What silly thing did you do today that we can all learn from

[Doddy]

Silly things that shouldn't be repeated:

Like today : Storing a pre-made (and used) gun-blue liquid stain in a glass jar.
Placing jar on high shelf.
Above the milling machine.
Sat on steel-clad bench.
Slamming the shed door as I leave the shed, hearing something fall off a shelf and thinking "I'll sort that later".

Result: One massively stained steel bench top and a camo-patterned bed on the mill. And glass and liquid everywhere.

Lesson learnt: Don't store liquids on high shelves.

[Clive S]

Silly things that shouldn't be repeated:

Like today : Storing a pre-made (and used) gun-blue liquid stain in a glass jar.
Placing jar on high shelf.
Above the milling machine.
Sat on steel-clad bench.
Slamming the shed door as I leave the shed, hearing something fall off a shelf and thinking "I'll sort that later".

Result: One massively stained steel bench top and a camo-patterned bed on the mill. And glass and liquid everywhere.

Lesson learnt: Don't store liquids on high shelves.

I take it you are having a bad week:beguiled:

[ngwagwa]

Checking the DC outputs, 5v read 5.1 so ok there but couldn't get a reading on the 24V ??? After twenty minutes faffing about realised the meter was set to 20V, reset to 200 and ask sweet.

[NordicCnc]

Machining a 2mm thick control panel to a cnc lathe conversion. Everything turned out great, except for the largest 50mm hole. This hole is for a gearbox lever. It turns out that when measuring the position for the hole I forgot to subtract the square width (I used a square for a reason I wont get into). So now the hole is offset 30mm, awesome.

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[JAZZCNC]

Getting off the forklift to move something but not taking it out of gear....: Benny hill would av been proud watching me chase forklift, then It chasing me ...:hysterical:

[ngwagwa]

I take it you are having a bad week:beguiled:

Speaking of which Doddy can you suggest what current I should be sending my Denford Router steppers? The drivers are getting 65V.

[Doddy]

Speaking of which Doddy can you suggest what current I should be sending my Denford Router steppers? The drivers are getting 65V.

Not funny! And definitely not 4A. My Denford star mill was rated 2.1A but can't tell you if that's appropriate for the router. Don't worry about the voltage.

[ngwagwa]

Not funny! And definitely not 4A. My Denford star mill was rated 2.1A but can't tell you if that's appropriate for the router. Don't worry about the voltage.

Sorry wasn't mocking just thought you'd have a figure in mind.

[Doddy]

SO TODAY... replacement stepper for the one I burnt out on the Star Mill arrived. Nice big motor. Now, for those unfamiliar with a Star Mill, the Y-axis motor (the one that this replaces) sits parallel with the Y screw, mirrored back onto the screw, with a pair of pulleys connecting them. So, the body of the motor resides inside the cavity of the iron casting of the column.

This is also where the original 180VDC 1/2HP spindle motor sits, as well, on the moving Z-column. Not that I use that - I have an externally mounted Chinese spindle, but never got around to removing the original spindle motor. I mean, what harm can it do?

So... bigger motor goes into the column, re-assemble, swap the A-Axis driver to Y-Axis and reduce the current/coil to 3A. Feels about right. Fire up UCCNC - YEAH, Y-Axis back to life. Let's just check the rest of the axis - X = yes, Z = yes..... CRACK!

So, the original spindle motor traversed down, hit the new longer stepper on the Y-Axis, and decided that the weak link in the chain is the column casting - there's a strip at the base around 10mm in width that had two bolts holding the Y-motor plate in place. Well that's gone now. Tomorrows job - I've got some 10mm steel plate somewhere - time to cut a replacement plate and bolt that in place. Then rewire some of the sheared cables that got trapped between the stepper and the spindle. I *think* all the drivers are okay, but I've plenty of MOSFETs in the post if not.

I think this Star Mill is becoming the pet project of the week for me.

[ngwagwa]

How about ordering something online and selecting free delivery at 3 to 5 days as your only getting as a "just in case backup" then having to sit around when you realise you really need it :(

[Kitwn]

Today's silly thing was actually to discover I'd done a silly thing many months ago that only showed up today: I've managed to use two different mappings of 8 core cable colours to socket pin numbers on the two cables connecting my machine's limit switches to the controller. Only wasted two hours finding and fixing it!:miserable:

[Doddy]

Dragged an old K40 laser cutter/engraver out of the attic. Realised the tube was knackered (it's been up there since 2013!), is bought new tube (£120). Decided I didn't like the various bits of plastic - replaced the extractor fan with 3 server cooling fans on a 3d-printed bezel, integrated into the unit. Decided I like the low-profile design so bought an inline 12V self-priming pump - installed that under the bed, coupled with 8/10mm silicone tubing to the tube, and to some 8mm bulkhead barbed connectors fitted to the rear of the case. Mounted the air pump inside the electronics cabinet so now EVERYTHING is contained inside the K40 enclosure. Hooked up a water supply and tested. Actually - it works, but the silicone tube is too soft and collapsed under suction from the pump, but not before it'd filled the laser tube. So I pull the water inlet tube off - and with the released pressure the outlet pipe fires off and pressure-washes the inside of the shed, all inches away from the 20kV supply to the laser.

Soooo., 10mm barbs ordered, and 8mm PVC pipe to replace the silicone. And some clean underwear.

Weekend job - strip the bloody machine down again to re-plumb everything.