Gecko G540 powered SO3 #474 with XL kit

[GoSpeedRacer]

This has taken me quite a while to finally build and set up. I have a cheapo Chinese machine that has been working fine so I wasn't in a hurry.

Long story short, it's just about ready to rock and roll.

Settings have proven to be nothing short of impossible to find, and the setting I did find were not correct for my application. I finally had to get the motor tuning close just by using the calibration in Mach3. Cloning the Y axis was easy, but it took a long time to figure out the settings for homing both motors off one switch! I am only guessing at the acceleration settings at this point. I also should check and adjust the trim settings on the Gecko

I have the limit switches from Fabricator and simply extended the wiring. The router is controlled by a SuperPid and I have it set up to allow control via PC or Manual. I have the motor tuning close but not exact yet- I'll make my first cut and measure from there. The serial connectors that come from the steppers have the tuning pots built in.

Inside the box is a 5v power supply for the pid and a 48v supply for the steppers. It took a few tries to get the wiring to do all that I wanted it to, but not be overly complex. the two switches control the manual and PC control, center is router off on the lower one.

I also had to shim the Y axis- on the back side of the left and the front side of the right, in order to square it up. I think the side plates are warped from being stamped. The rest has been pretty well square.

Anyway, I made a quick video showing that it is alive. I'll post another once I'm ready to cut some G10

[GoSpeedRacer]

Slight update, been busy and sick but finally got it mostly tuned and adjusted. I have made a few cuts and everything seems decent. It's a whole lot more work to tighten belts and rollers coming from a maintenance free ballscrew drive linear slide unit. I feel like I gained a lot of speed but I'm not sure that I will miss my ultra reliable Chinese unit.

Anyway, the G-10 plates I cut are 12x24, and I needed to be able to switch between different material thicknesses and colors, so I fastened some aluminum angle to the wasteboard and a few push pull latches. I can easily switch out my 12x24 wasteboards quickly and repeatably now.





This is my current battle. I take off .070" at a time, the first cut Is correct, second cut takes off .015" less all the way around. Ugh.

[GoSpeedRacer]

Been doing a lot of cutting with very few problems, solving them as I go. These are all 1/8" G-10



Had a friend need some engraving done. I drew the letters by hand in autocad. I don't have any woodworking bits, so this was done with a 3/32 carbide end mill.

[eefits]

In regard cutting G-10. Is dust shoe + dust deputy enough? Does it smell at all. Did you use a mask at all.

Thanks

[GoSpeedRacer]

I am using a homemade water trap with a vac and the dust shoe, I don't get any noticeable smell of dust but I wear a respirator when it's running

[eefits]

Thanks for the confirmation. I plan to use a respirator plus the dust deputy. Now that you mention water trap I might try it because I do have one. Thanks again

[eefits]

Been doing a lot of cutting with very few problems, solving them as I go. These are all 1/8" G-10



Had a friend need some engraving done. I drew the letters by hand in autocad. I don't have any woodworking bits, so this was done with a 3/32 carbide end mill.

For cutting G-10 Do mind sharing what end mill you are using and Feed, Speed, DOC? I am ready to give it a try.

Thanks