still difficult to convince it showed my true cost ... "this stuff is really expensive ... not 20$ a meter!" Offered to go on Internet to show it was and to check my emails for the invoices. Actually came much too close to loosing everything, including the car ! I'll definitely be on file with a red flag for quite some time at this point. I better have all my paperwork in perfect order.

The steppers are getting to ride around since Friday when they first hit the Canadian border and my empty house. DHL does not have a local (public) pickup place nearby. I would need to drive two hours out of town ! Would of been easier to drop off in Detroit (and not forget paper work). But, tracking now shows they are back in a truck as of this morning. I"m at home (stomach acting up again), so I should get them.

Build still looks like a go for this weekend. It will then be to convince the wife I need to build this machine for the good of all (wo)mankind. Pool is nice and warm, weather should be hot and sunny... I can't stay too long in the sun (burn real easy), it should all work in my favour, eh?

 

This is what works for me

1/4 spacer, 5mm washer, wheel, 2 x 5mm washers, 1/4 spacer, 5mm washer, wheel, 5mm washer, 1/4 spacer

 

Robert, do you offer your belt "clip" aluminum pieces for sale? If So how can I buy a few of those from you? I tried to Private message you on here but I never got a response. Thanks!

 

What plates do you have ?
If they are anything other then mine you will have to modify your plates for the clip to work in any way and it still wouldn't be used in the manor intended.

 

Ps sorry if I missed the pm I'm swamped with requests and such little time

 

I copied your design from your "end plates" and also ported it over to my gantry plates. I'm machining some custom plates that give me an offset and raise my gantry a bit.

I'm sure I could pick up some 3mm or 4mm 6061 and machine them but if you have some that I can buy off of you that would be great.

It's a super cool design by the way!

 

Oh! Ok now it's clicking

I will mill a set fast for ya how many do you need?

 

Not a huge rush, I am using it on the 3 axis So I am assuming just 6? Is this how many you are using on your ox? Are you using the 6mm Gt3 belt from openbuilds? If so, how are you liking it so far?

 

Yes six and yes to the belts, I have not milled anything but do like it

Here I was test fitting it and I think it's 5 mm wide it purchased from openbuilds "special ordered belt"
I will be updating my build when it's complete with a review of how I like it.

 

The opening in the "clips" and in the plates seems to be just under 7mm correct? I am pretty sure that should clear the 6mm width gt3 belting, I hope!

 

So many receiving issues! No wonder your stomach is acting up. I hope you feel better soon! I hope you had no problem receiving my 4 gantry plates.
chris

 

It is 6.78mm wide and 4.85 high plenty of room

 

I'm going to mill them ASAP so I don't forget, then mail via stamped mail.
Start a conversation with me and send your full mailing address

 

Tell me about it... enough to get more than butterflies. The weather bouncing all over the place is not helping either.

The plates look in perfect condition. I can hardly wait to start assembling ... I might actually start prep'ing tonight, if the stomach gets back on track, as I double check if I missed anything in my orders. Just read that the parts list of the OX build might of missed listing 1/4 spacers (?)

 

@chip_breakin
Shipped hope it helps

As for money lol, what's money between friends.
Pay it forward

 

I have no complaints with their service, ordering is simple.

Ordered 6 Stepper motors (2804's & 1504's) on Thursday 8MAY and TNT attempted delivery on Monday 12MAY (my fault, I accidentally used my home address for delivery instead of work). I got them today, they were packed very well in a foam tray inside a cardboard carton, datasheets for the motors were also included.

They cost me $26.5 each delivered. The cheapest locally available stepper is approx AUD$43 even eBay steppers from China are $40+

Can't offer any feedback on the motors themselves at the moment

Cheers
Anthony

 

Wow! Thanks man I really appreciate it.

