My small MPCNC lives in a non-heated garage and is not really used during winter. So, I took it indoors and started upgrading it.
Upgrade scope:
Print and upgrade core parts to Primo
Install dual endstoppers and rewire steppers from parallel to direct wiring (I’m using Rambo 1.4)
Measure and square the frame tubing, measure and adjust end stoppers
Wire Z probe/plate
Add new LCD menu items to support my intended workflow (Square/Home XY frame > move to work start > Home Z > Reset XYZ position and take Z probe thickness into account > run program)
Add joystick (did not have a joystick readily available so ended up using individual XYZ potentiometers from my parts bin)
Create and print a new shopvac attachment for dust management
It turned out great. Dimensional accuracy is much better now. Haven’t done any real work on it since the upgrade, so I need to re-measure, after it has run for a while. Measuring the frame accurately is very difficult. I found that using a dial indicator was perfect for getting the dimensions to match. I bolted a dial indicator to the gantry and also used it to measure distance variations between all the tubes (in different locations). Did this also diagonally and managed to get max variations to about 0.1mm (at least from the positions I measured from – it looks like the conduits are not perfectly round and/or straight).
I was afraid that the already small work area would be reduced with the Primo core. It became smaller, but actually not that much (maybe 10mm in Y direction and a few mm in X). I reused my old Z assembly without any modifications.
Future plans:
Maybe make it bigger and replace the rest of the Burly parts to Primo. Initially I built the CNC from two 2000mm stainless conduits and ended up with a work area of about 300X200mm. It is very stiff, but if starting now, I would make it bigger.
I also need to add some braces under the plywood table (I think it flexes a bit with the temperature and moisture changes in the non-heated garage)
Used something similar to collect dust with my MPCNC Burly. This works very well and collects almost all of the dust. My new version ended up to be a bit narrow/tight and I may need to make it a bit wider.
That’s a well thought out dust shoe design, i would like to make along a similar design would you be willing to share your STL’s, or for me preferably fusion 360 cad files so i can do a bit of a remix to suit my setup.
Thanks
I have not done much 3D designing, so it might be easier to create new design than trying to modify my prototype files
But I think the concept is good. It collects almost all of the dust. It sits close to the core. The shoe is behind the spindle and is not in the way (so you can see the work at all times). And the bottom part slides up and down to accommodate some variations in work thickness (there is no locking mechanism here - I just use a bit of tape to secure it in place). I also been thinking of adding some led lights to the shoe to illuminate the work area. PrimoDustShoe.zip (441.2 KB)
The files are attached, feel free to remix as needed. Would be interesting to see what you come up with.
@horsmik Here is my remix of your design, thanks for the inspiration.
I found with yours it was strangling my vac slightly and it was getting very warm, so i opened up the tubes slightly to allow better airflow. The tubes in mine will slide within each other and allow a height change of approx 100mm held by a little gripper shoe hence the screw sticking out of the back which possibly needs to be moved to the other side for convenience.
I also created a friction swivel at the bottom to allow the shoe to be rotated out of the way for Z zeroing and tool changes.
i cut a few pieces this evening to test it out and i can confirm there was not a speck of dust on my table afterwards.
Again thanks for the inspiration, if you want the files just let me know.
@Britboard Cool! Great modifications. Thanks for sharing!
I noticed the same, it needs more airflow. I will take your ideas and redesign my setup.
I connect a bare flexible hose to the adapter (to minimize pulling/bending forces to the core). Currently the adapter goes inside the hose. I will change it so that the end of the hose is inserted inside the adapter, to have a larger cross-section and also open up the rest of the parts (but still keep it compact enough, that it does not start to limit movements on my small machine). I like your closed but swiveling shoe. That is much better than my open-ended version.
@Britboard Made a new iteration of the dust shoe for my MPCNC dimensions. My initial version was just too restrictive. This time tried to calculate the cross-sections to more or less match the ID area of my vachose (now the vac sounds about right, although this could have perhaps been even wider). Also incorporated most/all of your improvements to the design. Thank you for the refinement ideas!
Good work Sir, i thought you said you hadn’t done much 3D work that looks good to me.
Here’s my STL’s for you to compare and for anyone else that wants them.
Why not post yours up as well, so others can grab them if they want. Primo Dust Shoe.zip (709.3 KB)
