http://www.markertek.com/Cables/Audi...FX.xhtml?NC4MX

Markertek is a very reliable source with pretty fair pricing. Customer service is awesome.

These Nuetrik 4 pins are the industry standard. They are also only one of the few xlr that are rate for the current and voltage the stepper motors require.

Myself, JR and a few other used them.

Good luck.

Oh Suuuuure, everyone jumps in with more connector info, but nobody offers to help unload the MDF????

Just kidding, thanks for all the info. Spending a few bucks more on good components to have a reliable machine is well worth it in my mind.

I don't mind doing something, but I ABSOLUTELY HATE having to redo something after the fact.

Table should be upright by the end of the week.....probably massively overkill too.lol

Nuetrik is a great brand for connectors.

Besides XLR, you can also look at the SpeakON style connectors. They come in 2, 4 and 8 conductor layouts. These are made for high current usage and basically unbreakable.

You might even use both styles to make it hard to mix up motors, sensors, spindles....

Table is turned over onto its six legs....Now if I could only find my camera.....

...it's under the table! LOL. Great accomplishment - keep up the great work (we are watching!)
What I really want is a picture of you moving the MDF. If I recall when I took care of my MDF move, I actually put 2 trash cans on furniture dollies to move at the same level as the truck bed, to the machine bed of the MM to keep the lifting to a min. That is some HEAVY stuff. Be careful.

Going to order cable chain from Mcmaster tomorrow (4516T22)

The formula I found is 1/2 the axis length + 2" + (radius of chain x pi) +1 link..

so for a 5x12 I need:
X axis = 144"/2=72"+2"= 74"+ (12.377")= 86.377"
Y axis = 60"/2=30+2=32"+ (12.377")= 44.377"
86.377+44.377= 130.754"
Less than (2) 6' lengths.
Plus end brackets...

My question is: can what I take off the Y axis be added to the X axis, or will that not work?
Is it like a bicycle chain where you need a "master link" ?

The IGUS energy chain is modular. Each link snaps into the next very simply. The end links are just the same. Just make sure you snap in the proper direction, they are "handed" links.

If you order another 12"-18" and 2 ends you can also do your z-axis!

Good luck.

Found the camera....luckily not under the table.
My wife wasn't happy when I told her I flipped this over by myself using a floorjack and chain hoist...... probably good that I don't have any pictures of that.
http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...301320x990.jpg

It looks awesome Darren!

I work by myself a lot. I know what its like. Sometimes things are safer than they seem when there's only one person to worry about getting hurt. I find I can do a lot more than I thought, very safely, if I just go slow and plan every move and back away and look everything over a lot. I would have turned it over by myself to and also would have been fussed at :)

@Darren: Do you think those beams will hold that table? !!!. Kidding, that looks great. Looks like it's coming together nicely... Good Job!..

LOL, like I said, massive overkill.
I suffer from a disease called "while I'm at it" that always makes things escalate...

I can tell you, it is rock solid.

I'm waitin for someone to use an electric pallet jack setup on one of these to move it around :) !!! Nice looking table !!!

Looks about right to me. Nice work.

Awsome looking table!!!
That is a sturdy table there! You will be rewarded for the extra miles on the additional weight & diagonal braces.

Got some used cable chain and installed it, and it seems to sag a bunch.
Does this look normal, or am I doing something wrong?http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...321320x990.jpg

As you said, that cable chain has seen a lot of use and is a bit worn, but still functional for your application. Check that the links are still firmly attached to each other by jerking it around a bit - that is the most important thing. If it droops so far down that it slides on the lower part of the chain you will have to check that it doesn't snag. (On very long machines it is normal for the chain to drag over the fixed part)

Darren...have to say that is a beast...wow...

I knew the 12' long would add some "bulk"...didn't think that much :-)

Thanks...I think....:)
Heres how it looks today with a 61"x145" MDF spoilboard
Just painted it yesterday.
Hope to get some re-assembly done this weekend..

http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...341320x990.jpg

VERY nice...

