Read the instructions Pete :o:o

Slave motor wouldn't move. I didn't have it slaved.

Dumb question. How much surface preparation did you do on your steel prior to weld-up? My bent parts are about 3 years old and have a little surface rust, thinking it might be easier to do it prior to welding.

i hit mine with a random orbit sander...just because.

3 rules of welding.

1. Clean
2. Clean
3. Clean

Hope this helps

:)

The welds are a no brainer. It was the flat surface preparation. May as well clean them up while they are accessible.
Got my dovetailing program created on cut2d this weekend and it runs in mach3. Once I do actual parts I will need to adjust tail length.
Picking up steel tomorrow. Rack and pinions are on the way as well as the balance of the kit from Mike.
Hopefully my new employee can start work by April 1.

Ok, I'm going bug eyed with reading and research.

Trying to find how to tune motors. Been to the gecko site, it's greek to me. I have the 203v geckos . Motors are running very hot.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

You need your current limit resisters. Are you using the 134 board? Also what do you mean by hot?

133 board.

without a thermometer it is hard to tell. I wouldn't want to hold them very long. Is this normal?

Do you have current limiters in place?

http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3561

Look at these pictures.

In the 133 manual here on page 5 number 9.

http://www.pmdx.com/Doc/PMDX-133_Manual_12.pdf

http://www.geckodrive.com/support/mo...03v-rev-7.html

CURRENT SET RESISTOR

TERMINAL 11 Current Set
Connect the current set resistor to this terminal

TERMINAL 12 Current Set
Connect the other end of the current set resistor to this terminal

This input matches the G203V’s current output to the motor windings. The G203V will accommodate motor winding currents from 0 to 7A. Use the following equation to calculate the value, (in kilo-Ohms) of the current set resistor:
R (in kilo-ohms) = 47 * I / (7 – I) Use the nearest standard value 5% tolerance, 1/4W resistor for this setting.

Here are the current set resistor values for motor current in .5A increments. Round the appropriate answer to the nearest 5% resistor value.

a. 1A – 7.8K
b. 1.5A – 12.8K
c. 2A – 18.8K
d. 2.5A – 26.1K
e. 3A – 35.25K
f. 3.5A – 47K
g. 4A – 62.67K
h. 4.5A – 84.6K
i. 5A – 117.5K
j. 5.5A – 172.33K
k. 6A – 282K
l. 6.5A – 611K
m. 7A – OPEN


MAKE SURE YOUR RESISTOR IS REALLY THE CORRECT SIZE !!

Sometimes you will get the wrong resistor ie 282ohms or 2.83Meg instead of 282K for example.

Thanks Mike.
Ok. So there is a master resistor on the 133 already. I now need to add an individual one for each gecko, correct?

Is this what I should be looking at?http://www.geckodrive.com/resistor-pack.html

Major Success.

Lightbulb came on and realized what we needed to do for the resistors. As an added bonus we had a large selection (1000 or more ) from Digikey that we got at an auction sale a few years ago. Almost threw them away last fall. Anyway the resistors we needed were in the selection. Motors are totally cold now.

Only issue is the x axis motors are turning twice the speed of the y & Z motors in jog mode. I'm sure that too will be resolved.

Just be warned, (from personal experience) if the motors get to hot, they may freeze once they cool never to move again. It cost me purchasing a new set of motors to learn that one, I hope you don't learn it the same way.

Thanks.
They are turning nice and staying cool. The resistors seem to have done the trick.

Trying to identify this part that came in my supplies from Darren Sayler.

Looks like a router holder for the z slide. If it is how do I know if it is the right one for the Milwaukee?

And another question.
Is there an advantage or disadvantage wiring the motors straight to the gecko (134) versus going through a dinblock? I have the dinblocks but is it just another potential fail point?

Just make sure the OD of the router match the ID of the bracket.

Routers are made to a certain preferred diameter... because they're used in conjuctions with other accessories/fittings. And the diameter is published somewhere as it is a very important spec, most important after the motor wattage and max shank size.

