BUY or notBUY - Lowerider2 - preBUILD - preBUY

Mostly Printed CNC - MPCNC Your Builds
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First and foremost,

  • will V1engineering address the issues brought up!? so that the initial purchase includes all the mods.

Since I am unable to post properly, a forum mod should move this post as explained below.
I posted this under the Advice topic and YourBUILD topic.

As much as I was convinced I would build a Lowrider2, that is coming to an end.
To be treated as a child having to earn badges to be allowed in the mix is already enough for me to turn away. I am an advanced person in this world, I don’t need to prove myself or be held back.
This is not a high school juvenile site… off with the restrictions.
I am unable to post a proper topic.
This reply will probably not be conspicuous enough for hardly anyone to see it, since it is not a TOPIC. My intention was to start a proper topic.

Yet that is not my reason to walk away from a potential solution.

Note:
…and as usual, those who run forums are clueless as to the mediocrity of their layout.
The list of topics is but a hodgepodge of non-sense titles, in a massacred order that causes one to scan hundreds of lines to find anything.
Surely, a search tool can filter via key words, but still the default list should be presented in a default alphabetical order that offers an ABCD… trigger to pinpoint a section. The second key word in the tags should further automatically sort the result set in sub groups, etc…
If a topic is about bits, its first title word should be BIT,
NOT: “…as I was thinking of my ‘littul’ sister’s toy I am concocting, I was thinking of what sort of bits I would need to purchase!..”,
…so it automatically falls in its natural alphabetical subject of treatise.
There is more to it… not my job to provide a full analysis.
Get new programmers! or send the current ones to school.

The topic I intended to post:

Topic title: BUY or notBUY - Lowrider2 - preBUILD - beforeBUY

Here is what my research on the Lowrider has shown me.
It resulted in the following list that I compiled on the fly while watching the video below, which happened to answer all of my own questions and more. I have covered many more sources, this just happens to be one of the most useful.

LIST first, video below:

  • wobbly, tubes springy
  • 2.5D smalll detail quality issue
  • forgets to lift Z axis
  • Z axis plunges gradually catastrophically.-
  • PLA printed parts crack and fall apart
  • belts grip holder tension mechanism issues
  • PLA weakened by stepper motor heat, shield needed
  • extra clamping gantry - double story to improve stability and reduce wobble
  • Y axis added block to hold and tension belts
  • Z axis limits, limit switch enclosures
  • Y axis limits issues.
  • Y axis groove for wheels train - tracking failing due to dust - groove needed to keep true tracking
  • Y axis wheels below table
  • Dust chute, not needed - bringing performance down
    Note: pros and cons here, depending on scenario. I have my own idea that brings a complete solution to all the issues brought up on the dust collector in the video. …though the solution the video poster proposes is simple and may work for many if not most scenarios.
  • LED bit carving area lighting

PARAMETERS given in the video
25~30 mm/s, depth 3 to 4 mm, precision .5mm

see CAD FILE in description

VIDEO:

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It is very rare that someone comes in here with this kind of attitude and we (the folks here who frequent this forum, and post often on any of these topics) are usually very accepting and understanding of the gripes and frustrations that come along.

This post is really stretching my patience though. I am not sure what happened to you, or why you feel the need to hurt others. But that’s not what we do here. We are a welcoming community, and we don’t put up with inflammatory comments.

Reading through the inflammatory parts of your post and getting to the core complaints:

The system is designed to reduce spam at the small inconvenience to new users. I’m sorry you hate fun, but if you apply the smallest effort to join this community, the gates open quickly.

There are several ways to sort the topics (new, popular, or search). Alphabetical would make absolutely zero sense! We don’t really have mods, we do a light touch here and the software is open source and popular for a lot of good reasons. Pretty much the only time I edit anything is to fix formatting or a link. No one has the time, energy, or expertise to sort this all the way you suggest.

