My Cheapo Chineese 3020t mini CNC Build (more like improvements) leanring all the way

[Lee Roberts]

Here is a video, the most relevant section about Flux starts at 7 minutes in, the astute of you will identify the difference in working with fresh unoxidized surfaces vs. oxidized surfaces such as those in the job Ravi is undertaking and the correlation in my recommendation of using flux.

I didn't recommend adding Flux to Ravi's game because it sounded good

[A_Camera]

Here is a video, the most relevant section about Flux starts at 7 minutes in, the astute of you will identify the difference in working with fresh unoxidized surfaces vs. oxidized surfaces such as those in the job Ravi is undertaking and the correlation in my recommendation of using flux.

I know very well what flux does and when to use it. In fact, the very same demonstration is done in your video, just like I am saying in post #56.

https://youtu.be/vIT4ra6Mo0s?t=8m1s

He is soldering large surface, so of course use of flux is a good idea. He is soldering to a copper plate with a blow torch from beneath, not a PCB, and what he does is the same as soldering pipes. So of course, use of liquid flux is a good idea, as it is demonstrated at the 7 and 8 minute marks. When soldering PCB manually flux is unnecessary because the solder wire already has enough. More important is HOW to solder and which tools are used. If the tip is too large or too small, or the temperature is too low, or the solder is applied to the tip and brought to the surface and so on...

Quite the opposite to you, if I make a PCB and see that it has a lot of oxide, or old flux or anything greasy on it I use PRF 6-68 to REMOVE flux, oxide and almost any other dirt, and that makes soldering really easy. I also use the same if I buy electronics from eBay and see that the PCB is badly cleaned or not cleaned at all, and is full of sticky flux. I routinely clean all my PCBs after manually soldering because there is always just too much flux rest after manually soldering PCB.

[ravihotwok]

Well I have redone the soldering, and im pretty happy with it. Its still balled up a little but the prongs stick out through the board a fair bit so didnt really have a choice as I wanted the whole of the prong covered in solder, they are very round and meet the metal contact on the board pretty much perfectly, plent of solder also flowed into the connection to begin with :-)
Before


After

[ravihotwok]

singed the board coating a little but the solder had made a solid connection and like I say plent of solder has flowed into the conection

[Lee Roberts]

singed the board coating a little but the solder had made a solid connection and like I say plent of solder has flowed into the conection

Yep looks much better, you can see now how they resemble the other original joints more, nice job.

also popped to my best mates workshop, he has a few little toys ;-)

:) Mates with benefits a , your plan for the control box and the earthing looks to be ok.

[ravihotwok]

thanks very much lee, still a bit iffy but the main thing is I now know the theory behind it.

Yeah my mate does a lot of contracting to a few aerospace firms and has helped me out a fair bit with advice, nearly pissed himself when I showed him my 4 axis machine lol

[ravihotwok]

Work has been crazy busy at the moment so only been able to do a little bit on the build. I have started to create an enclosure for the machine, this will consist of a sealed unit with 2 led strip light running at the top of the enclosure front to back each side. One side of the enclosure will be perspex and and front will be a hinged perspex door. There will be an extraction system installed on the side opposite the perspex. Its a very make-shift idea but it will serve a purpose I think and help keep the area as clean as possible.

I have replaced all the wood on the workbench from cheap thin mdf to 12mm thick ply wood for stability, weight and strength.



Now I have added a few coats of paint to the inside of the enclosure to aid lighting

[ravihotwok]

And here is the side perspex screen installed

[ravihotwok]

After you all explained what a star was in the box it was obvious where it was when I opened it up. I have drilled a small hole near the motor connections and linked a bolt to the star so I can attached the earthed wires from the motor cable screens to it

[ravihotwok]

also popped to my best mates workshop, he has a few little toys ;-)