The baby beast is cutting away - Peurto Ordaz, Venezuela

[Hugo Carradini]

(Note added by Admin: "My table is for boards 1.200mm*2.400mm, official measure of MDF in my country.")

Hello. My name is Hugo Carradini and I am a metal sculptor that was trying to get a small machine to cut stainless steal and find out a forum called CNC Zone that trapped me. Since I find out that I could do a CNC machine (that was a year and a half ago) I just can't stop thinking any other thing that is not related to CNC.

I started with a small wood machine for cutting wood and plastics just to learn the basics, then I draw my own design using metal frame that you can see in http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23649 and know I am ready to start with a big man toy. I forgot the plasma for a while because I want to learn the basics and is, I think, easier the electronics for a router machine.

My partner is an architect that owns a wood shop so there is plenty of work to do. I am the kind of person that finishes what I start so hope to be posting soon and hope to get when needed the help that you people can give. Thanks Gerald for this great opportunity and hope to end up with a machine I can proudly show.

English is not my native language so excuse me for any mistake.

Regards
Hugo Carradini

[Hugo Carradini]

OK Gerald. I just started, asking for the laser kits. I will be sending photos of all my process as son as I start. I will be slow for the next month because I am moving my Shop and that is a lotttttttt of work but my heart is in this machine and I need it to come alive.

[Gerald_D]

Hugo, your profile here has a link to your Vitrales website (http://www.vitrales.com.ve/) - but it appears to be broken? Does that website still work?

[Hugo Carradini]

I have some body taking care of that website and apparently forgot to reactivate it . (I recognize not having experience handling a web page)If the problem keeps I will have designed a new one and is a shame because it is a nice page.

[Hugo Carradini]

OK. I will take care. Talking about Mcmaster, I have a problem. I wanted to buy the cable carrier, the spring and the gas spring. They receive the order , send a e-mail confirmation notice an at the next day this
Hugo,

Thank you for sending us this order. Due to the ever-increasing complexity of U.S. Export regulations, McMaster-Carr has decided to only accept orders from a few, long-established customers of ours overseas. We cannot accept your order, and regret any inconvenience this causes you.



Kris

I don't want to speculate, sow I will like to know is there is a way I can pay some one to buy my stuff and have it send to mi address in Miami.
Or maybe another address where I can buy the gas spring and the cable carrier.
Thanks
Hugo Carradini

[reza forushani]

let me know what you need

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello reza.
I need from McMaster:
4516T283 Open Feed-Through Style Cable & Hose Carrier 1.38" H X 3.66" W Overall Sz, 3.94" Bend
Radius, 6'L 2 sets

4556T582 Mounting Bracket for Cable and Hose Carrier Open Style, 1.38" H X 3.66" W Overall
2 sets
9654K324 Steel Extension Spring 4-1/8" Length, 9/16" OD, .08" Wire 1 set

9416K181 Gas Spring with Threaded Ends 20 Force, 18.22" Extended Length, 7.87" Stroke
1 set
9416K95 M6-Thread Assortment
1 set

I can pay you with Visa or MasterdCard and once you registered it you can send it to my courier.
I will really appreciate if you can help me.
Thanks

[reza forushani]

sURE. nO PROBLEM. Send me email with your info
reza(at)tuliphomes(dot)com

[Hugo Carradini]

reza ¿Can you indicate me and address where I can buy on line my cables and all the surplus like contactors, e-stop buttons, relays etc? I guess there are so many that that at the end I finish all confused and when English is not your native language, well......
Thanks again

[reza forushani]

I got some stuff at www.factorymation.com (http://www.factorymation.com)

[Gerald_D]

Was factorymation happy to sell small quantities? (Like the DIN rail and brackets)

[reza forushani]

I did not have any problems. They don't have the wires. I had to get these from other prices at a very high price.

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello friends.
I got confirmation and UPS tracking numbers in almost all the electronics including motors needed for my project. I am having problems with the Geckos (send two mails and no answer yet) and the cables. I need and address to buy on line, the cables, before a have to bother Reza that kindly is helping me with the McMaster stuff and the racks.
The laser cut parts will be send by Donald.
Hope you guys understand that some times is difficult for me to get the things I need (every thing has to be imported)and language is a barrier to understand exactly what has to be done.
But I love this project and I am decided to do it right.
Thanks to all

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald and friends.
Here goes the first post of my process "kitchen" project.
Don't be to critic with the holes for the fan "I know there is no excuse, will be fix soon"
One problem I have is that we are suppose, in my country, to work with 110 volts but we really get is 120 volts so my transformer is giving me 12.8 volts instead of 9 volts. ¿Can I work with that voltage or do I have to low it down to 9 volt?
Thanks for the comments.