 

StepperOnline seems great to deal with, shipped from China and arrived in Canada within 2 days. Fast processing and shipping. Can't ask better. As Anthony confirms, excellent prices. Product selection is almost limitless. Web site has specs sheets. The best found thus far. Just don't pick DHL as the carrier for delivery ! My package has been "inches" from my place since May 9 on their first delivery attempt. I had no signs of DHL, not even in their tracking system, of any further delivery attempt since - that's 2 full business days, not counting the weekend. Package took less time to travel halfway around the planet and pass through US and Canada customs than to do the "last mile".

Monday - absolutely nothing from DHL, not even a tracking update on their web site much less an email of any kind on their part.

Today - tracking showed the truck left at around 8am for delivery. I was home all day, sick, got two packages from Canada Post, UPS truck drove by, but no DHL anywhere to be seen or heard. It was 6pm, nearly 10 hours (!) after the fact, before their automated system sent me an email to say the delivery truck was on its merry way. It must of got lost along the way because it's now 11pm and still no signs of DHL or any updates on their tracking web site.

That's 2 days to travel China-Canada passing two customs check points and yet 5 days have passed since to travel ~200 km (~125 miles) - if nearest pick up points are where my package spends the last few nights and weekend.

Is there any hope ? I'll have to contact StepperOnline and let them know about this nightmare which is out of their hands beyond having the contract for expedited delivery.

 

Hate to say it but yes DHL is disgusting at service and look out for fee's broker and duty
learned the hard way

 

Oh I'm expecting the worse ... two customs being crossed !

Since they are now way way overdue with the delivery and having done only a single attempt at delivery, they might get their own surprise ... I hope they are as patient as me. I have StepperOnline, the shipper, on the case at this point as well. If DHL's truck really left early this morning to deliver the package to my address, they better send a search team to check on the driver as he/she has yet to show up and it's now 11:30 pm !

Although somewhere on DHL's web site or in their automated answering system there was mention of a "yellow tag" with some reference number IF there was any added fees to be paid. I have not found any such note and they did attempt one delivery. I'm assuming there will not be added charges.

We'll eventually find out, but I'm not holding my breath. I have just learned the hard way not to deal with DHL for anything.

 

So maybe you guys can chime in, before I mill up my plates I'm considering and wondering about a few things.
Especially the guys with theirs built, feel free to chime in.

I want the z and x gantry to be as rigid as possible. I see some possible weak points and was considering the following:

-Adding two more sets of wheels between the x plates
-Adding holes for some aluinum standoffs or blocks between the two x plates
-Adding some "height" to the plates to allow for an HDPE block to fit underneath, thus protecting the underside wheels from debris
-expanding my z extrusion to 80mm width instead of 60mm to maybe have a more solid surface?

Short of a linear actuator(which is coming in the future on the z axis) I want the x/z to be as solid as possible!

Thanks guys.

 

kudos to StepperOnline and a swift kick, steel toes shoes on, in the ... to DHL.

StepperOnline is stepping up and tracking what is going on with DHL from their end in China. Definitely quality service from StepperOnline ...

Apparently, DHL China found out that DHL Canada "contacted" me yesterday, which is not true at all. In fact, I received no call, no voicemail, no email (other than an other very late tracking updating stating package was again on a truck since about 7am this time - that's third day my package is travelling the country side with no delivery !) or any other contact of any kind from DHL. Worse yet, DHL China told StepperOnline that they can't get a refund of any kind since the package had left China "on time" ! Are we missing something here? I thought delivery meant reached the destination address and was accepted by someone at same address, not that it left towards that address with no further trace ... not even a notice of delivery failure at the door of destination address. Wow, DHL is really an outfit to be avoided at all cost !

StepperOnline, as part of their quality service, will remedy the situation for me by next week. We both wanted to be certain DHL is a lost cause at this stage by giving them the rest of this week, 2 more days - that's the time it took to travel from China to Canada (~half way around the world), to deliver the package the "last mile" ... although over a week passed due at this point.

So it looks like my build will be delayed about a week.

 

Mark,

Thanks for taking the time to respond to my questions.

I am going to have my plates cut with the extra width so that 20x80 is an option and go from there.

