Because I live in cramped quarters ( 1 bedroom apt with no basement, garage or shop) I’ve been moving at a SNAIL’S PACE getting my CNC actually running.
I’d finished the build many months ago and had thought everything was correct BUT when moving the Z axis, it would not move the prescribed distance.
I concluded that I had gotten the wrong lead-screw. It was a 1-start, 2mm/turn. HOWEVER, upon changing it over to a 4-start, 8mm/turn lead-screw, the Z stepper completely lays down and refuses to budge!!! Basically telling me, “screw you”!!! ;-p
My photo, here, shows the old lead-screw on the left and the new lead-screw on the right. Is this correct (look like yours)??
The 4-start one with 8 mm per turn is the recommended one most people use. It’s important to lube the screw and to not screw the nut down too hard because if the nut is fastened too tightly then it could be cocked at an angle and that causes the screw to bind.
The 1-start version can also be made to work but the steps per mm in Z have to be increased and the maximum Z speeds have to be kept low.
Oh man, thanks Jamie!
I loosened the one screw that keeps the T-Nut from spinning and that did it!
I’m completely surprised that it could bind like that, particularly since that single little screw just screws into the plastic hole and not into a nut. phew
Didn’t take much!