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[Hugo Carradini]

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[Bob Cole]

Hugo:
It looks like you are having "SOME FUN" putting your electronics together.. A GREAT looking job so far. I am sure that Gerald will be proud of your accomplishments.

[Bill McGuire]

Looks nice, Hugo.
Does Venezuela run on 60 cycle or 50 cycle power? Just curious...

[Hugo Carradini]

You are right Bob, a "LOT OF FUN"
Bill we run 60 cycle.
Thank both for your comentaries

[DocTanner]

Hugo,
Very tidy workmanship. Great job!

I think you will find the fan will not be necessary.
I too started out with a fan and found out they are an unwanted source of dust infiltration.
I leave mine on for days at a time.
There has been no heating problems.


DocTanner

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello friends.
Thanks Doc. I think we use the same reducer on our motors , so I will need some advice on the best relation for the pinions.
While we wait Gerald gets back I need to inform got a new problem. I connect the transformer to make a test but won?t give me a lecture. It is like dead. I think will have to take to a technician to check. The other problem is about the 9 volts that I am not receiving from my small transformer. Like I said before, instead of 110 volts we get 120 volts and the transformer gives me 12.9 volts. ¿Will this affect my card? ¿Can I work with that voltage or do I have to take to 9 volts?
Thanks for the advice you guys can give me and hoping Gerald get back with his characteristic enthusiasm.
Hugo Carradini

[DocTanner]

Hugo,
You are correct, Gerald does use a fan on his.
But I vented mine to the outside. This created my dust problem.
I don't always follow instructions well. http://www.mechmate.com/Forum/clipart/happy.gif
One thing about it, if you follow his plans to the letter, it will work!

DocTanner

[Mike Richards]

Hugo, I use a 12VDC transformer with my PMDX-122 without any problem. The PMDX uses a 7805 voltage regulator to reduce the voltage to 5VDC on the board. The regulator has to drop the excessive voltage in the form of heat, so the higher the voltage that you supply to the card, the more heat is produced. I've often left my PMDX powered on for several days on my test bench without any heat problems. If something drastic happened and somehow the 7805 regulator burned up, you could replace it for about $1.00 and two or three minutes with a soldering iron.

The 7805 needs to have a little excessive voltage in order to work. Normally, when I'm building a process control computer, I use a 6VAC transformer through a bridge rectifier to produce about 9VDC that I feed to the 7805 voltage regulator. I think that the designer of the PMDX used the same rule-of-thumb when he specified 9V.

You've got a really nice layout! All of the work looks professional.

It's hard to trouble-shoot electronics on a forum, but there are a few things that I always check. First, I find where the power stops, meaning that I check power at the output of the 'disconnect' switch, then I check power at the output of the 'contactor', and then at both the input and the output of the transformer. Next, I check power going into the PMDX-8020 power supply and power coming out of the power supply. Anyway, you get the idea. If you can tell us what has power and where the power stops, we might be able to give you some hints. Just one quick question. How do you turn on your 'contactor'? In the photos I didn't see any wires leading to any switches. I just assumed that you did that wiring after you took the photos. I also assumed that you wired the steppers to the G203s after you took the photos.

Can you also tell us exactly how you wired the outputs on the toroid transformer? When I first connected a toroid, I connected the outputs wrong so that one winding actually nulled out the other winding. No harm was done, but I stood there scratching my head for a few minutes wondering what had happened.

-Mike

[Robert Masson]

Congratulation for your efforts !
Neat & clean!. The bar is getting higher in the quality built dept.
It gives me more & more the twitch to go ahead with my built.
Keep up the good work & hopping to see more of your built !
Amicalement,
Robert

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello friends.
Thanks for all your comments, they keep me stimulated to do my best.
Mike I will post next week the rest of my connections after I take this weekend off. What I did with the transformer was connecting directly 120 volt to the input 2x115 VAC BLK/WTH and BRN/ORN and make a lecture in the output RED/YEL and BLU/GRY (like the label in the transformer says about the cables connection) but would not show nothing.
I guess that if every thing was OK I should have a lecture. Yes, I cheked that I had 120 volts in the input.
Hugo C.

[Gerald_D]

Hugo, I cannot see your pictures on this stupid hotel's "internet". . . . .

Already I wrote something about the high voltage for the PMDX, but I cannot use Search here either. I think that 12V is okay. Check if the " heatsink" on the PMDX to feel if it gets too hot to touch. (this was the advice from the PMDX company)

[Gerald_D]

Hugo, I can see your pictures now, and I agree with everyone else that you have nice workmanship.

But I think there is a big problem with the size.....

If that main (back) plate fits exactly into the box, then you have positioned the components too near to the edges of the plate. There is no space for the cables/wires on the edges. For example, how will the printer cable get to the the PMDX-122? (That cable has a big connector).

