I call her Big Blue #119 - Columbus, Ohio

[IMMark]

I forgot about the position of the z within the car being adjustable....I will be adding the belt reduction (after I get the machine running to make them), so I guess there is a chance I may have to address this twice.
As always, Thanks for the input!
Mark

[smreish]

Mark...I see you asking good questions again! I trust all is going well.
Good luck to the finish line.
Best,
Sean

[IMMark]

Thanks Sean...yes all is well (all be it very slow going). I hate to say it, but there is a possibility that I can get some movement over the weekend (I mean the machine ).
Everything seems to take sooo long. I spent half a day getting my monitor mounted (had to make a new bracket for it). Made 3 brackets to hold the switch and junction boxes, another half a day there....as they say, the devil is in the details!
If it all goes well, I will jam a sharpie in there, and see if I can make a sign!
Mark

[pblackburn]

The end seems always to be the longest part

[KenC]

Hang in there & enjoy the moment because in no time, it will be all over, just like our childhood.

[IMMark]

Thanks for the words of encouragement!
I am happy to report, it moves!!!
I don't have the tool holder made yet, so basically a 5 x 10 plotter (I did attach a sharpie, just to see what it was doing)....but that is still very exciting to me!
The x and y seem like they move great, I think I may have some tweaking to do on the z. Not sure that I have that squared up enough. But all in all, a big step forward. All electronics are doing what they are suppose to, sans smoke!
I probably should have spent more time working with the software before now (so a bit of a learning curve on that, but I am reading).
What I don't quite grasp yet, is the position of the machine. I don't have limit or homing switching attached yet. What is the minimum set up required? I plan to add proximity sensors at some point ( I think I can add those later?), not sure about a home switch?
Mark

[smreish]

Minimum usage doesn't require much of anything other than the hard stops to keep it from falling off the rails.

Once you define the 0,0. Park the gantry and y car (or jog it) to the 0,0 you want. Then in Mach set it all 0,0,0. Define the table size in the limits in Mach. This will be a configuration page that you set the coordinate data size of your table. Like 0,48 and 0, 96 if you have a 48x96 spoil board. These "soft" limits will keep your machine operating in this window. If you have design to cut outside this window, the machine usually won't accept the cut file and execute.

I have run my machine for weeks without turning it off and it held the soft limits the whole time.

There are many MM running without any limits or homing switches at all. It's a manual start up procedure each day with manual jogging, setting the 0,0,0 in Mach and off to cutting.

[IMMark]

Thanks Sean. I couldn't find where to set the table size in Mach. That is what I meant by should have been spending more time learning the software (but I am reading about that now). And of course working on the tool holder so that I can actually cut something
I am sure (and I would guess you are sure) that I will have more questions as I follow the learning curve!
Thanks
Mark

[dbinokc]

Congratulations on getting your machine to move. Even though I have proxies wired in, I have not enabled them in Mach3 on my machine. Just keep well away from any stops and be prepared to hit the e-stop of anything starts moving in a direction you do not expect.

I expect my cutting to be relative to a zero on the piece being cut. I do not plan to any kind of world coordinate 0 on the machine.

[IMMark]

Thanks DB.
Yeah, so far when I have been "using" the machine, my hand hasn't left the E Stop switch
And I go nowhere near the hard stops. After a year and a half of building it, it would kill me to break it now (depending on what could go wrong, maybe literally)!
Mark

[smreish]

oh, you won't break it.
I've hit the hard stops at 300 ipm and the motors disengaged from the rack.
No worries. Just REALLY Loud when it happens!

[KenC]

No worries Mark, I'd never hit the hard stop....

[IMMark]

I hope to follow Ken's lead and never hit the hard stops. Sean I will take your word for "Really" loud (from my hand rolling the machine, I can imagine it is)!
I have been playing with Mach3 and some CAD software, starting to get the feel for things (I think). I am getting some nice drawings (I made a sharpie holder). I am working on the tool holder now (and considering a spindle as well).
Mark

[IMMark]

Ok, I have been spending some time looking into spindles. Any thoughts on specs?
Air cooled versus water cooled. Size of collet? Watt/HP? Also, just FYI...I am not looking at the $1000 plus spindles. I am more in the range of $600-$800 including the VFD.
Also, if you have any thoughts on vendors?
Thanks
Mark

[dbinokc]

I bought my water cooled 2.2KW spindle/VFD combo from qiandingzhensatisfaction on ebay. Ships from the US and cost $350. The included collets are metric, so you will need to buy inch ER20 collets separately if using inch bits. Both spindle and VFD are working well so far.

The motor mount I purchased from wfyb on ebay. The motor mount is just a big hunk of aluminum and some mods may need to be made to get it to fit on the Z-axes on our machines. You can check out my build thread for details on that.

