1200x1200 build/mod

[willo]

I'd ordered a set of new plates from Edward, but the post office is being slow so I mounted my makerslide to the Misumi rail I purchased.
Note the doubled X slides. I stole the spacers from the idler wheels to make it all work. I'll document that bit more later.
I used 75mm and some 35mm m5 bolts to tie it together. I had to short a few washers with the 35mm on the z side, so I'll be swapping those for some 40s when I can.

My current shopping list: 40mm M5s and some 1/4" nylon spacers. I'm also tempted to add another misumi piece along the Y axis to create a cable tray.

Extra features of this build also include a hinged table top so that I don't have to sacrifice a 4'x4' area of my shop. It'll tilt up and allow storage or even just a tilted work surface.

[Improbable Construct]

I'm also tempted to add another misumi piece along the Y axis to create a cable tray.

With the double makerslide it gives you a perfect place to run a cable tray.
Check out my solution:
http://www.shapeoko.com/forum/viewtopic ... =643#p5426

[willo]

Did you use aluminum channel from local hardware for that?

[willo]

On friday I built some motor spacers for the dual belt drive. I had some leftover 6061 rod from my other cnc mill, so it was just a matter of cutting it down, turning the ends, center drilling them and then tapping them for m5.
The original mill called for hex bar, but I've had good luck with the round.

[willo]

I cut a bearing mount this evening on my X2.

For convenience, I cut it all with a 1/8 end mill. The final version will be drilled to allow for mounting with M3 or whatever handy little screws I have in the bin.

[willo]

My HDPE came in so I cut the bearing mounts for the shaft drive.



My drag chain showed up with my new power supply. I've got some wiring to do.
I've been putting off the belt ends because I haven't gotten my new end plates yet.
I may give up on them soon and set the motors up to run. Tomorrow will be a really long day, so I'm just going to wait and see.

[willo]

New mounts I made today:

[DeweyOxberger]

Great job - it looks like a good design.

Is that a 5mm shaft connecting the two sides? Then a 5mm to 5mm coupling?

Where did you get the shaft and motor coupling?

[willo]

Not 5mm.
It's a 1/4" ground, polished steel rod I got through Inventables.The bearings are standard R4RS 1/4" ID bearings that I had in my parts bin. That also happens to be the shaft size of a Nema 23 motor.

I spent most of my afternoon dorking with the machine. After the X belt mounts, I added a X/Z riser to mount my drag chain too. The plate also serves as a mounting position for a terminal block for the steppers.
I terminated all the stepper wiring, traced the wires and labelled the pairs. Now I just need those new plates (long story) so I can set up the dual belts. After that a, a terminal block session will have it running.
Still need to mount my limit switches, but that will be another day. They aren't required anyway, but they are nice to have to save your machine from killing itself.

[willo]

I've been a little busy and ignoring my mecha shapeoko. However, my wife has some things she wants me to make, so I finally ordered a few more parts.
Problems to solve:
1) Slop in the bearing design, I haven't decided what to do on that. Copper washers or maybe something else.
2) My work table isn't quite level to the machine. There's a significant variance between the height of the tool and the table. I found at least 1/16 inch across 20 inches. (Attempted to cut some plastic for halloween - yeah, that long ago.

My work is to solve that problem. My solution is to throw some more misumi rail at it.
I just ordered 5 1160mm HSF5-2040 rails. These will be attached to the end rails I bought before. The 1160 rails + 20 + 20 on each end provides 1200mm to match my makerslides.
Those will be attached using misumi corner brackets and t nuts. My waste board will be attached to the rails, forming a very solid, flat work table.

I've got reasonable performance with the drive shaft setup, but I will add a fourth motor for the y axis whenever I get around to building my dual stepper driver. (just need to order some digikey parts and build em)