Hey look! His garage door is still white! :D

Nice. I see you used the spoilboard as a buffer between the MM and the garage door :D

Actually, the car dollys are still under the rear legs, I used a floor jack to move it to the center of my shop and put 25'x30' of plastic on the floor under the table, and sprayed it there, then moved it back after it dried.
Cleanup consisted of rolling up the plastic and throwing it away.
Its next move will be into a dedicated room in the back of my shop...

And in the spirit of the founder......someone really needs to empty that dust collector. :)

another couple bites of the elephant....

http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...351320x990.jpg

http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...361320x990.jpg

I have (4) NPN NO proximity sensors, and in reading through the threads related to them, it seems I need to supply them with 12 volts to use them to switch a relay that will then provide 5 volts to pin 15 of the PMDX.
Over simplified, I know, but i'm looking for a shopping list.

Sooo, 4 DIN mounted relays with 12 volt coils, and a power supply with a 12v and 5v tap should be on my want list.


Correct?

Mostly correct.

You can see what has been earlier on this post:

http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showt...4&postcount=59

Your switching a "dry contact" to the pin on your break out board that just happens to be wired in series for the homing sequence in Mach. My drawing shows a couple things that have been changed.
I am supplying only 12VDC to the prox circuit and the DIN mounted relays. The proximity sensor(s) are always active and "sense" the hole in the rail or a de-rail situation to shut down the system.

If you have any really needy questions, send me a PM.

Sean

I read that entire thread, And I'm pretty sure I understand whats going on.
I'm putting together an order to Factorymation, and the DIN relay you spec'd is of course obsolete now.
Any special 12volt coil relay requirements I should be aware of?

Good to know that 12v to the BOB isn't a problem.

Hey Darren;

If you plan to put lights on the door that show the status of the prox I would recommend the DPTP Relay (Double Pole, Double Throw) http://www.factorymation.com/s.nl/it.A/id.105404/.f

if not, you can just go with the SPDT (Single Pole, Double Throw) http://www.factorymation.com/s.nl/it.A/id.105420/.f

Those are what I have on my built and they work great. If you need any help with the wiring let me know.

Miguel

Thanks Miguel.
What are the 5 red and 5 green lights on your door for?
I'm assuming for the proxys, but can you enlighten me a little on how they are set up?
Green when all is OK, red when they are sensing a hole or derail?
And why 5?

Thanks.

@Darren: I use 4 Green when Each of the proxys is "OK", 4 Red when not "OK", 1 Green when Spindle is running and 1 Red when E-Stop is engaged.

Still have the relays at Factorymation:

http://www.factorymation.com/s.nl/sc...gory.259183/.f

I know I'm not the first, but here is my Central Machinery dust collector modded with a Thein baffle and a Wynn filter.

If I'm the first with a MechMate branded collector, I'd like to apply for serial #1.
I have the blue paint and the logo, and i'd be happy to post a video of it sucking up dust, if necessary......:D

See what happens when i'm given too much free time in the evenings?

http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...39990x1320.jpg

That is a first :cool:

Hmmmm - may need to add that to the catalog offerings :D !!!

Must be a PROUD MechMate owner....nice

Hah! Love it!

So cool ! :cool:

OK,
Not much posting but a lot of behind the scenes research.
Control box and wiring stuff arrived from Metalhead today. (Thanks Mike.)

For motors, I'll be using KL34H280-45-8A
For power supply i'll be using a 5N48R12
I have 4:1 belt reductions

I believe I'd be best suited with 25 tooth pinion gears, but any advice would be appreciated.

Well, motors and power supply are here.
Still researching the 25 tooth pinion question.
About to order the 4 G203v, pmdx-126, pmdx-134, and an Ethernet Smoothstepper.
I'm hoping to be able to lay out the control box so 6 inch ribbon cables will work.

I've strung the 4 core cables to the motors, and I have a question on the 8 core to the pushbutton boxes.
Are these wired in series IE: Y car box to far gantry box to near gantry box to control box?
Seems logical to do it this way, but...
I'm confusing myself the more I research.