You know they say that size matters...

Thanks Tom. I figured that was the case and after posting I did even more research and found out it was but couldn't delete the post. And if it doesn't fit the Milwaukee I found several good options.
Sometimes it's not the size that matters but how well you can operate it.

Hey all you Milwaukee 5625 router owners. Care to share the OD of the motor? I have googled to try and find it but no success.

On a side note just received notification my laser machine is shipping from Melbourne today. Now I will be able to logo our products in house instead of having it done outside.

Exciting times here at Kornerking.

looks identical to my milwaukee holder. I'll measure soon as I get back to shop.

My cheapo dial caliper says 4.158

30 seconds with Google netted me 4.125....

It's a match. Thanks #101
One less item to search out.
I sure am glad I bought that kit from you.
Steel comes in tomorrow and we can get flying.

This link says it's 4.125 (measured by caliper).



edit :

Sorry, didn't read till the end before replying.
Have fun welding the laser cut parts.

Thanks for the link Nikonauts. One more small step in the Mechmate saga.
It's getting pretty simple to find the information needed what with all of the links and pictures. That footpath that Gerald laid down is becoming a super highway for those of us now following.

Me again.
I ordered my angle for the rails in a 2 1/2 x 1 1/2 configuration planning on cutting it down. Today I saw this quote from Gerald in 2008.

The question then becomes if I use the 1 1/2 as is do I need to modify motor mounts?

Second question. I called out for uncut 240" stock but they did like every thing else and cut it in half. 120". This is about what my final length will be but I know I need additional for grinding. I'm thinking I should be able to tack on extensions on each end and then cut to size after they are ground. Am I off base on this?

Pete,
The difference you are going to see is you may not be able to use the larger pinion sizes (35T) and be stuck with a 20T pinion and the motor will hang at an more extreme tilted angle. Additionally, the smaller pinion will affect the top end speed of the machine. If you are using 3:1 gearing or 3.6:1 geared motors - Not a big deal. The 7.2;1 Geared motors will want that 30-35T pinion for good jog speeds.

On the steel Leg height. Ultimately, you are going to loose about 1/16 +/- preparing the stock leg of the angle before you start the VEE grind for a verified uniform rolling surface. This is important due to the fact that the grind skate is a top referenced grind and important to have datum to start from that is near perfect.

In the end, the finished height is close to expected in the plans with you steel choice.

Sean, thanks for the advice.
So you are saying it would be wisest to cut it to the 1.1 inch height then.
Correct?

Cutting starts
 

The obligatory picture of the Mechmate in the rough.

Cutting starts today. Finally.Need to put on a hard push for a few days as we have another monster order coming through today. I want to get it to the point where most of the 2 man work is done. Then one of us can go back into production.

Day 1 is over and the steel is cut up. Loving the revolution cold cut saw.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp3nl5xqgXs

Found a simple way to get those exacting cuts. We use a Tigerstop cutoff saw in our shop so I just cut a blank the length I needed and clamped it to the steel.

Assuming that the rectangle tube is for the gantry, Gerald advised in the drawing that the 2 tubes be clamped together and cut on chopsaw in tandem.

Not that I'm saying you're doing it wrong. Often there are more than 1 correct way to do things.

How does the length of your 2 tubes matching with each other?

and too bad Revolution cold cut saw is not available here. But Bosch and Makita also sell cold cut saw nowadays, very pricey though.

I missed the part about clamping them together but the Tubes are dead nuts on.

Yes the saw is a few bucks more but I like the time it saves. My helper costs me $30.00 an hour so I need to make him productive.

$30/hr. in Big Falls? Holy Cow Mr. Rockefeller....

Ya git what ya pay for. 19 years he has been with me.

Day 2
 

Attachment 15524

Attachment 15525Well things progressed a bit today. Only one owwy.

Tomorrow we will turn it over. Just a few uprights and braces to install.

Here's the booboo.

Sounds like you are making smooth progress.

Ouch !!! Your progress is looking great. I gotta git me one of those saws .....