I will be cutting a decent amount of aluminum with this machine, and I am hoping to increase my depth per pass from around .20 mm to nearly 1mm If I can.

In the future I plan to convert the machine over to a ball screw and linear bearing design for at least the z axis. I do a lot of production level runs in g10 and carbon fiber material and want to retain fast belt fed rapids on the x and y.

Unfortunately some of my v wheel kits that came today didn't actually have the wheel in them(I shot you an email about this) so hopefully you guys aren't totally out of them!

Keep up the good work. I can't say enough good things about you guys, and the guys here on the forums.

 

Looks like I'll be getting those stepper motors by middle of next week. I can hardly wait ...

Got an 'attempt notice' from Canpar Thursday and a 'delivery notice' today from Loomis. Both with the same COD amount (probably the taxes). Thanks to these notices, which "DHL" did not bothered to do on the first attempt last Friday, I was able to call some one and get somewhere. No automated system, an actual human taking the call as late as 8pm. Had to believe ! Oddly enough, both of the individuals had same first name and both gave me the same local pick up address. However, Loomis said they will try delivery again Tuesday and I can then pick up the package Wednesday between 12 noon and 5:30pm while CanPar said I can pick it up either between 8-9 am and 4:15-5:30pm as early as Tuesday - given they will notify the pick up point to hold the package. The person further said these are driver owned and this was the reason for the small pick up times - the driver must go out the rest of the day to make deliveries (and get paid).

Now, if only I had a delivery notice last Friday all would of been real easy for everyone. Checked around the house a few time since last Friday - in case a notice was left but flew off the door. Nothing to be found. There is also no explanation why there was no delivery attempts on Monday Tuesday and Wednesday. Maybe the driver, being a small shop, was sick and could not go out to do his/her runs ? I might find out when I pick up the package.

Hmm ... being two different carriers/courriers with different hours of operations, has my package cloned itself ?! Will I get twice the number of steppers and power supply for the price of one ? The suspense is nearly killing me ... long weekend streching the wait as well.

Looking on the good side, this gives me time to receive the drivers ordered late and maybe even the Arduino ordered weeks ago from China (free shipping, so on a 'slow boat'). I have also a bit more time to play with the design in SketchUp.

All this waiting around got me googling around for a descent 'router' to mount on the OX. It looks like either the DeWalt DW611M or DW618M. Not much difference in price, but big difference in power and capacity and still an acceptable weight and, apparently, great performance. A kit isn't needed since the 'motor' will be mounted on the OX. They look good too. Any thoughts or suggestions ? I will be "testing" with the Dremel at first.

All this waiting got me thinking, if I get the DeWalt, I might just have to get some of that yellow track cover to dress up the OX ... maybe some of those LED light rope or strips, some yellow pasti-dip at the right places, a bit of chrome paint here and there ... pimp my (cnc) router ! Could I sign it OXzbit with no problems ?? Maybe if I us a large 1080P 3D LED screen for the table and get some oversized wheels I could ?

Seriously, let's hope I didn't forget to order anything critical and unavailable locally. I would hate further delays, especially if for a '5 cents' part. From a recent post, me thinks I might be missing a few 1/4" spacers ... The saga might continue after all, eh ?

Sorry if I bothered anyone with this. Just felt the story had to be told as it unfolds. I'll be creating a separate build soon enough, so won't bother anyone who doesn't want to follow the story there.

 

I am working on an Ox mount for the Dewalt 611 router that Adebo Thomas designed. It should be available soon.

 

Where are you located?
If your short on a few 1/4 spacers let me know.

I'm not sure if you know but all three of the shipping company's you have posted are the same company "DHL"
I service their equipment and they have one main warehouse that is under the Loomis name, delivery trucks are DHL and Canpar.
One big shady shipping outfit, this is why I only use Canada post and the expensive big wigs "Pur/UPS"

I think you got repeat notice because you put a foot in their butt, leaving the hole company looking for your package

 

NVM I seen your profile, I'm in Toronto so if you need them spacers I have a few