Comments sought on new build: A CNC Router for RC Gliders and Planes

[Jonathan]

In the video is your indicator tip running along the other rail - not the rail you're pushing the bearing along? It's hard to see in the video... you will want to indicate from one rail to the other to get them parallel (ish).

Edit: Just realised, looks like you're indicating against the straight edge?

[njhussey]

Yes indicating along the front of the top piece of Ali. Checked it with a straight edge, feeler and light first. Will indicate off the second rail once the gantry is together.

The Ali top, bottom and front pieces were CNC machined to size in one go (I sent them out to someone with a bigger table than me....cheating I know but more accurate than making a jig and moving the plate along to machine a bit at a time ) and clamped together (not the front plate) so I'm hoping that once it's put together it won't need too much tweaking to get them parallel (ish)

[njhussey]

Did a bit of painting this afternoon for an hour....

[njhussey]

More machining today, got a couple of new M4 spiral flute taps which make light work of the tapping for the 15mm THK rails on the front plate.

[njhussey]

Set the Z axis rails parallel by referencing off the plate side for the master rail then referencing the secondary rail off the master...

[EddyCurrent]

Flying along now and looking good.

[njhussey]

Flying along now and looking good.

Cheers...going to order a couple of CSIMO IP-M's and some Nema 34 4&8Nm steppers, 240v N series drivers today for the mill conversion (that's next to do) one's for the X axis on this...

[njhussey]

Had to "tweak" some machining on the Z axis stepper mount and also the Z axis back plate...will also have to machine a small pocket out of the Z axis front plate for the ballnut mount as it's not quite (0.6mm) right...





It's going together quite nicely...so far!

[njhussey]

OK so Z axis is together now, couldn't resist a little test with a cordless drill The machining on the ballscrew is not 100%, there's a wobble on the drill but it's not too bad and I'll be able to live with it.



For the eagle eyed among you you'll notice that there are 8 holes for the ballnut holder....erm not much to say apart from oops

[Neale]

Does the cordless drill have step/dir inputs to drive directly from Mach3?