Now you see it, now you don't!

Telephone box in fron of lot was removed yesterday, demolition should start late this week

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3624504/vall...es-despues.jpg

:)

Yesterday received a 2.2KW spindle +VFD for another project, but Im almost sure this one will end in my MechMate, its too big and heavy for the other machine (8.2Kg)

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3624504/kinkda-spindle.JPG

So did the box come out completely? Or did they lower it into the street?

That probably added a lot of value to that property !!

they moved the box around the corner, they only left a service door at street level that it does not bother me, it can be seen in the photo, previously it was covered by the box.

I agree, the house lot to the left is 10m shorter (8.66x20m) and they ask $10K more than what I paid for mine.

Wow!! 8 Kg son muchos.

El coche de la fotografía, el de la izquierda, es toda una reliquia aquí en España es el Seat 127 De fabricación Española, Aunque creo que también se comercializó el modelo como Fiat.

Al igual pasa por ejemplo en Sudáfrica, se comercializa aún el Volkswagen chico que es un modelo que se comercializó en Europa por los años 80 como Volkswagen Golf.

Un saludo.

aqui se vendio siempre como fiat 147 y luego como fiat spazio.

Yes 8kg the spindle alone, hefty chunk of steel :) To refrigerate it I purchased a 2200L/hour (~600gal/hour) submergible pump at an aquarium store. Im still fighting with the VFD manual to make it work like I want, then I will move onto controlling it with the PC. I have a ton of RS485 tranceivers or maybe I purchase a cnc4pc C6 board, still unsure.

One question for the users of High Speed Spindles, I purchased a 2.2KW+VFD for another project but I will finally going to use for the MM, the spindle when turning does the typical whirling noise but this one also does an extra noise, gritty crackling noise.

I was told this should be gone with some warm up but Im not sure if this is normal or a defect in the bearings. Here is a small video I made: www.peu.net/temp/spindle-noise.avi Can ceramic bearings do this noise? I paid plus for FAG bearings but I don't know if they are ceramic or metallic
Can you guys give me an opinion?

Thanks
PS: If you peek at the background you will see MM lasered parts :D

sound like a bearing problem to me.. move it by hand very slow and try to detect any vibration. sound like dirt on the bearings. typical problem.

Does it make the same sound if you hold the spindle in a normal upright position ?

good question, I will be able to check this later today.

Sounds like the bearings. It could be that they are dry or have old grease in there. If the spindle has sat for a long period of time, getting lube in there from may take some time to slowly warm the spindle up up by running it slow. Either way, you will be getting in there to replace them sooner or later. I would run it in the upright position so if there is any grease in there it will have a chance to spread the lube around.

Good luck.

today I ran it slowly for about an hour and then at 18000RPM for about 4 hours, the noise decreased substantially but its still there, Im not sure if the right thing to do is ask for a replacement or keep it. Will ask for the exact bearing model and research if its common to have that noise.

I agreed with the seller, they will send a new one at half price, they pay shipping and I keep this one as a backup unit, fair solution I think.

On the shopping side of things I already have at my USA friend the following items:

5x gecko 203v
5x parts for castone reductions + 1 extra belt just in case, this includes flanged bearings
1x PMDX 125 + flat cables
1x PMDX 107 spindle speed control

What else should I buy in the states to save money? this question is aimed at overseas MM'ers that have to buy stuff only available in USA.

Pablo,

I didn't look back at your thread, but I had to buy or planning to buy:

- Racks, I bought these in Japan, quality in Ecuador was really bad or 50..150usd/meter
- Pinion, also from Japan (you mentioned you have that...)
- Flexible cables for steppers, I had to use normal 4 core cable, un-shielded
- Cable chain
- Gas-spring
- How odd it may seem, a fully soldered printer cable of some length, you have flatcable already I do read...
- Small form factor computer to run EMC or Mach, so it can be build into the control box (I use a laptop)
- Various bits for your spindle (I can only get HSS here..)
- Transformer to drive your steppers/gecko's (I bought from Antek in the US)
- Proximity sensors, ridiculous expensive here at 150USD each I was told, didn't look further and use micro switches.
- Turbine for a vac system if you are planning to make one instead of buy one.
- Gauge plate, I used a substitute that was straight enough :D
- V Rollers if you don't want to make them (I think you have them though....)
- Good shielded ball barings, I am using normal ball barings, I will just reply more often (they where 1.25 usd each)
- Teflon washers (I am now using some self cut plastic...)