Instead, think of this as a time based set of conversations. There are a lot of nuggets in past topics and some have some good reference info, but they all decay. The good information should be reflowed into the docs, while branch topics are kept here, but with a grain of salt.

I’m totally fine with you not agreeing with me on this, but this is the best we’ve had, and it would be hard to significantly improve it.

Thanks for sharing.

You have some good modifications on there. I think your Z motor current is up too high, which causes the motors to melt your pla and if the drivers overheat they shut off, which is causing the Z to drop.

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Oh, I thought this video and experience was yours.

This was meant for the person who posted that video.

None of those mods are done. The low rider is on version V2. There is always a new version coming, but I would not wait for it. If you want an avid CNC machine without some of these problems, it will cost you $$$$$. This is a hobby machine and not perfect. It sounds like it may not be right for you.

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You seem a bit touchy… relax, I am cool calm and collected.
No need for me to quote you, that’s too cumbersome, you know what you said.

I agree, it is not for me… I had expressed that in at least 2 instances(if I recall correctly?)

Everything I exposed is meant to help me find out if there is any chance still to decide on the Lowrider, also for you folks to get the feedback that will make you better… hype is useless, boring and in the way.

As to the Alphabetical issue, your answer is just wrong. …and be sure the majority of programmers are oblivious to it as well… I don’t know if you are a programmer, but it does not matter, same gist.

I don’t have time to handhold you thru that, perhaps read over my few words on the matter and catch a better understanding of what I am saying…

I could write the code that cleans that up… if I were not retired, not willing to enter the IT battle anew.

In the face criticism(constructive critique that is) is bound to get attention… just use it to improve.

Regards.

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Sorry to hear that you aren’t enjoying your stay here.

Practically every Internet forum that I’ve been on (And it’s been many, in the past few decades) sorts topics by the date of the last post. Some older forums did keep categories more clearly defined, but so far as I can see, posts by date is the way they’re all going. Alphabetical MIGHT work if you could enforce some sort of topic discipline on all of the users, but this is the Internet after all. Also, we’d have several hundred topics “My Primo” “My LowRider2” “My ZenXY” with only a username to differentiate them. A brand new “My ZenXY” topic would be on page 47 in alphabetical order, and get (probably) zero attention. Meanwhile, “Aaaaaaaaaaah! I killed my power supply” posted in 2011 would be stuck at the top of the list forever.

I will say that in general, I liked the older forum software’s more separated system better, but that probably comes from my days of using dial-up BBS systems in the 80s. People now are more accustomed to setups more similar to social media platforms.

The forum software does allow you to filter by subject keywords easily enough, but even then… This topic for example is clearly titled in regards a LowRider2 that you’ve not yet started to build, however you seem to have put it in the MPCNC/Your Builds section, which is nominally for a Primo that you are actively building, or have finished. If I were only looking for posts asking for advise on a LowRider2 build, I’d certainly not have found it here.

Constructive criticism is a good thing. I certainly can’t do anything about the forum software, though. I can point out that for every person who has any of the problems in your example video, there are several people with some excellent projects in the gallery who did not. That person in the video also as much as stated that he did not come here to look for solutions to any of these problems, though I’ve seen similar answers to some of those before.

Anyway, I wish you luck in finding a CNC machine that is for you. There are several designs on cnczone.com requiring various levels of carpentry and fabrications skills, though the general level of hardware required usually keeps them out of my price range. Joescnc.com also has some great DIY stuff, but requires a paid membership to the forums. Joe is a good guy, I first came across him in 2004 or 2005 or so. His basic free “2006” plan machine does require a “bootstrap” CNC to get started, you’ll need someone who can make some basic MDF parts, and the hardware requirements are more stringent (expensive). It is a time-proven robust solution, though, and the end result will be something that should cut faster than most LowRider2 builds.

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Since Jeff and Dan are again so very polite, despite your attitude, I’d like to be more direct.

