[LatheMaster]

Got a little more done today . Put sides on my bench and a mount for the monitor . Also rearanged the garage a little to give a bigger work area and make cleanup easier . I got some shelf liner for the top of the bench . I used some 3M spray glue to insure it stays stuck down . Used 1/2" MDF for the sides and back . The MDF they make these days is way denser than the stuff I used to make speaker boxes out of when I was a kid .

I think next I will make an electrical box for all the goodies to go in , to be chip free and get a little cooling from fans .

If anyone wants to post there picks for a control box and there fix for clean wiring feel free to do so .

[rewster]

I have the same monitor, mounted to the wall. I just used to mounting bracket that holds the base on, you might want to consider getting it up and out of the way. As for electronics, I used an old pc case. I covered the drive slots with plexi and mounted my e-stop and coolant switches in the front. Found a couple old pc fans laying around with close to the same amperage and rigged them to a power supply.

Are you going to put a front panel on the enclosure? Chips will weasel their way into crevices you never thought possible, i.e. under the keys on your keyboard. I have a full plexi enclosure and they still manage to find their way out.

[LatheMaster]

I have the same monitor, mounted to the wall. I just used to mounting bracket that holds the base on, you might want to consider getting it up and out of the way. As for electronics, I used an old pc case. I covered the drive slots with plexi and mounted my e-stop and coolant switches in the front. Found a couple old pc fans laying around with close to the same amperage and rigged them to a power supply.

Are you going to put a front panel on the enclosure? Chips will weasel their way into crevices you never thought possible, i.e. under the keys on your keyboard. I have a full plexi enclosure and they still manage to find their way out.

The kind of machines I run at work chips get into the keyboard all the time . It doesnt hurt anything till a chip pinches between 2 keys . Then you press one key and 2 go down , lol . To keep chips out of my enclosure I will probly make a little filter to cover any vent holes . Just like the big machines . I am looking for a keyboard base to hang off the right side of my table . I would like it to swivel so it can be moved out of the way .

For right now I am not to worried about chips . I just ordered a big chunk of machinable wax .

Machinable Wax

A guy on youtube sent me a link for some nice motor covers . Gana probly get those too next week . Makes for a nice clean setup . If anybody has seen an american company that has these can you please send me a link ?

D.Y. Engineering - NEMA23 Cover Kit

[djbird3]

Hey Mike,

I have a couple of links below for you. The first is for some "Split Loom", which is a inexpensive plastic jacket you can put your wires into to protect them and neaten them up. You can tuck those messy looking stepper motor wires into the jacket and keep everything neater. The second link is for a wall mount bracket for the monitor. The mount is the same one I'm using for my 19" and works very well. I looked around locally for a mount and couldn't find anything under $55! Checkout his ebay store, lots of different mounts and CCTV stuff for cheap. I would like to get some machineable wax but that stuff is really expensive. I'm going to try and cook-up some of my own. I've read a few different articles about making it and it seems simple enough and much cheaper than buying it already made. I just have to sneak the electric crockpot out of the house to use to melt everything down I'll let you know if I am successful making it when I get around to doing it.

~Don~

1/4" SPLIT LOOM TUBING | AllElectronics.com

http://cgi.ebay.com/TV-wall-mount-sw...item1c13ec85bd

[rewster]

I would like it to swivel so it can be moved out of the way .

For this I used an old wall mounted swivel tv stand. Cheaper than a keyboard tray, and plenty of room for mouse and pendant. You can probably cop one from wally world for a few bucks. Just a thought.