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald.
I made a mistake with the back plate and have it cut 50 mm smaller in the length than the original design. That?s why things are a little to close each other. Beside that, I have 50 mm free around all the box and the plate. I will be sending you new pictures of close up of the connections. Hope you are having a nice time in your travel,
Regards
Hugo Carradini

[Gerald_D]

Hi Hugo, got home just after midnight this morning. Glad to hear you have space all around inside the box. Here (http://www.mechmate.com/Forum/show.cgi?tpc=832&post=3873#POST3873) is the proper answer for the transformer voltage.

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald. All I want to share with you and the rest of friends (while you get this forum strait out), is that my motors are moving beautifully. I know you need good news now and hope this are good news for you.
Regards

[Admin]

I really like good news like this! :)

Thanks!

[Hugo Carradini]

Gerald I fix my steps in Mach fallowing your formula. Motors move sow quiet that I am surprised, just a little buzz and a nice warm on the surface off the motors and I can run a G-code with the x slave motor running synchronized. Now I started to add the rest of the connections . I installed the SSR to a bulb and to the PMDX-122. When I turn the main switch the bulb starts simultaneously. I thought that the bulb should not light on before the PMDX-122 authorized it unless I made a wrong connection (99.75 % possibilities thats the reason) I know you said did not had experience with that device , but normally you always end with the appropriate answer.
There goes some pictures of what I did.

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[Gerald D]

Regarding your relay.....let us forget about it first! :)

The first thing to check is whether the green "output" LED's (lights) on the PMDX-122 are working correctly, according to the commands from Mach3?

Then you can check whether the relay is corresponding to the output of the PMDX-122. If your relay is "opposite" to that output (ON when PMDX is OFF and vice versa), then go to Mach3 Ports & Pins and change the Active High/Low setting for that pin.

[Hugo Carradini]

Gerald I install Pause and Resume and are working nice. This is looking better every new day. Will start welding Y gantry tomorrow.
Thanks amigo.

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald and friends. I finished installing my electronic basics and every thing runs fine. Router under control and basics directions like pause, resume and e-stop all sow. Been running programs for the last 5 hrs with no problem. Commands will work correctly all the time.
Thanks Gerald. It is an honor to be guide by you.

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[Gerald D]

All good news!

1. Can you tell us why your router relay was not working correctly the first time?

2. We find that the Pause button has a reaction time that is too slow. I have discussed it on the Mach forums and for a long time they all said it cannot be changed. (See some more in this forum (http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220)) But they are beginning to understand why the router people want a quicker pause than the people cutting metal. Some day soon we will have a good "Pause" from Mach. We can discuss this in the other thread.

3. You have used very thick wires between the Gecko's and the PMDX-122. The current carried there is tiny and very thin wire is sufficient. However, when currents in wires are very small, then they pick up interference very easily. I actually used screened cable for that short distance. It is also a good idea to keep those wires/cables as far away as possible from heavy current wires (steppers & power supply) - especially do not tie the signal wires to the power wires in a tight parallel bundle. I think you have that danger with that other PMDX board that you are using.

[Hugo Carradini]

1. Gerald the problem was that I had not checked correctly the out put. (I guess I was waiting it to work automatically:o) so now I understand la lot better how the inputs and out put work. Same for the pause and resume.

3. Those are cables I had around and use just to connect the system momentary. I will use similar screened cables recommended by you as soon I import them. I will take care to separate the signal and the power cables.

Hope to start welding this afternoon.
Regards

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald and friends.
I went shopping for my steel and could not find the exact dimension according to the drawings.
For the rail they had 650*50 or 650*70 ¿Recommendation?
For 10 20 440 instead of 100*50 they have 100*40 ¿Problem in strength and assembling?
Thanks for your help

[Gerald D]

Hi Hugo

Saturdays are not good for steel shopping here - all the big stockists only work for 5 days in the week, Monday to Friday.

The "rails" you speak about, 650mm long by 50 (or 70) wide are confusing me. Have you got a part number please?

The tubes 10 20 440......If your Y dimension is relatively short, we can force some things in the design to accept the 100*40 tubes, but it won't be pretty. The biggest problem will be the connection to part 10 20 454. There will be a 5mm gap on each side.

Suggest you ask the steel supplier if they can order 100*50 for you. It might take a week to arrive, but it will be easier to work with.

[Hugo Carradini]

Gerald sorry for not been careful writing. The option I got for the rails is 65mm*65mm*5mm or 65mm*65mm*7mm.
We don't have many options around here.
I will keep searching for my 10 20 440 100mm*50mm tube. My table is for boards 1.200mm*3.400mm, official measure of MDF in my country.
Thanks

[Marc Shlaes]

MDF is 3.4 meters long in Venezuela! Wow! That would be useful. How heavy is it? Must be hard to carry.

