Hi Everyone,

I'm getting ridges when testing the process of surfacing in the Y direction. I'm using a 18mm router bit (while I wait for my end-mills to arrive). I suspect that it's due to the spindle not being 100% perpendicular to the x-y plane. I'm wondering if you guys have experience with this and what strategies can be used to correct it. I suspect that I can adjust the mount but I require a way to measure my changes. I was thinking of picking one of these up but I'm not sure how I would mount it.

2-1/4 in. Diameter Deflection Gauge | Princess Auto

Cheers,
-Jamie

 

Hi Jamie, sounds like a tramming issue as you have described, do some searches on youtube about tramming adjustments for CNC and that should steer you in the right direction.

Cheers Glenn

 

@KirkwoodWorking was kind enough to upload his complete CBeAm XLarge build to YouTube!

From @KirkwoodWorking:
Hey all, Better late than never, but the live build replays are starting to be uploaded onto Youtube!

Here is part 1, Ill update when the rest of the parts are edited and uploaded!

Part 1

Hope it helps!

 

Hi - Sorry to ask the group, but!
I have just complete the mechanical build of my c-beam - great video and instructions, thanks. I am now ready to wire up and configure the firmware - I am comfortable with the wiring etc. However, I have NO idea about setting the firmware Grbl for my XPRO so I am calling out for any help please.
Great group - hope you can help

 

Is the xpro 5V toler a nt on the pins?

 

yes, But I think the problem is now resolved. I switched to a PC which gives a higher frequency on the parallel port and it seems to be pretty smooth.

 

Hi all,

Got the C-Beam XL kit last week and just finished all the mechanical assembly and I have to say the instructions for this were great and no issues or problems building it. Only thing I did different is I didn't have any 1/2" MDF so I used 1 3/4" MDF for the base and spoil board that gives me the same final height. Had to use a different size screw to secure to the Y axis plates. If I have any issues I can still go and get some 1/2" MDF and make a new base/spoil board.

Tomorrow I will start the electrical work. I have all the parts but I need to figure out how to package it all so it looks neat and keep things safe.

Was looking at the router mount and see there are some screw holes on the side and was thinking that I could easily mount a diode laser there and I have a few sitting around.

 

It turns out it was real easy to add a laser to the side of the router mount. I printed out a bracket to mount it on.

IMG_0400-resizedL by WildBill posted Mar 24, 2017 at 10:14 PM

 

I put a laser on the front of the router mount. The aluminum plate acts as a heat sink. The two black screws are the same as the ones that hold the front bar of the router mount on. Top is a fan, not really needed as nothing even gets remotely warm. Controller is mounted on the front of the c-beam above the router mount.

Note that this is a 2.8W engraving laser, not just a positioning laser.

 

Great build! maybe someday!

 

I have tape marks on my laser for where I want the focus ring. Then I am going to do is cut a wood dowel that matches the height that I want. Then adjust the Z height for the dowel followed with just fine focus using the focus ring for fine tuning Z..

 

Here is a pic of the whole assembly mounted on the Z axis. Laser and controller is from J-Tech Photonics. I really like the controller, it has great safety features. J-Tech also has the 3D printed mount to fit the controller to the C-Beam Z axis with holes that line up on the 20mm slot centers.

I also bought some laser blocking acrylic from J-tech, and made a little rectangular shield to go around the laser. Of course, just after I bought the 2.8W, they came out with a 3.8W.

Only requires 1 connection to PWM out from Arduino, you can control laser power from the g-code. I'm using GRBL 1.1F which has Laser Mode, it works like a dream.

 

The laser mode in the new GRBL works great and allows you to do better gray scale. I have been using a Banggood 2.0W TTL laser and like it better than my higher powered laser's because it has a smaller focus spot.

 

Hey Bill, what do you use for image processing and CAM software?

MG

 

I am a long time Photoshop user, and for CAM I use T2 Laser.

 

That is the one the one that I am using and really like it.

 

Does anyone have the Mach3 settings for this build?

I'm using Mach3, Mach3 interface breakout and TB6600 motor drivers.

I will be running in inches and I'm looking for the Motor Tuning and setup numbers along with the corresponding microstepping setting for the driver.

Thanks

 

Just getting going on my XL and was jogging the y axis back and forth and suddenly one of the steppers started running backwards and then forward. As they are cloned it makes a hell of a racket against the other motor. Did some investigating and isolated it to the motor. Pulled it apart and it looks fine. Running by itself if you do multiple 10mm jogs it will do say 30 positive and then 10mm negative and then start positive again. Do they sometimes just crap out like this? There is a new one on the way from the store but wondering if there was or is something I did that could have killed it

Paul

 

Bubbles!

Might be a loose connection on your stepper driver direction input. That is assuming you are using an Arduino with separate stepper driver modules and not something like a Smoothieboard or CNC Xpro board with integrated drivers.

MG

 

I don't think that is the issue as I removed the axis clone jumpers and tried it on both Y and A steppers. Same same..

 

Well Metalguru... You were absolutely correct. I was switching my good X axis motor over to replace the duff Y axis clone motor and noticed the yellow wire had backed out of the connector. A bit of futzing with it and I had it back locked into the connector! All is good again. Free kitty for you!!!

Paul

 

Glad I could help!

MG

 

Hey WildBill. I just received my Banggood 2w laser today. I am going to try it on my Arduino Uno/CNC Shield setup. It notes that you can use 5V TTL (Blue/White) but I assume this is just for on/off. However,GRBL 1.1 I believe allows you to adjust the intensity. How is that done? Not a lot of info on the Banggood page. (Not that I ever expect much )

Cheers,

Paul

 

You should be able to hook it up to the PWM output of your Arduino and control the intensity by using the S= g-code. There is more info in the GRBL Wiki on Github about how the laser mode works in GRBL 1.1f. There won't be any info on Banggood, that's for sure...

In short, you set laser mode=1 in the GRBL setup, $32 I believe. Then set $30 and 31 to whatever range you want for "RPM", or laser intensity. The PWM output is 0-255, so I would recommend setting these to those values, but, you can set it to anything you want, like 0-1000 for instance. Then, you use M3 in your g-code to turn the laser on, and M5 to turn it off. Note that you have to specify the PWM when turning the laser on, M3 S=xxxx for instance. Note that with laser mode on, the laser will be shut off when the machine is not actively moving. You can set the laser to a very low power level for positioning, and use the jog controls to move the machine with the laser on.

BE SURE TO READ READ THE GRBL 1.1 WIKI ON LASER OPERATION THOROUGHLY! There are some important things in there.

MG

 

Awesome. Once again many thanks.... Off to study.

BTW, just received a 21.5" touch screen monitor I got off of eBay. Will try to get it hooked up tonight. If it works it will be great for GRBL Panel or whatever input program... They are going cheap..

 

Hey Paul:

Can you send me a link? I been looking for a large touch screen monitor for a while now...

MG

 

There's lots of them there. Mine is up and running off of my Surface but I am now trying to download the touch screen drivers...

Touch Revolution K21A-0101-A0 Wide Touch Screen Industrial Monitor LCD 21.5" | eBay

Cheers,

Paul