[KenC]

Water cool VS Air cool
Air-cool :-
1) noisier (but nothing beat the cutting noise so its not much of a concern in real life)
2) Larger (but does it really matters?)
3) rectangle body makes, can direct mount onto the Z-slide
4) some concern with the air flow, some say it will blow up the dust.
5) usually come with 18,000rpm max

Water-cooled
1) quiet, it purr like an humming bird when not cutting.
2) water pump do seize up if left idle for a few months.
3) the spindle never gets warm,
4) the water tube is almost maintenance-free
5) almost always comes with round body which require a holder for mounting.
6) usually comes with 24,000rpm max.

[pblackburn]

Mark,
The spindle is the lifeblood of the machine. The VFD is the heart. An inexpensive heart with good blood is still bad. Just saying. Buy a chinese spindle and a good VFD, the return on investment is worth it. I am a water cooled user so I am biased. I will offer you one test scenario. You have a fan cooled motor and a water cooled motor. Using something other than your hand, toss a hand full of dust at the cutter while it is on. The fan cooled will make a plum of dust whereas the water cooled will only elevate the dust the cutter touches. Forced air from a fan will take away from your dust collection. Vacuum is hard enough to maintain let alone having to deal with a constant stream of air moving in. Try to pick up a pile of dust with a vacuum and then with an air nozzle. Which disperses faster. The air nozzle will always win. So knowing this, I vote water cooled.

[darren salyer]

Great reasoning Pete.

[Alan_c]

Actually I have found the the slight stream of air coming through the spindle will actually help with the dust pick-up as it knocks it free from the surface and allows the vacuum stream to catch it - sort of like an air stripper on a belt sander - having a skirt does make all the difference though.

[IMMark]

Thanks DB, Ken, Pete and Alan...very nice write ups, and I appreciate all of the input!
I wonder if there should be a Spindle category in the forum?
Also to Pete, I agree completely on the cheaper spindle and buying a better VFD. I have a Teco on my mill for quite some time, and really like it. I am working on the mount for my router (so I can make something with this big blue monster), but I am sure a spindle is in my near future. Off hand, does anyone know what all is needed. I think the spindle, the VFD, if water cooled; then also a pump and water reservoir, and I am using the PMDX-126 BoB...so the PMDX-107 to control it too? Do I have the correct?
Thanks
Mark

[dbinokc]

There is a section under Toolheads that covers some spindle info and also routers. Also lots of spindle info in the threads. Just do a search.
I have a PMDX-107 for my machine, but have not hooked it up yet. The 107 is not required though. I can control the start, stop and speed from the panel of the VFD I have. I am in the process of hooking up the 107.

[pblackburn]

I used modbus only. So in that case only the spindle, vfd and RS232 to 485 converter.

[IMMark]

Thanks DB and Pete...I will be doing more reading on the 107 and modbus (I think the PMDX-126 is compatible with it as well)? I swear, I can't wait until I can slow down on reading and learning new software and just make something...anything....I would be happy cutting a flat board out of another flat board
Mark

[pblackburn]

If you use modbus make sure that the VFD you have is modbus capable. It is a learning curve in itself. Telling you how to hook it up is another thing all together. Every VFD has different settings but most here can help you in some fashion. The $4 converter is definitely cheaper than the 107 plus modbus has been around since the 60's and is well established.

[IMMark]

Pete,
I am not too familiar with modbus (if I try to research one more thing before I get the MM cutting, I think my head will explode)
Like I said in my other post, I have a Teco vfd and have been very happy with it. I would most likely go with the FM50-203-C, it is sold through Factorymation. I looked at the data sheet for it, but couldn't find any mention of modbus compatibility? Would you have any idea if it would be a match?
Link for it is here; http://www.factorymation.com/Product...M50-203-C.html

Thanks
Mark

[racedirector]

Mark, if you are buying a VFD specifically for the machine I would look at Hitachi. I have an X200 but the SJ200 is a better bet. They are fully Modbus aware and there is plenty around on connecting them to Mach3.

[pblackburn]

It appears the one model has an add on module. I agree with Bruce and go with a Hitachi or Delta. I personally have a Hitachi WJ200 series. It is a very nice unit indeed.

[racedirector]

Brainfade this morning, no morning coffee when typing. WJ200 was what I was thinking of Pete, would buy one today if I didn't have the X200.

[IMMark]

Well I am happy and excited to ask for my official MechMate number!
But first, I would like to thank Gerald for starting this project and so freely sharing it with (literally the world). I also thank Mike for continuing to support this forum and supplying many of the much needed parts for the build. I also thank each build that has come before mine and everyone that has posted information, thoughts, ideas and encouragement. I also very much thank my good friend David for his role in this build and to Sean for taking his time and helping offline when it was needed.

The machine build was started in Feb. 2013 (although, the idea, research, and much reading started long before that). I am not sure what the end date should be, as I will be adding "accessories" and fine tuning things for years to come. But for me the "Born on date" will be April 29, 2014 ....that is when she started moving. The material size is 5' x 10'. I have the 14" Z, and the most notably feature is the removable cross supports (7 of the 9), that will allow the addition of the supersize Z (36" plus). And I call her, Big Blue.

Thanks
Mark

[IMMark]

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