[Hugo Carradini]

Sorry Marc, thinking in Spanish and converting to English is confusing some times:o
MDF is 1.200*2.400

[Gerald D]

Hugo, both the 5mm and 7mm will be okay for you. I think if I had that choice, I would choose the 5mm. Have you already got a digital caliper (http://images.google.com/images?um=1&tab=wi&q=Digital%20caliper)? Can you measure the angle iron? I am suspicious of that 7mm - it is completely unusual.

If your Y axis is only for 1200mm boards, then I think 100x40 is okay. Maybe make a few more phone calls in the week to find 100x50? Can you get 2mm thick walls?

[Marc Shlaes]

Hugo,

Too bad, I thought that would be GREAT. Oh well. I know the translation issues. I travel all over the world for business. Seems like you do very well to me.

Buenos Tardes!

Marc

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald and friends. I got my 100*50*2 (they are not so common out here) and also the 65mm angle 6mm thick (Gerald I confirm there is a 65mm x 65mm x 7mm angle) I also got a nice place in a friends factory to continue building my machine so I am moving there next Monday. I got a nice deal with my pinions and my angles will be ready next week. There are no CNC machines around so I am having good deals because people wants to see it finish. Well friends I had to say something to keep calm while the time to move and keep going arrives.:D
Regards
Hugo Carradini

[Gerald D]

Maybe I must also come to see it! . . . . . . . . :)

From Wikipedia:
"Puerto Ordaz is a planned city which, together with the older settlement of San Felix, forms Ciudad Guayana (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciudad_Guayana) in Bolívar State (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bol%C3%ADvar_State), eastern Venezuela (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuela). Puerto Ordaz is located at the confluence of the Caroní (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caron%C3%AD_River) and Orinoco (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orinoco) Rivers and is the site of the Llovizna (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llovizna) Falls. There are bridges across the Caroni and a new bridge across the Orinoco (Second Orinoco crossing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Orinoco_crossing)).
It is one of Venezuela's largest cities and is the base for large iron and steelworks and aluminium industries. The city has a large hydroelectric power plant, Macagua (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Macagua&action=edit). Due to its planned nature, the city has a drastically different feel to it than many other South American cities. Many of its residential neighboorhoods have architecture and landscaping that are similar to suburbs in the United States in the 1950's, including 'cookie cutter' homes, sidewalks, and patterned lawns."

[Hugo Carradini]

Ajaaaa. Well I hope you understand that planing a trip down here is a must, so start planing. You already have a place to stay, good meals and a new friend, more when I got some plans;)..... for the near future.
Regards
Hugo Carradini
P.D. ¿Can you believe there is no CNC machines down here? The most they have are pantograph's . Only CNC in very few mills and turners that costs and eye if you want something done.:eek:

[Gerald D]

Hugo, when you received your laser cut plates, you must have realised the power and economy of CNC. Accurate, low-cost cutting.

We are in the digital age for commerce, design, photography, communications, art and it is completely logical that factory production becomes digital.

However, people change their habits slowly. When your machine is ready and running, you still have to teach your customers what this machine can do for them....this is the most difficult part of the project!

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald and friends. Like I said before I am fixing a place to work comfortableness and if I get certificated, I hope will be a Mechmate home in Venezuela. Having machined parts made here are very slow because there is a lot of work and not sufficient shops.
Here are some pictures of my new working area (the place is owned by a close friend with no rent for the first year:D) and some machines I can use any time I need. (yes I know is OK to have good friends)

[Hugo Carradini]

This is the area I am fixing and getting organized, fixed and painted. The trailer will be use, half as deposit for miscellaneous and half with air conditioned for assembling and storing electronics parts and a place for taking a café once a wile (it can be pretty hot some times up here) and some parts that I have been working out. I am missing the rails (found a shop that have a big milling machine that can make the rails in three steps with out moving the angle)I will get them next week, all sow the four pinions will be ready next week. Still looking for the gas lift.

[Hugo Carradini]

Some work coming out

[Marc Shlaes]

Looks like Hugo got the color right! Art... Just kidding!:D

[Gerald D]

Nice to see the progress Hugo!

In that last picture, did you grind the welds away? Good welds should not be ground at all - the people doing the grinding get tired and they grind the metal on the sides of the weld. Therefore the joint becomes weaker after the grinding.

[Hugo Carradini]

Thanks Gerald. No more grinding.

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald and friends. Some post of my progress. I will be painting again at the end so I can get a nice coated. The reason I am going so slow is that my pinions and my angle rails are not done yet.:mad: I got a good deal but had to wait a while they finish other jobs. The table is very rigid and square.
Every thing is coming out nicely.I hope to get it moving at the end of this month. Gerald, definitely you are a great designer and a generous man. I really like this baby.
Thanks:)
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[J.R. Hatcher]

Hugo your machine is looking great. And I would almost kill for your workspace. Way to go!!:)

[Hugo Carradini]

J.R . Like I said before, your machine is very inspiring because of the good workmanship so I really appreciate your comments.:)
Thanks

[Greg J]

Hugo,

Looking Good !! Your beast is also an inspiration.

