[sschering]

I'm starting to put together parts for a 4 axis cutter for cutting wing cores.

So far I have an Arduino Mega 2560 board
4 Big Easy Driver boards
My BIL (brother in law) is going to supply 4 rail slides used for racking servers.

I had a question on Steppers..

I have 4 bi-polar steppers I bought from Sci-plus 2-3 years ago because they were dirt cheap. They are 20 step 18deg motors..

Now I know most people are using 200 step 1.8 deg motors..

Is it possible to use these with say a fine thread lead screw and microstepping or am I just better off bucking up and getting some 200 step motors?

[awerby]

Get new motors; they aren't that expensive in the big scheme of things. Even with 10x microstepping, you'll have a hard time getting acceptable resolution with only 20 steps to deal with.

Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com — Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software

[sschering]

Yeah I kinda figured that.. I've been looking at a set of Vexta PK266M-02A's all morning so I pulled the trigger and bought em.. 400 step .9° 127 oz-in
Hope that wasn't a mistake.

Now I have to wonder if I should get some better drivers than the Big easy Drivers.. These motors are right at their 2A current limit..
I was thinking of getting form Linistepper driver kits, or PUTB6560 Stepper Drivers from www.mcwidgets.com

Gecko G251's would be great but it's not in my current budget.

[awerby]

I don't know, those 127 oz-in motors seem a bit weak for a machine of any size. How heavy is this router you're building? Or is this a hot-wire cutter? What are the travels? Are you running two motors per axis or just one?

Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com — Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software

[sschering]

It's a hot wire foam cutter so they should be just fine..
They don't have to do much more then turn the lead screws.
When it's running right there shouldn't be any drag on the wire..

It won't be a big machine..4 axis 24-36" X axis and 12-24" Y axis
40-60" wire..

[sschering]

All the motors came in today.. I gave them all a test run with a simple H bridge circuit..
Looks like they will work out well..

I ordered a Big Easy Driver to test out.

Right now I'm debating on using reprap teacup code on the Arduino board.
The teacup code interprets G code so all I'd need is Foamworks to generate G code.

the Other option is using an Xavier USB adapter and Jedicut. That solution would leave the Arduino just running the howwire

[CaboGuataca]

I'm bringing this thread back to life to check if you managed to make a 4 axis cnc with the Arduino.