[Grunblau]

If you're going to have one at Maker Faire this year, I'm going to try to get out there and check it out.

I hope to be able to show again in Makerfaire, I will need to think of something a bit different this year if I do it again as I don't want to be the 'oh I saw that last year' exhibit. We always have had a blast at Makerfaire! I am sure I'll post about it if we are going to be there! I would actually like to mill some stuff or maybe a 3D maze with torch height control hmmm....

I could use one of those drag knives!

Check yer PM :cheers:


Woo-hoo! The First Plasma Platform!

I mentioned he was close in my last post, but a few days ago he made his first cuts!





Here is the video of it in action. He does not have any water in the tray but you see the results above!



Here is his build log again in case you missed it. Link

This made my week!!!

Brian

[gene8522]

Where is and when is the Makerfaire?

[ger21]

There are several around the country at different times of the year. The one we're referring to is in Detroit, in July.

Maker Faire | The Greatest Show and Tell on Earth

[gene8522]

There are several around the country at different times of the year. The one we're referring to is in Detroit, in July.

Maker Faire | The Greatest Show and Tell on Earth

Thanks Garry

[Matt360x]

[QUOTE=Grunblau;1193922]


I was hoping to compare the Amana endmill with the Onsrud one from ebay, but the Amana one didn't survive the first plunge. My settings were 10 IPM plunge and 80 IPM cut with the router set at 13500 RPM and a 20 degree ramp in to a .05" depth of cut for that particular path. Any advice would be appreciated. I think the aluminum is T-6061

After that, I changed all of my settings from:

Plunge = 10 IPM to 5 IPM
Cut = 80 IPM to 60 IPM
Spindle = 13500 to 16500
DOC = .05"

I have just read the thread great job on the build👍
A trick I use at work a lot is drill a hole bigger than your endmill. You can plunge into it and run at much faster feedrates and it will also make the endmills last longer.

[Devastator]

Brian, thanks for the dxf files. They came in handy for the knife geometry.

Attachment 248128

[MatthewsFab]

Thanks! I used Smooth-on Reoflex-30 for the rubber mold and Smooth Cast 300 for the plastic. The polyurethane was mostly necessary to settle the MDF fuzzies and make the mold somewhat durable.
Here are the links to the Smooth-on stuff...

Rubber

Plastic

Both are a part A and B by volume... you mix up the 2 parts and pour. The rubber takes over night and the plastic takes about 10 minutes. It starts out clear and then turns white as it cures.

Here is the process from Smooth-on...



Brian

Awesome, thanks for the tips & how to.

[MatthewsFab]

Grunblau,

I wish I found your CNC sooner, I just bought a CNC shark for the price, & the build quality isn't very good at all. I wish I bought your plans for the Platform. And I still probably will once I get more funds.

Anyway thanks for the awesome posts and your build over the years & videos, its all great.

I could also use one of those drag knives.

Can your machine work with Vcarve Pro 7.5 software?

Sincerely,

Matthew

[aarggh]

Grunblau,

I wish I found your CNC sooner, I just bought a CNC shark for the price, & the build quality isn't very good at all. I wish I bought your plans for the Platform. And I still probably will once I get more funds.

Anyway thanks for the awesome posts and your build over the years & videos, its all great.

I could also use one of those drag knives.

Can your machine work with Vcarve Pro 7.5 software?

Sincerely,

Matthew

It uses the G540 to drive it, so it will work fine with any program that outputs generic gcode in metric or imperial, as all Aspire products do.

cheers, Ian

[ger21]

It's actually the control software that dictates whether V-Carve Pro will work, but V Carve Pro will work with just about any control software. You just need to use the appropriate post processor.

[MatthewsFab]

It's actually the control software that dictates whether V-Carve Pro will work, but V Carve Pro will work with just about any control software. You just need to use the appropriate post processor.

Thank you both aarghh & ger21

Sincerely,

Matthew

[MatthewsFab]

I'd had a laser machine that when the file was sent to the machine I could push test area button & it would trace with the red light the area I was going to be cutting. Say a 12"x12" area, it would map that area out so I new exactly where to place my material.

Does this machine software G540 do that by chance?

Thanks

[aarggh]

I'd had a laser machine that when the file was sent to the machine I could push test area button & it would trace with the red light the area I was going to be cutting. Say a 12"x12" area, it would map that area out so I new exactly where to place my material.

Does this machine software G540 do that by chance?

Thanks

Hi Matthew,

The G540 is the hardware driver, which is fed the gcode commands from the control software, which in most hobbyist cases is either Linux CNC or Mach3 running on the controller PC, both of these have a simulate mode.