And the machinable wax is great. It machines oh-so-nicely, and being able to reclaim the scrap is a big plus. Some people report problems with sinking when they try to remold the scrap. As long as you pre-heat whatever mold you're pouring into, you can make nice blue ingots all day long

[LatheMaster]

Hey Mike,

I have a couple of links below for you. The first is for some "Split Loom", which is a inexpensive plastic jacket you can put your wires into to protect them and neaten them up. You can tuck those messy looking stepper motor wires into the jacket and keep everything neater. The second link is for a wall mount bracket for the monitor. The mount is the same one I'm using for my 19" and works very well. I looked around locally for a mount and couldn't find anything under $55! Checkout his ebay store, lots of different mounts and CCTV stuff for cheap. I would like to get some machineable wax but that stuff is really expensive. I'm going to try and cook-up some of my own. I've read a few different articles about making it and it seems simple enough and much cheaper than buying it already made. I just have to sneak the electric crockpot out of the house to use to melt everything down I'll let you know if I am successful making it when I get around to doing it.

~Don~

1/4" SPLIT LOOM TUBING | AllElectronics.com

TV wall mount swivel tilt LCD brackets 15 17 19 20 b34 - eBay (item 120593352125 end time Mar-04-11 21:20:16 PST)

Be careful making your own. I read articles of people melting down plastic. You definitely want a breathing apparatus on . Better let the neighbors know what's going on or you might have the cops over looking for a meth lab .LOL

[LatheMaster]

Got my material today . 1.5" x 6" x 12" . $33.90 to the door . It came in 2 days . Cool stuff . You can get it in two other colors too .

[rewster]

where'd you find it in other colors? I order from machinablewax.com, which only has blue.

[LatheMaster]

where'd you find it in other colors? I order from machinablewax.com, which only has blue.

They have some dental stuff that is a little more rigid material that is a gold/brown color . I saw some pellets you can melt down yourself in your own mold that comes in different colors .


I did a little playing today . Finding out that Lovejoy couplers suck with a capitol S . The square and circle I made are about .005 out . The backlash setting helps out a lot but the backlash isnt consistant . Might go with some better couplers later . Got plenty of OT at work now so the toys will be rolling in again soon .

Machinable wax is great . Cuts .300 depth like butter . Heres a little engraving I did today . Did real well . Had issues with X4 . I havent done any engraving since version 9 . I forgot I programmed a .005 tip on a flat endmill on V9 . On X4 it lets your program an engraving tool but it doesnt like a .005 tip for cutter comp . But it did like a flat endmill with that tip . Go figure . I usually only go about .010 deep total for aluminum but I couldnt see it as well on the wax so I went down to -.020 . Took a little of the fine detail away but looks good .

[BubbleOne]

Regarding motor covers, be sure to check what frame size your motors are, 57mm or 60mm also what type.

This link has a diagram showing the different types and the mounting hole differences of each

Back Covers For Stepper Motors

The guy who makes them says he will ship 3 to the US for $6.90, I noticed the 60mm versions are made from aluminium, perhaps he will machine some in plastic.

[LatheMaster]

Regarding motor covers, be sure to check what frame size your motors are, 57mm or 60mm also what type.

This link has a diagram showing the different types and the mounting hole differences of each

Back Covers For Stepper Motors

The guy who makes them says he will ship 3 to the US for $6.90, I noticed the 60mm versions are made from aluminium, perhaps he will machine some in plastic.

Mine are the 57mm ones . The pattern fits the center picture if I am to look at the back of the motor .

[LatheMaster]

Got the Home switch hooked up for my X axis . I put a little aluminum rail on the base of the mill and mounted the switch to the bottom of the stepper motor mounting block . Now as soon as I get some zero backlash couplers I should be able to shut the machine down and pick up where I left off . Thats my goal anyhow .

Has anyone looked into the FleaBay HongKong couplers ? Wondering if there any good at $1.50 apiece .

[LatheMaster]

Got a vise finally . Bought the 3" screwless with clamping slots from LMS . Pretty nice but does have a few burrs on it . Great deal for $79 . I did see one at Shars Tools for a little less but oh well . I get stuff in 2 days normal shipping from LMS being in california .

I have some flexible aluminum couplings comming too . Should be here friday or saturday . Plenty on time to play inside with all the storms we have had . Was thinking of putting the kayak in my backyard so im prepared . :drowning:

[LatheMaster]

Well I made some parts I designed for RC Cars . I had made a set before but the guy I sold it too never got back to me with results of my design .