Some items we just didn't look good enough because they where easy to make
Other items we asked around, and decided to substitute, or just leave out.
The above list is just a list of items I wanted to buy here, but bought somewhere else or was not important enough for me to have.

hope it helps.

Thanks Ries!

Today while playing and configuring the VFD (already configured external on/off control and 0-10v speed control) I saw the need of a visual flow indicator. So I made a design that could be machined on 1/4" acrylic using just a 1/8" endmill

Here is an animation of it, tomorrow I will post the gcode for the parts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puKDPkP77Ys

Intake and Outake need to be drilled to desired size after assembly and gluing.

Suggestions are encouraged :)

Here is the G-Code, its in milimeters, also included the DXF if someone wants to modify it a little. Its designed for 1/4" acrylic and a 1/8" cutter.

Here is my 1st try, not as transparent I wished, but I managed to make it visible by burning the acrylic a little:

http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/4456/img6060d.jpg

nice isnt it? well, it does not work :D at least not with my pump pressure, I will make a new one based on this design:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg

Pablo
I don't know why this flowmeter didn't work for your setup but i ordered
this one for mine : http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

You can give it a try or wait till i receive it and test it for you :D

Another try, this one is better, BUT, sometimes the helix does not start to turn...

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/740/flowmeter2.jpg

Check the video I made when I visited Nils (SailFL) at his place in Orlando last week:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D42LLgTdhwk

On the building side of things, now I have the electronics to build the control box and also the belt and pulleys for the reductions. I have to check with the stepper motors dealer but they should be here too.
After seeing Nils control box I will source a bigger one and start working

:)

Pablo,
Control box is never too big. No matter how big it gets, you will alway have space to stow them away by the MM. Go for the biggest you can find you will never regret this..

Pablo,

Thanks for taking and posting the video. Very nice job.

Yes, you can never have a large enough control box. For those in the USA, I purchased mine from FactoryMation, Part #: SCE-30EL2008LP, it is 30" H, 20" W and 8" Deep.

Nice flow meter, Pablo.

Finished it Nils:

Routed the borders both sides, then sprayed black and radioactive yellow/green. On the standing side sprayed grippex spray (grip spray by mmp) and then a couple of layers of transparent coating.

http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/1521/img0039ys.jpg

On the bottom I CNC'ed a stencil with my initials :)

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/9656/img0038wv.jpg


I like it :D

Now we need a photo of you riding that board

Pablo,

Looks great but the second photo is not showing. Thanks for posting the photos.

How long do you think it will look that good?

The next one lets cut a design into the surface and epoxy with colored resign.

Here is second photo reuploaded, I'm sure this week end even with almost 0C temperature we will go someplace to test it with my son and I will snap a picture of me on top of it :D

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/7013/img0038hc.jpg

Nils, Im not sure, I was generous with the coatings, only time will tell.

Pablo,

Looks great.

After seeing Nils Control box I discarded the idea of using the one I got for free, yesterday I purchased an IP65 Box of 45x75x16cm (17.7 x 29.5 x 6.3in) I can dance insede of it if I leave it flat on the floor :D

So far I added to my previous purchases:

1x Control Box
5x gecko 203v
5x pulleys/belts for Castone reductions
10x Lip bearings for reductions
5x lasercut parts for reductions (5x inside and 5x outside)
1x PMDX 125 BoB
1x PMDX 107 spindle speed control
20x bearings for grinding skate and other purposes
75x DIN rail connectors in five different assorted colors
5x 4mm NPN NO open proximity sensors
5x 9802 Motion King Motors

The reason for going 5X for critical parts is "just in case sh!t happens" being 10000km away from the replacements makes me nervous, so the extra unit is for peace of mind :)

On the Shop construction, there in not much to be shown, very few advances sadly :(


Pablo

3rd time I nailed it, the flow indicator works like a charm, instead of using a propeller I used small plastic balls, please don't laugh, the ones that small kids use for making toy necklaces :D :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCS4V-xS7RM

inside the circular pocket there is an extra groove with the form of a curl that helps make some turbulence around the pocket.

