I didnt mean solenoid - I meant relay!!
This is the BOB I used
5 Axis CNC Breakout Board For Stepper Driver Controller Mach3 + 2 Cable TE421 | eBay

I also use a ESS with Mach so the parallel cable connects easily.

 

Thanks for your advise, I bought it... 2.2kW version

The BOB i have is

http://www.hallroad.org/3518/mach3-...cal-coupler-for-mach3-stepper-motor-drive.jpg

If this is no good, i'll upgrade it eventually

 

That board looks identical.

When you get the spindle and BOB let me know what you need

 

newbie warning
Ive got these routers Makita RT0700C & a Dewalt D26200 will this be ok to start off with ,which one should I install ?
Or should I buy another ?
Starting to plan a setup so any views or pointers will be a great help

 

I’ve got the D262000 installed in my OX. It’s the same as the American DWP 611.

 

what will this cut with no problems ?
noise ?
Any other makes or model should I be looking at ?

 

You have to realise there is a trade off in everything. Use too powerful a spindle and it will be too heavy requiring upgraded Stepper motors. If you upgrade the motors you will need a higher capacity driver. Use a higher capacity motor/driver you will need a higher voltage power supply. Install all that and there is a probability that the frame is going to flex.

Which all comes back to why they used a trim router in the first place.

 

Oh and the materials that hobby machines are used for is wood, plastics, and aluminium (although slowly due to depth of cut being small). The biggest problem isn’t motor power but frame stiffness (or lack of it) leading to parts that will be out of spec if you try to push the machine too hard.

If you want to do stronger material you are going to need something like A Tormach 440 or similar.

 

so what motors & driver , plus power supply are you using with the Makita ?
Same question to the Dewalt users plz

 

24v PSU with the CNC XPro v3. Also am using a SuperPID v2 to be able to control the Dewalt just like a spindle which enables me to run it from 5,000rpm to 30,000rpm.

I’m impressed with the SuperPID but G-Wizard is repeatedly asking for lower rpm for plastics due to the rigidity of the system being lacking. Tool deflection is another big worry that means that I’m going to switch to mostly stubby endmills to help reduce it.

 

Got this machine for roughly a year now and I am so happy.
I was just wondering if there is any way to upgrade the z-height.
Are there plates available? Or some tutorials? It's just really hard to search for "z" on the forums

 

I needed some extra Z height in my Ox and pulled out the spoiler boards and the. I took out the 20x60 spoiler supports, rotated them 90 degrees, and used corner blocks to attach them to the V-slot... so they are now only 20mm high and when I put the spoiler boards back it means I gained 40mm clearance. I did a skim cut on the spoiler boards to make sure it was flat again and I was happy.

Makes me wonder if anyone has made an electric height adjuster for bed/gantry CNC routers... a bit like power on the knee in a Bridgeport mill. Maybe use 6x steppers vertically under the bed of the machine. with a short piece of threaded rod heh. Would probably be too flimsy, but maybe for a small/tiny machine it would be interesting. After all 3D printers do it.

 

That sounds like a great idea.
Already thought about something similar. Was just wondering if it would loose too much rigidity.
How large is your machine? Mine is 1000x1000. But I mostly cut hard/soft wood

 

Mine is a 1000x750. I’ve cut wood and plastics up to now. Just doing some mods to help increase the rigidity factor so I can cut brass and aluminium. I think some of my problem was the router mains wire and the vacuum hose dragging plus me being stingy on the Stepper current which meant I was losing some accuracy.

 

Could I have more info on the arduino setup plz ??

 

I have g wizard too.

I’ve found it can be way off the right feed rate for plastics and ended up with plastic binding around the bit. So for plastics I just use www.cutter-shop.co.uk feeds and speeds calculator and if I want a good quality cut stick to their slower speed and a nice shallow cut

 

I originally went with 15mm mdf and surfaced it. That took it down to something like 12mm.

Then I foolishly whilst moving my workshop around put a small pillar drill on the bed. Guess what? Warped bed.

So this time I went with a 18mm bed which is rock solid and bomb proof. I haven’t surfaced it. It’s just attached by counter sunk drop in t nuts with the low profile bolts. Then once attached I used the cnc to cut out 10mm holes then put in threaded inserts.

It’s generally flat enough for most jobs as if you don’t store the mdf on its end before attaching, it won’t warp and being that thick isn’t too susceptible to humidity.

If I need a huge amount of accuracy i’d put a spoilboard on top of the bed, put holes on it to line up with the threaded inserts and then surface that. That way I don’t have to change the bed ever.

 

I went into overboard with my spoilboard... to keep it as flat as possible I used 2x18mm boards as the base and a 6mm thick island on top that is the exact size of the cutting area. I eventually went with flipping the spoilboard supports sidewards and attatching them using corner blocks. Then bolted the spoilboard to the supports using 5mm nylon bolts.

But that wasn’t all... I have several 8mm nylon bolts going through the spoilboard and into the unit. I had to stop myself overtightening the bolts or it could cause warping so to reduce it I had them right next to the 20x60 v-slot spoilboard supports. To stop the frame sliding I’ve bolted it to the table with angle brackets.

So yeah, overdid it there.

Actually got it apart again at the moment to include a vertical clamping system for making dovetails of all types. Actually got the idea from a video by Dan at Maker Geek. Well, not the idea but the execution. I do need to make some changes because I don’t weld.

 

Belt and braces is always better than too little!

 

I still think I need another support v-slot... or two. I have a minor OCD about things like this. I also am going to be doing a simulation instrument project where tolerances are going to be pretty tight. I think I’m going to put a second bracket on the router as well as the support for the dust shoe is adding forces to the ‘nod’ of the gantry.

 

Is that a wrong url? It’s a holding page for the ISP.

 

Oooh, thanks. I’m going to be learning for quite a while I think and speeds and feeds are going to be my problem area.

 

Hi. I built this wonderful machine, and configured it with arduino and 4x THB6064AH stepper drivers. I also put dual belts in the x axis for stiffening, and indeed it is. I am using a 500w spindle with 12000 max RPM.
I calibrated the machine and all configuration is right. I mounted a pen and it is well calibrated with exact distances on jogging
I am trying to cut a 10mm acrylic, by fusion 360 and GRBL post processing, and it is as intended in the senders, but always, i am getting smaller and irregular circles and squares. is this caused by a fault in feeds and speeds, (I am using 0.1 chip load and 1000mm/min feed), low RPM or what?


thanks a lot for help

 

What depth of cut are you using, what RPM, how many flutes, what size is your bit and how far out is it sticking from your collet.

I’m a real beginner too and learning there are a lot of parameters to success or failure in this. I never even realised tool deflection and machine rigidity were a big problem for hobby machines.

Also have you tried upping the current to your motors as too low of a current can cause problems. On my long axis (dual) I was getting a real horrible noise. Turned out one side was slipping its grub screws while the other side had too low a current so was hiccuping along.

I’m definitely looking at CNC with new eyes since getting my machine... and yeah, I’m getting as many failures as successes. Definitely learning though.

 

thanks for your reply. the bit is a single O Flute up cut 3.175mm shaft and Cut Diameter 50mm overall length, and 25 flute length and 30 mm sticking out of the collet. the motors are 1.5A and they look good when moving and accelerating, I bought 3A motors but waiting for their respective couplers to arrive