Anyhow I did the first op and now I was working on the 2nd op . Found I had some major issues on the Y cause the .400 tall , round boss I was cutting had flats on it on both sides of the Y axis . I guess I was taking too much for granted after the X came out almost perfect with .001 of backlash and exactly 10000 steps . Well the steps on the Y are also 10000 but it has .009 of backlash with my new coulplings . I assume its in the ball screw .

I also still had issues with the Z and the lame LoveJoy coupler . So I started to put on my nice McMaster aluminum flexible coupler only to find that CNCFusion cut that screw to .312 . The X and Y were .375 . I didnt figure I had to pull every damn motor off to check each screw . All I can say is I am really pissed off right now and have to spend another $30 to get one more coupler . WHAT UP CNCFUSION . You have to have consistency when you make stuff for people .

I also have the #10 pin on the gecko comming loose . It reads my limit switch as being activated all the time . Jiggle the wire and it comes back for a second . So I hooked up to #13 for now . Probly a bad solder connection or it just work loose cause the thing gets so hot .

Well I have 4 couplers that are 1/4 on the ID's , 1" long and 3/4" dia . I also have 1 with 1/4 on one ID and 3/8 on the other ID and 1" dia. and 1.5 long . If anyone needs some let me know . I'll give you a good deal .

[BubbleOne]

Got a vise finally . Bought the 3" screwless with clamping slots from LMS . Pretty nice but does have a few burrs on it . Great deal for $79 . I did see one at Shars Tools for a little less but oh well . I get stuff in 2 days normal shipping from LMS being in california .

I have some flexible aluminum couplings comming too . Should be here friday or saturday . Plenty on time to play inside with all the storms we have had . Was thinking of putting the kayak in my backyard so im prepared . :drowning:

I was just thinking, thought I would share the idea. I may make a couple of blocks with two holes through the sides (For retaining pins) and one between them through the top (for a bolt) to allow clamping of the vise from within it along the centre Tee-Slot on my Mill.

[BubbleOne]

Well I made some parts I designed for RC Cars . I had made a set before but the guy I sold it too never got back to me with results of my design .

Anyhow I did the first op and now I was working on the 2nd op . Found I had some major issues on the Y cause the .400 tall , round boss I was cutting had flats on it on both sides of the Y axis . I guess I was taking too much for granted after the X came out almost perfect with .001 of backlash and exactly 10000 steps . Well the steps on the Y are also 10000 but it has .009 of backlash with my new coulplings . I assume its in the ball screw .

I also still had issues with the Z and the lame LoveJoy coupler . So I started to put on my nice McMaster aluminum flexible coupler only to find that CNCFusion cut that screw to .312 . The X and Y were .375 . I didnt figure I had to pull every damn motor off to check each screw . All I can say is I am really pissed off right now and have to spend another $30 to get one more coupler . WHAT UP CNCFUSION . You have to have consistency when you make stuff for people .

I also have the #10 pin on the gecko comming loose . It reads my limit switch as being activated all the time . Jiggle the wire and it comes back for a second . So I hooked up to #13 for now . Probly a bad solder connection or it just work loose cause the thing gets so hot .

Well I have 4 couplers that are 1/4 on the ID's , 1" long and 3/4" dia . I also have 1 with 1/4 on one ID and 3/8 on the other ID and 1" dia. and 1.5 long . If anyone needs some let me know . I'll give you a good deal .

When you consider the amount of curent passing through some setups, 46 volts at 12+amps for example, the power connectors on the G540 do seem a little lightweight!

It would be nice if they reworked the design placing the drivers into a box that fit inside a 5 1/4 inch drive bay with connectors accessable via one or more of the PCs rear slots. And a PSU that fit within a PC also replacing the original with 46 volt and standard 12 and 5 volt. Would make things so much easier to set up.