Router Build number 2

I'm using a Logitech wireless keyboard with built-in touchpad at the moment. Haven't had any problems with that (a lot of people say that you shouldn't use wireless keyboards as they aren't too reliable in a noisy environment) but a wireless MPG would be good. I keep looking at the Chinese wireless units for around £100 which would make zero-setting while leaning over the machine much easier. Still, finishing the swivelling monitor bracket so I can actually see the monitor properly while zero-setting would be a good step in the right direction...

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Originally Posted by Neale

I'm using a Logitech wireless keyboard with built-in touchpad at the moment. Haven't had any problems with that (a lot of people say that you shouldn't use wireless keyboards as they aren't too reliable in a noisy environment) but a wireless MPG would be good. I keep looking at the Chinese wireless units for around £100 which would make zero-setting while leaning over the machine much easier. Still, finishing the swivelling monitor bracket so I can actually see the monitor properly while zero-setting would be a good step in the right direction...

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I'm not to fussed about the wireless thing, I can almost reach the keyboard from the machine but would make life a lot nicer if I could just have something to jog it around easily. do the one's that state mach3 just plug straight in to the pc? or do they go into the csmio ?

The Mach3 ones talk to Mach3 via the PC and some kind of USB wireless dongle. They don't connect to the IP/M. The wireless versions look like updated versions of the wired (USB) versions that have been around for a while.

cool ill have to look in to those a bit more.

so moving on for my goal of cutting alli is 2005 ball screws for the two on the x and 1605 for y and z the right ones to go for?

Any idea on the ali gantry, I know jazz uses them a lot on his but not sure if they are all designed for the same purpose? it would certainly make my life easier if I didn't need to use steel.

5mm pitch is a bit low for cutting wood but plenty for cutting aluminium, or at least this is true on my machine. However, I've only just started trying to cut aluminium so haven't much experience of this yet. On balance, as I said earlier, I probably should have gone for 10mm pitch but as I do a lot of small work and 3D machining, it's acceleration more than absolute speed that improves job time so in practice it's not that much of a problem - for me. There's a bunch of engineering trade-offs in there and you have to decide for yourself where the priorities are.

I have no experience of aluminium gantries. I've gone from MDF to welded steel, so can't make any intelligent comments about aluminium but there are plenty of people out there who do use aluminium (my feeling is that this is the most popular material by far for gantries) and there are plenty of build logs and other comments about it. In practice I don't think that the weight difference is particularly important (which is not intuitive, but then neither is the fact that the rotational inertia of the ballscrews is a major factor in limiting gantry acceleration) so it's down to material availability/price and facilities available for machining and assembly that will probably drive the decision. I have a MIG welder and milling machine, which was a major factor in my choice. YMMV...

I'm trying to decide how is best to do the stepper mounts to include a belt drive to each of the ball screws.

I was going to have them on the side but that will increase the over all width a fair bit

I was all so wondering if there is a way I could have the motors inside the main tube but not sure its a great idea.

any one have any ideas or suggestions ?

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Attachment 21757

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Originally Posted by charlieuk

I'm trying to decide how is best to do the stepper mounts to include a belt drive to each of the ball screws.

I was going to have them on the side but that will increase the over all width a fair bit

I was all so wondering if there is a way I could have the motors inside the main tube but not sure its a great idea.

any one have any ideas or suggestions ?

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Attachment 21757

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Structurally/mechanically ok but need to get cables to the motors plus best to put holes in the mounting plate and maybe box section as well to allow for cooling.

yes, I was thinking I would probably have the mounting plate welded on the end and then have a hole in the side to post the motor in and allow it to be mounted up, just hoping there will be enough room to get the pullys on doing it like this.

the other think I'm just trying to think about is mounting the ball screw blocks, and having a method to adjust them a little if needed so rather than mounting them direct to the steel have a plate in-between them with some elongated mounting slots?

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yes, I was thinking I would probably have the mounting plate welded on the end and then have a hole in the side to post the motor in and allow it to be mounted up, just hoping there will be enough room to get the pullys on doing it like this.

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I don't think it will be a good idea to weld a plate on the end.
How about making a motor mount with the appropriate centre hole and elongated slots made out of ali and make it wrap around the box on the outside left and bottom edge. That way the motor can be fitted to the mount and then slid into the box and bolted through the flanges of the mount into the steel box section.

do you mind explaining why not?

this is what I had in mind, could easily add extra cooling around it and then would print some cover with mesh in to prevent crap going in.