I'm right behind you and should have some pictures of my table in a couple of weeks or so.

Greg

[Gerald D]

Some lovely steel!

Drawing 10 20 454 D has a purpose - it happens before welding & painting. ;)

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald and friends. I want to get some new machinery for my shop and would like some help. I cut my 160mm beam with oxy-cut and I want a better cut. Those beams are uncomfortable to handle. ¿What would be the best option? I use stick Welder. I haven't use a MIG welder before. ¿Is it worsts to get one?
Thanks in advance for the help.
By the way I put together my gantry to the table and was fantastic the way it slide . Smooth and rigid.:)

[Greg J]

Hugo,

This is what I'm using (the circular saw) to cut all my steel. Works great, the cuts are all clean, straight and the steel is cold after the cut. Makes correcting measurement mistakes almost easy :rolleyes:

http://www.steelmax.com/home.htm

Greg

[Greg J]

Hugo,

Just got home and ran to the shop. I cut this channel like butter. The blade seems to be holding up, not that I've cut that much to date (friends say the blades last a long time)

Also, I'm using a little wire feed welder (mig). In my opinion, nothing is easier than a mig welder.

Greg

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[Gerald D]

Hugo, if I look at your workshop (with a lot of ventilation) then a MIG welder will not work for you when there is a little wind. For outdoor use the stick welder is the best. The mig also needs a special expensive gas that might not be easy to get where you live. (When you work in wind, the gas blows away and the weld is full of holes).

The MIG makes a fast clean weld, but it is not a high-strength weld. When factories need to make special welds they still mostly use the stick. (There are other types of welding as well, but for you the choice lies between stick and mig - the rest are too specialised). People will say that the mig has less distortion, but that is because they are making a weaker weld with less heat penetration. The MechMate however does not need any special high-strength welds. Our machines were welded with mig and it will be my natural first choice again - but our factory does not have wind inside :).

For a workshop that must cut lots of steel flats/pipes/angles/beams my first choice is a horizontal bandsaw. They are quiet, easy to use, and blades last a long time. To cut the big beams at an angle you need quite a big saw. If my bandsaw was not big enough for those beams, I would cut them with a grinder with a very thin disk.

[J.R. Hatcher]

Greg where did you get the blade and how much are they. It sounds like the best thing since sliced bread. I went to the web site and did some reading.

[Greg J]

J.R.

I bought it thru Lawson Products. Since then, our local weld shop sells them and they are cheaper. I haven't needed another blade, but they sell around $38 USD.

I also think other manufactures are making these saws.

I have an abrasive (big black wheel) chop saw. I don't use it anymore. Its noisy, takes about 3 times as long to make a cut, and the cut is hot, so you have to wait or cool it off to handle.

Greg

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald and Greg. :) The ventilation is under control if I need to. We have Argon gas with no problem. I was thinking in a chop saw with metal blade but now that Greg says he cuts ease with a circular saw........ ¿Is it that ease to cut with a circular saw? I never use one before except for wood . I look days ago for circular blade in MSC and the prices where around 159 MSC #: 48535322 and $ 203 MSC #: 01913615 and $274 for a Milwaukee 14" chop saw MSC #04437885. I was already thinking this was my best choice , but wanted to confirm wit all you "tools lovers". $38 sound very cheap. If you guys can check and suggest something else or more adequate I would not mind at all. (I know MSC is not the cheapest but I have a nice experience with them so I tried to buy all trout them).
There goes some new post. The pinion was made here in my town and the rails also . This big "baby beast" is going to be roooooaming very soon.:D
I think I got to excited sending pictures that I almost run out of capacity in the forum sow I will keep what is left for my machine finished.:o
Regards to all.

[Greg J]

Hugo,

Just to be clear. You can not change out a wood cutting blade with a steel cutting blade on a wood cutting circular saw. The steel cutting saw rotates at a slower RPM.

The circular saw is very easy to operate. I'll cut my 45 degree's on the big channels this weekend. I'll also cut my support channels too. I can post pictures if that will help.

Greg

[Gerald D]

Greg, what is the correct speed for that metal saw blade? I get the impression that people just want to buy a blade to fit into their chopsaws. That could be fatal if the speed is too high.

Edit to add that you posted while I was typing. :)

[Gerald D]

Hugo, with respect, that pinion and rack look rough. Let us hope that it runs smooth.

I will try to increase the photo limit.