It costs you, as far as I remember, around 20 minutes until you can post. If you had actually read a few posts, you would have gained access pretty quickly. If you can’t be bothered with that, you really should not build your own CNC but just buy one, because building and maintaining your own takes time and patience, which you seem to be lacking.

Plus, if you don’t want to be treated like a child, don’t throw a tantrum like a child. Your behaviour is comparable to my 6-year-old who does not get what she wants.

But, like I always tell my girls: If you ask nicely, I am more than happy tp help you or explain the things that you are too impatient to read up upon.

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@DingBEN the forums are less a pre-sales help system than a bunch of enthusiasts trying to get their machines dialed in and build some interesting things. Think of it like a Makers club almost.

With the exception of Ryan none of us work for V1 and we are here because we enjoy each other’s insights and company. Almost to a person everyone here is positive and supportive to each other which is refreshingly unique in today’s world.

Leading with a rant about the forums gets people’s hackles up because it’s off tone for the group. That said you had a bit of a laundry list and I’ll address a few items.

The lowrider is accurate mine is dialed in to .02mm on xy and about .5mm on z. It’s also very inexpensive compared to anything except the Maslow for a cnc of this size.

The trade off is speed. As long as you go slow quality is good, when you push it the issues with rigidity and heat start to pop up and parts start breaking.

That’s what most of these forums are about is finding the balance between speed and quality. There isn’t really a right way to do it as every tweak has a trade off in a sub $500 machine.

Ryan has done a good job of creating and documenting a vanilla build that the average builder can reliably achieve successful cuts on but the truth is if you are building a hobby cnc you aren’t the type of person to leave it alone and are going to push the envelope and that often means breaking things.

Hope this helps.

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We don’t have to all pile onto this conversation. AFAICT, DingBEN has left and a lot of what needs to be said has been said.

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Disclaimer: 'The views expressed here are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of website owner, forum moderators, or any other person’

I find it interesting that the proposed topic you are intent on espousing about involves the purchase / making of LowRider2. Yet you decided to post your rant not only into the wrong main category (MPCNC), but also in an incorrect sub-category (Your Builds) - since it appears you haven’t built anything yet.
I guess you really do have a problem.
With understanding the forum structure I mean.

I suppose the forum moderators should have some sort of mechanism in place to be able to tell the difference between a child, a teenager and retired person. Although if they based it on the content of the post, in your case it would be hard to distinguish. I don’t know, maybe a big, flashing “I am over 18” button would do the trick. Sure why not, what could go wrong.
As far as the potential machine you intend to build/buy, I think you will be able to find a small, very cheap cnc (aliexpress.com - order today, have delivery by Christmas), or a large expensive cnc (Thermwood, Shoda, Multicam), but not a large affordable priced cnc. And that’s the thing. The LowRiders are a affordable, large format cnc hobby router. Are they perfect? No. Do they have warts? A few. Do they require some “fiddling” At times. Are they worth the time, money and effort? Without a doubt.
I watched the video you posted. And the author did point out some of the problems he was having with his build, and some of the solutions he came up with. I’m no expert by any means, but I believe some of his problems might be caused by noise, as the random faults do not seem to be repeatable.
While you took great pains to point out all of the alleged “shortcomings” portrayed in the video, you neglected anything positive that was said in the video. And I quote “But other than that the machine works really reliably and whenever I need to cut something I just power it up make the program and it just cuts away.” Damn, what more could you want.
Perhaps you should just buy a Maslow, very inexpensive, easy to build, and most importantly of all, quirky enough to give you a plethora of reasons to post on their forums.
Even better, since you are an expert on proper forum layout, function and design, instead of a router, perhaps you should direct your energies into building the best darn web based forum software, utilizing the framework you suggest. And since it is you building it, you can devote the required time to provide the full analysis such a project would require.
Disclaimer: 'Nothing in the above post was meant to be mean, hurtful or harming. The only intent was for the content to be informative, engaging and suggestive.’

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@Ryan close this thread please, as he seems to have left.

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