Hmmm I think its probably best to disassemble the gantry from the base and re assemble everything checking alignment more strictly as I go...at least I now know it all goes together!
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Hmmm I think its probably best to disassemble the gantry from the base and re assemble everything checking alignment more strictly as I go...at least I now know it all goes together!
Right, time to order a DTI (don't shoot me, probably where I went wrong in the first place!). Should I go for lever or plunger type? Lever appears more expensive but if it's going to be more useful then I don't mind. I'm looking here: http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/precisio...ial-indicators
While I'm at it, is there any other piece of measurement equipment (straight edge etc.) that is worth buying for setting things up?
Cheers!!
I think you could use either to align the second rail. Be aware you also need the connecting rods to hold the indicator in place and ideally a mag base. You can buy Mitutoyo (v good quality) but for DIY I'd look on eBay. You can get a DTI, adjustable rods and mag base as a set for under £20.
Mine were both mid price units from ArcEuro
Cheers for the help, I was looking at mitutoyo but will have a look at those cheap ones too.
I can't yet see how exactly to use a DTI to align the rails?
Fix 1st rail by pushing it tight against a known straight edge. If you don't have one you'll have to skip that for now and assume it is straight.
Put one carriage on the rail put the mag base on the carriage and use rods to reach across to the other loose rail and put the DTI touching the other loose rail. Run the carriage on the 1st rail back and forth (which will move the DTI)and nudge the 2nd rail until the needle doesn't move any more. This will at least set them parallel to each other.
I'm still alive!
Time and money (lack of) have been slowing me down with this project but just ordered the pieces for my control box :)
Welcome back, I want to see this machine finished :applouse:Quote:
Originally Posted by biketrialsdave
OK, time to start thinking about tooling. Wheres the best place to buy some flutes and am I better buying a set or individual? What are the most common sizes etc? I'm guessing there's not really an answer to that?
I'm getting very close to finishing....watch this space!
I'm watching...I'm watching....looking forward to seeing it making chips :encouragement:
Any news?!Quote:
Originally Posted by biketrialsdave
Oh so close! I have movement, all sensors working with mach 3 etc. Just need a spindle and I should be there. Got some slight crunching noise to sort out on one of the ballscrews. Only happens near the end of travel so I suspect it's an alignment issue?
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...1e98a81e82.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...96a715292b.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...9eb7431e6b.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...d485c22afa.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...d07aaac33f.jpg
Looking good! And very close to a finished machine. Nice one!
First cuts on a piece of old plywood!
https://youtu.be/rnGz0vA8aEI
Its always nice to see a new machine doing its first cuts. Sounds nice as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by biketrialsdave
Lovely looking machine Dave well done mate.
One question why is the spindle so high up the front plate.?
One suggestion.!! . . .Cut deeper.
That cut could have been done in one pass and much quicker. Know there your first cuts and probably think it's better or safer cutting shallow but your more likely to knacker the tool and snap it cutting shallow due it over heating the tool.
Very nice, looks a sturdy little machine there.
The spindle could really do with being lower, I agree. I wish I designed in more Z clearance height though! (Let that be a lesson to anyone designing a machine at the moment).Quote:
Originally Posted by JAZZCNC
Your right about me being conservative. I'm now on a steep learning curve with feeds and speeds, in fact CAM in general. I was a bit naive thinking CAM would be the easy bit! :welcoming: Thanks for all the help yourself and the rest of the forum have given me; I feel this is only the beginning!...
Has anyone used one of these two piece vices before? Only 75mm total height which would help me.
http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalo...Milling-Vice-6
Attachment 19240
Can't help with the vise but CAM is certainly the hardest part of the process ;)
I spend most of my non-machine time at the CAM stage, figuring out out how to do stuff and not break the machine or the tool. Dodging clamps is my current lesson;)
We use them, and they work well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by biketrialsdave
Long time since I've posted! Currently setting up to cut aluminium, just built a fogbuster clone...
Attachment 19649
O C'mon you cant not show us it working !!!Quote:
Originally Posted by biketrialsdave
Aluminium??!! Looks more like soggy cardboard to me 😉Quote:
Originally Posted by biketrialsdave
Sent from my HUAWEI VNS-L31 using Tapatalk
I have a chinese mister Attachment 19664, which cost about a fiver and I have a project to use an arduino to control a peristaltic pump (which I 3D printed a short while ago) and an air solenoid valve. I intend to see what separate bursts of air and fluid is like for clearing chips and then dispensing coolant. I have all I need for the experiment, except my health has taken a downturn for the time being, but I want to get some progress on it.Quote:
Originally Posted by biketrialsdave
Cheers,
Rob
Sounds interesting, I'll have to Google "peristaltic" first though :)Quote:
Originally Posted by cropwell
Sorry to hear about your health problems, hope you feel better soon, annoying isn't it when you've got toys to play with but can't really get to...
Attachment 19665 This is the pump, it basically massages the fluid though a soft tube, like the muscle action in our guts that keeps 'everything' moving. With a stepper to drive it, you can get very precise doses at high (ish) pressure.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee Roberts
I used a peristaltic pump once to blow the paraffin electrolyte through a spark erosion tool.
Now, who would believe that you cannot get silicone rubber tubing that is paraffin proof?
Check your coolant! It is weird-a-mundo :(
Thanks for all the comments, I'll post more info/video soon.
On a different subject, does anyone use a face mill with their 2.2kw chinese spindle or am I best using an end mill?
i tried a 12mm single bit indexed tool on mine and it worked but i don't think any bigger will go, just not enough torque/power at lower speeds and you don't want a big mill whipping round at 24k ;)
Endmill - the face mill wont be balanced well enough for the speed that spindle does and as has been pointed out, 1Nm is not enough torque to cut much with it anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by biketrialsdave
So I finally got round to making a BOB. Hoping this will kick start me back onto doing more CNC stuff!!
Attachment 22430
Attachment 22431
Attachment 22432
WOW! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by biketrialsdave
Please tell us more about the BOB?
Looks extremely good! Thinking about selling some?
BTW really nice machine too.