[Greg J]

Gerald,

The circular saw I'm using has a 7.25 inch diameter blade. It rotates at 3500 RPM.

From the steel max web site, the 9.0 inch diameter rotates at 2700 RPM. The 14.0 inch diameter blade rotates at 1450 RPM.

The steel max web site says that their saw has better gears and is made for the different stress of cutting metal. So I don't think someone could (if possible) just adjust the rotational speed of a wood cutting saw.

Now that I think about it, didn't you use your table saw (with a carbide blade) to cut the rails?

Greg

[Gerald D]

I used the table saw with a grinding disk (not with teeth/carbide) for the Z-slide. But I did watch the speed limitations very carefully.

[Hugo Carradini]

Gerald pinions where the only part I could not get imported. I agree with you, dint look very clean cut but I tried them with my hands over the rail and run with no effort :D ¿How can I tell if there is something wrong with the pinions when they start to run so I proceed to change them? Reza got the rails for me (don't know what happened with him, never talk again) I found www.smallparts.com that I will tried . If any one can send me addresses for rack and pinion to check if I can import I will appreciate.
Greg I guess we all like photos so don't stop please:o .

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald.
Here are some post of the progress. I made a variation on watt you suggest for the spring so it wont change much the original design. Hope you like it. It works nice and is very discrete. Hope to have the machine moving on Saturday. I have a new problem.:confused: I got 100 foot of cable for the motors and if I want to put the control box out side the machine like the original desing, with space to move arround, the cables are not long enough, so I am building the control box in a side of the table . I will post some pictures tomorrow.
Regards.

[Marc Shlaes]

Hugo, VERY NICE!

Great job. :rolleyes::):cool:

[Doug_Ford]

Hugo,

It looks beautiful. Great job.

[J.R. Hatcher]

I think you are as ready to see yours make a cut as I am mine. Your machine looks great.

[Gerald D]

Hi Hugo

Some good ideas there!

Your plastic cable chains are a bit "unusual":

- They bend to a smaller diameter than the what I have seen before. Who is the supplier and part number?

- You run the cable chains in the opposite direction to what is on the drawing. Have you considered where is the "front" of your machine, and have you got the cable chains at the back? Or do you want to show the chains in the front?

[Greg J]

Hugo,

Nice work !! I'm jealous of you and the others who are getting theirs assembled.

Thanks for posting pictures and the progress updates. You can't believe how much it helps.

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald and friends.
Thanks guys for all your kind comments. Some extra pictures.
Gerald the chain track is from Igus. I buy in MSC http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/GSDRVSM?PACACHE=000000029449345 and http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/GSDRVSM?PACACHE=000000029449707 .
Yes, you are right.:o I was so exited about the cable track, the cables and the idea that the "moment" was getting closer that stop thinking and that is the result. Any way, this will be my learning machine (I have welded and unwelded, painted and repainted many times that I will just leave it that way for the moment) . I am committed to have the "beast" cutting on Monday.;)
I was concerned:confused: about how to install a simple and efficient limit switch and end up with what is on the post. One switch will work fine on each axis. What I did wrong was setting the limits to close to the ends stop. I will move the limits to 10mm after the limits of the MDF board so that will give the motor a decent space before they stop and crash the bumpers. I hope to be doing the right thing and wait for your commentaries . I hope to start installing the control box and the cables connection in the next half hour, so I will be like in paradise for the rest of the day.:)

[Gerald D]

Is your spider plate (10 40 432) 4mm thick? It looks thin - maybe 2.5mm?

I think that limit switch will be a problem when there is a lot of wood lying around. Realise that some wood pieces are actually quite big - bigger than "dust".

That photo from the bottom of the router is interesting. It shows perfectly the air exhaust from the router's (noisy) fan. That exhaust air blows the dust from the cutter up into the air. Here (http://www.mechmate.com/Forum/messages/2/119.html) are some ideas for a MUCH cleaner workshop.

[J.R. Hatcher]

The spider plate is 3mm (1/8") thick, if it's one that came from Donald.

[Hugo Carradini]

Back from paradise.
Like J.R says is a 3mm plate.
I think you are right about the particles and the contact switch. ¿Any idea? The router I am using is a MaKita , small for the Mechmate. I will get a Spindles but first I got to get some air. Thanks for the tip in the vent system. Now I am concerned in a dust aspirator.:confused: It would be nice to see a standard solution for the Mechmate to keep the nice design.:o I know it sounds like we wanted every thing done for us but, you are a better designer .:)
Regards

[Hugo Carradini]

Gerald I am still deeply impressed. I started Saturday night connecting the computer and starting the machine and every thing went perfect. I agree with Fabrica when he said it was nice looking these machine move. It move very soft, no noise, just great. I guess I was to excited Saturday night but when you spend almost four years experimenting, learning, having disappoints, straiting again, a wife around that don't understand why spending so much money for a "toy" and finally thanks to some one who is not an egoistic man and show a way to complete a dream, suddenly you realize that in front of you is a nice and practical machine that works, you feel a deep respect. Thanks Gerald , thank you very much.:)
I am posting how I end up with the control box and will start to adjust the settings in Mach3 (I did some joggings and they went out nice) The pinions run very smooth over the rails and there is no apparent backlash.

