What a beauty！

Lookin Great !!!

Can we see inside your control box? What size and kind of boc is that?

Mike, see post #1 for details of the box and a pic

So the G540 is mounted in the Face with the ports sticking out to hook up the cables?

Suggest you rig a "shelf" over those connectors...to catch a dropped C-clamp.

Gerald,
I will look into that.
I have a problem with my proxy sensors. They require a 12v DC power and take 200 mA. I think I am losing power so I disconnected the three that I have and tested the power supply for 12v DC. I have that under no load. If I connect one proxy up and measure the voltage under the load I get about 6v. Is this a normal loss measuring a circuit under load?

Steve, your 12V supply should not droop that much. Sounds like the proxy is not connected on the right wires. Is it possible the proxy output is across the supply?

I have isolated the problem to the 12v DC transformer (Radio Shack). With the transformer isolated I measure 12v. When I connect a 37 mA load to the terminals I get a short burst of electricity to activate the device but then the transformer loses all voltage. I attached the test load to another power supply with no problem in activating it.

Gerald- a shelf would have been required in any case, so as not to accumalate any obstructions on the spoil board!:o

Steve, I just wanted to get you thinking about protecting those cables/connectors which very exposed to accidental drops/bumps/kicks/etc.

Steve are you running the transformer direct or do you have a bridge rectifier and capacitor filter on the output side? What are you using for the 37mA load and how are you doing the measurements? DC or AC range on the meter?

Heath,
The problem was that the NEW 12v DC power supply I purchased from Radio Shack was bad. Before I installed it into my power panel I did check it for polarity and got a 12+ volt DC on my voltmeter. However, at the time I didn't have any componets to test it under load. Now that I'm ALMOST ready to cut something I found that the power supply would crash when any load was applied. It simply would lose all voltage. It was rated at 1.5 amps so there should have been plenty of power. I replaced it with another and everything works fine.

Limit Stops Question
 

Now that I have my MM to 'home' and the X,Y limits work I have another question. I configured my system to work the way Seans system does. This system can be found under the 'Proxies & Limits' discussion in another post. Basically, Sean wired proxy sensors to a relay board that used one common pin to the BOB. I find that with this system that the X-axis only requires one proxy. The X-2 (A) axis proxy is just redunant unless you consider the possibly that that side of the gantry could somehow derail. Is this thinking correct? Also, why would I need to enable the X-- and Y-- limits in MACH when I find that the X++ and Y++ limits trip anyway when reaching the opposite ends of the rails?
Steve

Steve,

I've been running my MM with one prox. (the way you describe) on the X-axis for awhile now. Never an issue and runs great.

Steve,
To further our discussion via PM, the x1 and x2 are redundant, but used for the derailing of the machine during an event. My machine #5 would often get derailed because the operator would leave an air hose, shop rag or other hanging on the rail and it would derail. Often only one side....thus the prox's on both sides of the machine.

Sean

Sean,
That would be a GOOD reason to activate the other X proxy!:eek:

Houston-we have lift-off!
 

Making dust!:D
I would to thank, like many before me, Gerald for his great design and generosity in allowing the world to benefit from it. I also want to thank all of the people in this forum who have contributed many hours of their time in finding great solutions to building the MM in the best possible way. So, without further ado here are some pics of my MM’s first cuts of the infamous ‘Roadrunner’…

Steve,
Awesome! Congratulations. Glad to see your well on your way....building it was only part of the challenge. Using it is another whole new skill set.

I can't wait to see your first production part.

So, what the heck number are we up to now? I remember the race to 3, 4 and 5......

Sean

I'm hoping its '66' (route 66).

That would be an excellent number. Congratulations! I remember pushing to get the "last" serial number, back when we were going to stop numbering after 10. Based on that, I think Mike should declare that 100 will be the final serial number. Heck, some people might even believe it ;)

How close are you to getting your kicks in Flagstaff or Winona?

Congrats Steve! :)

Well done! Congrats!
Now the fun had just begin。。。

Well Done !!!

Congrats !!!!

#66 it is for you !!!

Congrats Steve,

The fun is only starting. :)

A long awaited moment you cherish…..
Congrats Steve and good luck sorting out it’s quirks ;)

Builder's Log Update
 

Steve,

Congratulations on a fine looking MechMate and Serial #66.

Here is the Updated Builder's Log.

Please let me know the dimensions of your MM for the Builder's Log.

Also, please review your entry and let me know any changes you would like.

Adjustments
 

I want to thank all the well wishers for their support!
I've been learning the fundimentals of Mach3 and tuning the beast. The first question I have is about slop. I find that the motors (PK296A2A-SG7.2) when turned on and engauged into the rack have a .030" total slop when grabbing the router collet and applying hand force in the Y direction (both Y++ and Y--). I have adjusted the springs to their tightest location and that helped allot. When adjusting the springs and with the motors still on I found that the shaft of the motor would slop that amount by turning the gear by hand. I assume that this is normal for this motor. The X direction only has a .010" slop and I assume that is because there are two X motors and if they are not perfectly the same in each rack then one will lock the others slop out somewhat. So far I cannot find anything else that would cause this condtion. Can anyone please advise?:confused:

Have you checked the grub screws holding the pinion gear to the motor shaft, it has a sneaky habit of loosening up. Do a search on the forum, there are plenty of posts regarding this.

Alan,
Indeed, the grub screw was loose. Also, I'm finding that the 10-32 thread in the pinon from the manufacture is just too small to lock to the shaft of the motor. I have tightened the screw to the point of bending/twisting the allen wrench and I still get play/slop in the pinon. Nils, AKA Sailfl, had a simular problem with his machine and reworked the pinons to take 1/4-20 grubs. That is what I will do and report back as to the outcome.
Steve

Z-proxy
 

I decided to add a Z-proxy and here is my solution to its placement. I used a metal 'nail protector' used in housing to prevent the trades from nailing into water pipes/electrical and the like. Simpson Strong-Tie would be a name brand. I drilled two small 6-32 threaded holes in the spider to accept the plate and the slot for the proxy was created by drilling some holes side by side and then filing the flat of the slot. The proxy 'sees' the edge of the Z-stiffener. When the Z is fully in the up postion the metal of the stiffener is above the proxy thus tripping the limit.

PS- As stated earlier I'm no welder, so if anyone notices the gaff in the bottom vacuum holder, I'm still experimenting. Using a 'stick welder' on thin material is challenging.:o