Usually the design software will also simulate machining.

It would really be worth checking out some of the videos and tutorials on both Vectric's (Aspire, V-Carve, Cut2D/3D) or Artsoft's (Mach3) sites.

cheers, Ian

[ger21]

I'd had a laser machine that when the file was sent to the machine I could push test area button & it would trace with the red light the area I was going to be cutting. Say a 12"x12" area, it would map that area out so I new exactly where to place my material.

Does this machine software G540 do that by chance?

Thanks

When you design your project in V-Carve Pro, you define an origin position (x=0, Y=0). In the control software (Mach3), you can jog the machine to the location you want your origin to be, and set X and Y to zero at that position. You can place and run your parts anywhere on the machine.

[bwthor]

Reading this thread was enough to put me over the edge from dreaming about a DIY CNC to ordering parts and going ahead with a build. My CNC will be similar in size and I've used the same drive components (lead screws and 320oz steppers ordered from CNC Router Parts) as this awesome CNC machine.

I'm really struggling with the proper electronics setup. I think I've simply read too much on various forums and have gotten lost.

With this build, Brian is using the Gecko G540. I'm heavily leaning this way since it was used on this build, and I doubt Brian would skimp on electronics. But, some forums state that the G540 is overkill, overpriced, not very fast due to the parallel port, or could lose steps. What I'm seeing at others is to use the controller board like a smoothstepper, then a BOB, then individual stepper drives. This to me seems way too complicated, and a nightmare of wires and possible issues.

I don't think the price of the G540 is bad, especially with the simplicity of having one box, I just don't want to purchase something that I'll regret.

Can anyone offer any insight on this? Again, I've read many many pages on the forums, but quite a few are more than a couple years old, and with how fast technology changes I just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing.

[1Jumper10]

Brian did it a simple way wich i and others would argue is the best way. I used the G540 for my build and the USB 100 CNC drive which adapts the parallel input on the Gecko G540 to USB input from your Mach 3 computer. It is not slow. On my machine the limitations on speed come from how fast you can accelerate your motors before they lose steps. The Gecko G540 still accomodates enough inputs for limit switches on all 3 axis and a zero plate. Its a very good configuration and if you add up the cost for the smooth stepper and breakout boards im sure its comparable in price if not more than the Gecko.

[ger21]

But, some forums state that the G540 is overkill

The G540 is at least twice as powerful than anything cheaper, and is really the minimum requirement for a machine this size, if you want good performance. While it might be overkill for a 12"x12" machine, it's not for this application.

overpriced,

If you spend less, you'll be getting half the performance, and fewer features. The G540 is the best bang for the buck available. With CNC, you definitely get what you pay for.

not very fast due to the parallel port,

The parallel port is generally the last thing that would cause slower speeds. The parallel port is usually plenty fast for most stepper applications. And you're not locked into the parallel port. You can use the G540 with a Smoothstepper or other device if needed or desired

or could lose steps.

The G540 is no more likely to lose steps than any other drive.
Lost steps are usually the result of trying to run the machine faster than the motors are capable of driving it.

Not sure where you got this advice, but it's innacurate3, and actually conflicts with itself.

[aarggh]

I've never hear of anyone who bought a G540 that regretted it.

The G540 is a superb bit of kit, and as it's an all-in-one, greatly simplifies connections. The first exposure I had to the G540 was when I replaced the crappy controller on my Chinese 6040 with one, and I can't tell you how amazing the difference was.

I have several now and plan to buy more as needed. Couldn't recommend them high enough. It really is "Just Works" technology, designed by guys who really know their stuff. And as mentioned, the only speed limitation you have is your cnc machine, not the controller, and you can run a $20 Pentium4 as the controller PC, making it very cheap.

cheers, Ian

[bwthor]

Thanks for the input on the G540, it sounds like it will work just fine for my needs.

If someone were going for the Cadillac setup on this machine, what would it be? As I mentioned, I've already ordered the 320oz low inductance motors from CNCRouterParts.
320 oz-in 2.8 mH Nema 23 Stepper Motor, 3/8" Shaft | CNCRouterParts

[1Jumper10]

I think the only upgrade to Brian's machine that would still stay true to its design would be ballscrews instead of the acme screws. But not sure what this would improve? ?? Its an excellent design in my opinion.

Put a good spindle on it instead of a router. The 2.2kw Chinese spindle is pretty good. But get a domestic VFD for it instead of the Hyuang Chinese model. For the same money you can get a vfd with English instruction manual and auto tuning. I wish this is what i would have done. Hindsight is 20/20.