[Gerald D]

I am happy because you are happy! :)

As you can see, it is not a hobby machine. It is a machine for production, to earn money, to pay for itself.

But, the first thing to do is to make something beautiful for your wife! :)

[Alan_c]

Well done Hugo

It looks very good - great inspiration

Alan

[Greg J]

Hugo,

Looking good !!! I can only imagine what it must feel like to watch it come alive.

I hope Gerald is right when he says "It is a machine for production, to earn money, to pay for itself." I plan on putting this to the test :)

[Hugo Carradini]

Gerald I just finish connecting the rest of the cables. I went to the axis setting and told in setting axis to run 10 mm . It run 250 mm so I told the machine it run 250mm and the machine made the adjustment . Then I told again for checking to run 1000 mm and run 1000 mm exactly. The same with the other axis. The problem is that it runs to slow . When I jog it moves nicely but running a program in the air goes very slow. The other problem is that wen I jog the X axis and I stop it stops quickly , but axis Y wont stop the same, will run about 250 mm extra before it stops.
I was looking for setting the motors but the forum has grown so much that I cant find the formulas I remember seen before. I set the machine parameters in mm .
I have not got home yet so I will send the Igus information tomorrow.

[javeria]

Gerald I just finish connecting the rest of the cables. I went to the axis setting and told in setting axis to run 10 mm . It run 250 mm so I told the machine it run 250mm and the machine made the adjustment . Then I told again for checking to run 1000 mm and run 1000 mm exactly. The same with the other axis. The problem is that it runs to slow . When I jog it moves nicely but running a program in the air goes very slow. The other problem is that wen I jog the X axis and I stop it stops quickly , but axis Y wont stop the same, will run about 250 mm extra before it stops.
I was looking for setting the motors but the forum has grown so much that I cant find the formulas I remember seen before. I set the machine parameters in mm .
I have not got home yet so I will send the Igus information tomorrow.

Hugo,

I believe that all these problems are the so called "birth pangs" I have seen a dozen of the builders face it, I remember on Fabrica's macing the issue with artcam setting, some where some thing , but you will be able to iron out suff soon and have production. I know of people in bangalore who got the chinese woodpecker machines on which there is no Z 0 anywhere and they took 6 months to just understand and start work on them, but now after 2 years it almost 6 times ROI for them. So ALL THE BEST FOR YOU!

Once my servo machine is up and running I wannna bulid a mechmate soon!

Regards
IRfan

[Doug_Ford]

You control box mounted on the table looks great and a side benefit is that your expensive cables are protected. I've been worrying that mine might get cut laying on the floor when I get around to buying them so I was planning on encasing them in rigid conduit. I might consider a table mount also.

[Gerald D]

You can save a lot of expensive cable with a table-mounted control box. But that is totally the worst place for dust. (Those push-buttons facing to the top will get clogged up quickly). You could put the control box on the table, but bring the controls and indicators to a cleaner, more convenient point. The wires to the controls and indicators are inexpensive.

Also realise that you must get a "printer" cable to run from your PC to the control box. These printer cables give problems when they get too long, and the long ones are becoming more difficult to find. (Printers are now mostly USB).

[Gerald D]

Hugo, your 10mm compared to 250mm is caused by mixing inches and millimeters. When you said "Move 10mm" the machine moved 10 inches.

If the axis takes a long time to stop then I think you have a completely wrong acceleration (deceleration) value.

Be patient and check the settings carefully. Do not use inches for anything!

[Gerald D]

Hugo, you have a machine with racks & pinions from an inch system, but you want to operate in mm. I also see you have 28 tooth pinions with 7.2:1 gearboxes. Your steps per millimeter must be set at 128.899

I changed the spreadsheet in this post (http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4089&postcount=27) especially for you - and anybody else whose rack & pinion inch/mm is different to the units that they want to run the machine in. In Mach the setting is Config > Select Native Units. Hugo, there you will select "MM's" and on Config > Motor Tuning you must type the value 128.899 into the block "Steps per".

[Hugo Carradini]

:oThanks.

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald.
First, the gift for my wife.;) It was made in 6 minutes at 70% of speed. I just could not believe it. With my second machine (this is the third) it was done in 15 minutes with imperfections. Now I think my wife finally understand. She all ready has some ideas:rolleyes:

[Marc Shlaes]

Very cool Hugo!

