M5 screws being delivered this evening… That’ll be a huge boost to the assembly process!
Just a couple of questions – I’d like for this machine to (eventually) be full-sheet capable. By that, I mean full-sheet MDF, which is typically 49" wide. If I want to be able to mill from the edges, I assume I need to add some margin beyond that, at least 2x my cutter diameter plus some breathing room. Does that mean I should plan to 50"(+) of working/travel width on my X axis?
Looking ahead toward the electronics, I have an Arduino Mega and RAMPS board among my junk box, but from what I’m reading, that may not be the best option for controlling this machine. Has someone written a good summary here somewhere about choosing electronics and what the ramifications are?
I now kinda wish my big plates weren’t white, but I was bound to what I had on hand. Black would have been best, but by the time I did my core and those 70% infill XZ plates, there’s no way I’d have had enough filament. It was down to red or white. Oh well – the nice thing is that they can always be replaced!
One issue I’m having is that the left XZ plate is bumping on the red wheel bracket as shown here (the lower right corner of the black part & the red part right by the screw). With a little push, it’ll slide on past and give me the full range of Z motion but I’m wondering if I did something wrong, or if a print is a little off. Everything else seems to fit and clear just fine, and I can solve this with a minimum of sanding/filing. Thoughts, anyone? Am I the first to encounter this?
I haven’t seen that before. Is it because if the elephant foot on the black plate?
The ramps will work. It is similar to the rambo with two exceptions: the rambo will be more tolerant of things like over current or reversing a plug. And the rambo sets the driver current for you. The ramps has those little set screws in the driver and it is a pain and not as precise.
The skr pro has those features on the rambo, but also has a faster processor and the wifi expansion port. You won’t notice the processor for anything but fast laser stuff.
Thanks, jeffe! Since the first layer of that plate is now the outer/top surface, it wouldn’t be elephant’s foot, but there could be a little top-layer “mushrooming” perhaps. I think the photo accentuates any that might be there more than reality. If it’s simply supposed to be a thin clearance as the black XZ plate moves past that wheel bracket screw surround, I’ll just fix it with a file & some sanding.
Cool, thanks. I do think that protrusion on the XZ plate has some ringing on the sharp corners that makes it worse. It’s not like it’s blocked from moving, but it certainly binds as it passes.
It’s also only binding on the left side plate. Right side is close, but it clears.
As for the boards & software… thanks @jeffeb3 for the input - very helpful. When I bought the RAMPS in 2020 with those cheap driver modules, I played with it enough to know that the little screws are fidgety and a real PITA. It’s good to know that it would work here; now I’ve gotta decide what I really want for this machine. I mean, I could just use the ramps to get things going, debug my wiring and learn the CAD/CAM toolchain, then upgrade later. But I think I’ve also read here - somewhere - that some boards just do GRBL, others Gcode(?) Marlin(?), some won’t do this or that, and then that affects my whole software toolchain, and switching boards later may involve more “sunk cost” in my time more than just in money.
I’m all for a bit of future-proofing by getting a board that’s more capable than I currently need, because I would like to add a laser and other functions later. E.g. is the Octopus board overkill? Is it missing anything that I might want that I could get with another board? (BTT is currently having a sale through 11/11.) I also read on some thread here how my choice of board will affect my options for the display I can put with it. There’s so much to absorb and sort out here. I know the landscape is constantly changing - has anyone put together a matrix, decision tree, or tutorial for n00bz just getting into CNC?
I’m a EE and software engineer, with lots of personal and professional embedded experience, including Arduino, ESP, and Rasp Pi. I love this forum partly because I don’t think many of us here lack the confidence or spirit of adventure to try something new or figure out a way to make even the suboptimal work somehow. I hope I can, in time, contribute to the body of knowledge that already exists here. Right now, I’m soaking up everything I can read. I’m still at the “I know (some of) what I don’t know (and trying to fill those gaps)” stage and trying to get to the “I don’t know what I don’t know” stage, which may only come when I start using the machine. Thanks for bearing with me.
Grbl and Marlin are firmwares. They both accept gcode (but behave in slightly different ways to it).
There are a lot of choices. The “yellow brick road” path is to get an skr pro 1.2 or a rambo and install the firmware we have in the MarlinBuilder releases site. But you can travel pretty far off, including the fluidnc boards, or klipper, especially if that sort of thing doesn’t intimidate you.
Adam – that’s awesome! I grew up in Cartersville. We just sold my parents’ home out Mission Road earlier this year, but you’re definitely within range for a quick visit from Acworth.
How far along are you? Unfortunately, my project is a little bit shelved (again) at the moment, while other projects (one in particular) have taken priority. I have all the major parts printed and mostly assembled. I’ve also bought my router, control board, display, and other parts just waiting to go together. Should get 'er done this winter, I hope.
Thats too funny because I actually grew up in Acworth a subdivision right by where wade green rd and hwy 92 come together. I am in the assembly part now about to start putting the yz and yz plates together. I am completely new to cnc but am trying to give it a go hopefully I can figure it out. (the design and coding part). I have been documenting everything in a post if you want to check it out. Bad part is I started a year ago and because of work and life this got put aside. Thats my goal too is to have it up and running this winter.
That is funny – I looked up your activity and saw that we’re on about the same track with our CNCs also! Life is life; it’ll get done when it’s done. In the meantime, I do keep sending my wife occasional links or videos (one this week even) with “See? This is only ONE of the things you can do with a CNC!”
I have my end plates pretty much assembled, except for a few screws and some of the limit switches.
QUESTION (for anyone): Is it a good idea to use shielded wire for the limit switches? I think I’ve read that they can pick up noise from the motor wires or elsewhere and cause flaky behavior.
I have the bearings installed on my core, sitting on my rough-cut EMT and a few braces on it. That’s standing in a corner of my office, staring me down every day. I think I still need to print belt tensioners and router mount, plus maybe a small handful of other bits.
As far as the limit switches I thought of that too but in my office I have a 3d printer that pretty much runs all the time (too many thoughts and ideas) I looked on it and the wires are not shielded and are basically touching the steppers with no problems therefore I decided to use non shielded wiring that came from V1.
Yes life is what it is, I am wanting to retire from my day to day job and my wife and I are looking to start a craft and BBQ vending venture which is my push and main reason for the cnc. The BBQ has already been going just in slow motion for now.
I think I have everything printed well except for new upgrades and ideas I keep finding. I have all the hardware and electronics I bought from V1 and already have my router covered in dust up in my shop. I am pretty sure the only thing I have to buy or make is the table which oh boy that is a decision all in itself. I keep convincing myself to make it full sheet capable but then run into people who say they only use a section of theirs. Still sooooo undecided on that but it will be answered this weekend because I am cutting and prepping tubes!!!
