4' x 4' x 8" Router Build

[JAZZCNC]

I thought I'd read about gearing the motor / ballscrew to lower the screw speed to prevent whip whilst keeping the motor running at it's most efficient speed? Maybe I've got it all wrong. So 1:1 is the way to go is it?

I had put the big pulley on the motor based on what Joe did in his video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQz9G_Dlv3w about 45 seconds in.

Yes this correct but the way you had it was doing the opposite, this would double the screw speed not half it.

The reason Joe used a large pulley on the motor with a small one on the screw was to increase the speed because he only had 5mm pitch ball-screws. So he needed the 1:2 ratio to get the extra speed but in doing so he doubled the screw speed which increases the chance for the whip.

As the above demonstrates, Be careful with blindly following someone else's component choice or build thread if you don't fully understand what or why these have been used.?
It's very easy to select the wrong components and end up with an unbalanced machine or worse completley unusable machine.!

As I mentioned the electronics side of things is really not my strong side, the more I read about it the more lost I get. Could you point me in the direction of some suitable closed loop steppers? I've had a look but they seem to be around £200 each?

You can get them cheaper than that, but if you are not in a rush I can supply you with 4.5nm and drives from Lichuan that I fit on machines I build. Unfortunately, at the moment I only have enough stock for the machines I'm building, however, I have an order being produced at the moment and will have new stock in about 10 weeks' time.

I had been thinking of going with a UCCNC ethernet controller, is this a good option?:

Yes, it's very good, I use it on the machines we build and fit the AXBB-E ethernet controller. Again I can supply you with UCCNC and Controller if you want to PM I will give you prices.

Do closed loop steppers need a different controller & drives?:

They don't need a different controller but they do need drives that are matched to the motor/encoder. They are often sold in matching sets.