Hello All…just wanted to drop in and say Hi and introduce myself. I just ordered an LR4 from Jonathan @ Northwoods and excited to start this journey. I have designed and build many projects using a large industrial CNC at my friends cabinet shop, but it is time to get my own. Bandwidth availability is a limited resource so I wanted a functional CNC, not a bag of parts. I looked at Shapeono as well as several others and after talking with several people, including Jonathan while he was out at sea, I made the decision to purchase it pre-built from him to reduce build time. I had planned to fabricate a full size table, but was able to acquire a large steel CNC vacuum table that was being dismantled and sold off for parts.
Now, I would like to apologize up front in this inaugural post for my upcoming endless list of questions and requests for explanations on everything. I want to learn and I like pushing things to their extreme so I am certian I will be failing a lot and breaking stuff as I learn.
I am looking to integrate the Pendant controller so I will have controls at the machine for pausing, tool changes, tool depth setting, etc. Would you recommend just purchasing the one from the maker in Australia that is producing them, or does anyone else have the full kit or units available in the US? Next question, I see the instructions are for connecting directly to the Jackpot controller access point to leverage the build in web enabled interface for controlling the LR4, but does that inject latency in the operation/control over a wired controller?
Thank you guys and I am certian I will soon have a 1000 more questions…
Then I recently created the wireless FluidTouch pendant using a 7 inch touch screen. For that you just buy a display with case from Elecrow, upload the firmware on a web page, and configure for your machine.
If you are interested in the FluidDial, I have one I would probably sell.
I mean technically, wired is as fast as it gets, but I’m not sure there is a meaningful difference.
If I remember correctly from our conversation the other day, you said you have good wifi where you plan to use your LR4. If that’s the case then hooking up in STA mode should work well for you and I have had no issues with latency that way. If your wifi signal isn’t the best then it can be hit and miss if it will be better than AP mode.
Thank you for all the information and details. I am not really sure on the M5 vs CVD dial and I am certian on here, as with any online forum, YMMV by different members and experiences. Personally, from my past doing video editing, I like a jog/shuttle for fine tuning and assume I will want the same control with this tool.
My question on the latency was more around the fine tuning adjustments and a hard wired pendant eliminates that potential issue. I have a 10” android chablet (Chinese Tablet) I will probably dedicate to the LR4 as the primary control interface, but I wanted/needed a hardwired hand controller option also.
UPDATE:
I spent hours this weekend watching videos and designing a table so it will be ready when the LR4 is completed…only to locate an industrial 4x8 CNC table (6’x10’) with vacuum bed and pumps a couple hours from me…so…road trip time! I figure it will be easier to convert this monster steel beast of a table to use with the LR4 than to build something perfectly square and flat and fight issues tied to inadequate carpentry skills
I reside in Birmingham AL, and going over to the GA State line tomorrow afternoon to pick up the table, vacuum bed, and potentially the vacuum pumps. I’ve rented a shop space with rollup doors and a thick concrete floor which will support this beast. Next I have to manage power requirements on the vacuum pumps as I don’t have 3 phase available, only 220 for dust collector, welder, plasma, and air compressor….so going to be a bit tight power wise.
Yup…I will see what all he has available as apparently there are options from which to chose. That is one of the things I was checking on in my new space as the power is from a sub-panel and I don’t have enough amps powering the sub-panel to run everything I want. Oh well, I will work with what I have and am very excited to be able to tinker and play again. Got remarried a few years back and sold my man pad warehouse and bought a respectable house…been without a shop since.
Yeah, as in you’ll be broke. Most utilities in North America will have you paying for the transformers and engineering (and “fees”) outright for a 3 phase service to a small load residential property, if you can even convince them to do it.
A single phase VFD to run a small 3 phase motor load can be had these days for less than the deposit on a 3 phase service.
America is weird. Every house in Germany has 3-phase power, but the electricity is then divided into three „trees“ as not to have the full draw on one phase. If we want three phase, it‘s just about connecting a three phase cable to all three phases. Could have done it myself but let an electrician do it for insurance reasons, cost me around 120€…
Dense areas will have three phase down the street alternating phases with each transformer serving ~6 houses or so. At least there you’ve got a chance, but you’re probably buying two or thee pole mount pigs, and a new pole. If it’s existing underground, probably forget about it.
In rural areas, it could be 10s of KMs to where your single phase spur splits off from a three phase run. It’s unnecessary and cost prohibitive to run 3 phases to pickup a total load easily handled by a single conductor.
I’m about 12 KM to where my spur splits off the three phase distribution network. It’d be around a million dollars to bring 3 phase to my property (with a willing utility, more with one that doesn’t want to) and a loooong lead time.
Geography changes, necessarily, how things are approached. Here in Canadaland I’ve had periods of daily commutes that took as long as it would for you to travel west-east across Germany. Paid real well, though.
Yeah, the building across the alleyway has 3-phase…but alas, not where there was vacancy. I’m just happy to have a place to setup and work.
Question for the group, what design software did you start with and what do you use now. Did you just jump into Fusion, or did you start with something like Carbide Create Pro and then out the functionality? I want to start learning the software while I wait for my LR4.
I started with Sketchup back when it was still run by Google (and free). It’s all cloud based now so I avoid it.
The only thing I can find that is not cloud based anymore is FreeCad so I’m learning that. And it has come a long way since the last time I used it, version 1.0 was finally released earlier this year which has been very stable in my experience, certainly at least compared to attempts to use it in years past. Since v1.0 I think its starting to pick up some steam too.
… I don’t usually walk the beaten path when it come to these things though. I have personal issues with these “free” clouds and licenses. YMMV
You’ll also need to start learning about CAM as well.
What kind of designing/milling do you think you will be doing?
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Three phase-are so much more quiet and powerful.