Acrylic is sealed with a small amount of silicone, I will make a few more of these, but next time I will use an oring instead of silicone.


This one is part of a mod I did for the machines I sell.

Reminds me of the ones they use on gas pumps in the US! Nicely done!

Continuing from this post about the microwave transformer.
http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2956

Quote was 250 pesos/USD62 (copper wire+labor)for a complete rework of the transformer, the guy will remove the primary also and keep only the lamination, I asked 34v20a 9v2a and 4v2a to get 48,12 and 5vdc, based on the preliminary calculations he did, maybe I can realistically get 34v18a.

When I receive it I will have all my ducks in a row:

transformer+capacitor+diode bridge=power supply
PMDX125
5x gecko
5x motors
contactor
din rails
din connectors in assorted colors
slotted cable guides
meters of 1.5mm cable in assorted colors
proximity sensors

I don't have the door switch but it wont stop me to finally do my control box.

:)

Pablo,

While you got nothing to do while your MM cuts, you can watch the little balls go around. Almost as good as TV these days.

Better :D

Pablo
Greetings I have been following your progress. Here, (east coast of USA), one can buy out-of-service marine containers, 8' x 8' x 40' water tight, steel etc. for. less than $4000.00 US. If allowed, you could stack these 10 high! Somebody is shipping these to China, turning them into apartments, shipping back to England, stacking up as apartment building! Crazy!

Be very careful with your building foundations, especially if you are still thinking basement. Your neighbors all look like they have masonry walls. Here, any little crack brings out the lawyers. I hope you find buried Inca gold and loose diamonds once you start construction.
http://www.coronadomobilestorage.com...ners-for-sale/

Pablo!
I wanted to make sure you know I was suggesting you use the marine containers for your shop, Not for control box! Containers are 8' x 8', 8' x 10', 10', 20' 40' long, maybe even refrigerated. Most of the load is carried in the corners, you can put doors and windows through the walls if you have a torch. http://www.archicentral.com/12-conta...m-kalkin-7881/

There are plenty of these containers here, but I will build a proper shop :)

Started with the power supply, the guy that was going to rewind my microwave transformer suggested me that for $10 more (for a total of 300 pesos/ $75) he can build a new transformer from scratch, so thats what I got now: primaries for 210/220/230v and secondaries 24/9.5/4

the idea of having 3 primaries is that I can increase/lower the output if I use 210v or 230v (powerline here is 220v)

Here is my ghetto testing of the transformer, my aim was 48v, so Im pretty happy with 47v (tested without load)

Off topic, I attempted to measure with a digital caliper while the transformer was powered and when I aproached it the caliper began to oscilate/vibrate and I was about one inch away, tried other metals and that did not happen, weird and funny fact.

Now I have a question for MMers with finished control boxes, why the transformer is always on the top side? This thing weights 7kg (15lbs) my common sense says it would be better sitting it on the lower part of the cabinet. The reason is heat?

Thanks

My choice for using the top was I wanted to keep the connnections for the mains and the drivers at the bottom. Thus, easier to route short wires to the terminal strips on the bottom than more wires in the cabinet up the sides.

Heat really isn't an issue with the transformer.

Sean

Pablo,

that looks like a much better price then the toroid for 170USD, my quote for a transformer here in Ecuador was 130USD + tax.

your 47V will drop a bit with load, but nothing to be concerned of.

I agree with Sean, mostly you need the bottom for all cables and indeed heat is not a issue with transformers, if yours get warm/hot like mine transformer did (build in Ecuador) then it's not a good one and you need to return it.

Connect some light bulbs as dummy load & you can measure the loaded voltage. I recon series up a few light bulbs of ~300W total should do the trick.

A parallel combination would load the transformer better. If they are 120V bulbs. :)

Got my remaining capacitors and also locally found the cabinet switch, not ensto, the brand is Zoloda.

Im trying to settle on a layout, so far this is my choice:

http://a.imageshack.us/img148/1016/img1104h.jpg

The drivers are in two rows, the row of three is elevated at about the top level of the row of two.

I need to make a PCB for the multipower supply (48vdc/12vdc and 5vdc) to hold the caps and the regulators for 12 and 5v. Im thinking of adding a thermal switch before the door switch.

Suggestions are welcome :)