I will get there sometime!

Thanks for the inspiration.

[Hugo Carradini]

I could not set the machine in mm. I tried couple times, even reset the machine and started again, but it will end up working very slow, so I end up doing it in inches. Now I have to fix a little problem . It happened to me before (years ago) and I forget how to solve it. It is the mirror problem. If I make a desing it will come out perfect but the other way. I mean instead of left to right it reads right to left. (You put it in front of a mirror and it looks OK)

[Hugo Carradini]

Yes Mark and all the other friends. it is true. If you keep the design and take your time building it your effort will be re compensate. It is a "Blue Beast" that nows how to Rock and Roll..:)

[Hugo Carradini]

Got it. In Mach3 Motor Home/Soft limits we can reverse de axis direction.

[javeria]

Hello Gerald.
First, the gift for my wife.;) It was made in 6 minutes at 70% of speed. I just could not believe it. With my second machine (this is the third) it was done in 15 minutes with imperfections. Now I think my wife finally understand. She all ready has some ideas:rolleyes:

Hugo thats great,

Usually gifts to wife's makes their brain light up with ideas. :D

All here in the group are inspiring a lot!

Regards
Irfan

[cbboatworks]

Hello Hugo

I have been watching your MechMate build. You have done an outstanding job. Is this your first cut with it? Thanks for sharing all the great pictures.


Gene


Hello Gerald.
First, the gift for my wife.;) It was made in 6 minutes at 70% of speed. I just could not believe it. With my second machine (this is the third) it was done in 15 minutes with imperfections. Now I think my wife finally understand. She all ready has some ideas:rolleyes:

[Gerald D]

Okay Hugo, put the MechMate logo on the side and you get the next serial number. :)

What are the big differences between your 3 CNC machines?

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald and friends.
Yes Gene, It was the first cut.
About the first machine. I wanted to learn the basics of the CNC routing, so I started with a MDF machine. Then I find MechMate but was not ready for the Beast so I decide to do a design of my own. It worked better but it was still very amateur. Then I thought I was time to tries dominate the Beast and the rest is story. ¿What is the difference? Speed, precision, and force. I always dream with a machine that could carve more then 5 mm in one pass and that I could see the results quickly . Rig now I am using a 2.25 HP Router and I am happy. :)I guess that when I put a 3.5 HP Router or a spindle, will be a better performance.:confused:
I will be putting MechMate logo soon for proudly receive my serial number.:o

[domino11]

Gerald / Hugo
Is there much improvement in cutting performance moving say from a 2.5 HP router to a 3.5HP or to a 5HP spindle? What about price / performance?

[Gerald D]

Moving from router to spindle does NOT give a 3-fold increase in performance, as you would expect from the 3-fold increase in price. We can go and discuss this over in another thread (it is an important topic), but my basic suggestion is to start out with a router . . . . . you are going to dive that router right into the table, or a clamp, a few times..:eek:

[garyc]

I have been a lurker on here for a long time, I just wanted to say I think you have done a fantastic job on building your mechmate!!! Hugo :D

[Hugo Carradini]

Thanks Garyc.
Know is time to to build the dust aspirator system. Hope can make a decent job.

[garyc]

Here are a couple of links for dust collectors,
http://cruzanengineering.net/steven/dustcollector.pdf
http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/DustCollectionBasics.cfm

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald an friends.
Last week I reset Widows XP(eliminating all the possibilities of hidden bugs and strange programs) and reinstalled it again with no other program except a newer version of Mach3 1.94:D
Start making the regular settings, checked the "bullet test" and no noise, so everything look nice in the screen.
Turn on the main power and push the start buton...... and first surprise:confused:, could not hear the motors lock. Start jogging and second surprise:(....motors wont move. Start running a G-code program and router started, leads on the parallel card look OK, current in an out of the different system was OK, motors where lock(could not move by hand the gantry) but they would not move and I can feel them getting warm. Checked everything again and the problem persist,:eek: so I decide to ask in the Mach support forum but forgot my user name :pand they haven't send yet my user name so I cant post in the forum and in the mean time am anxious to get back to normality.
¿Any Idea off something I have to check?

[Hugo Carradini]

Gerald I hope I am not breaking the rules of the forum with these Mach3 problems, but I cant ask them yet. One question ¿Does vampires work with Dir and Step low signal inputs enabled?

[Richards]

For the G203v stepper drivers, you must have the COMMON connected to DC GROUND. (The G202 and G201 stepper drivers have the COMMON connected to 5VDC.) Also, depending on your break-out board, you may have to change some jumpers to get the correct signals routed to the G203v drivers. (On my PMDX-122 cards, I only have to change one jumper when I change from G202 drivers to G203 drivers.)

[Hugo Carradini]

Thanks Richard. I think the problem is that I did not enable the low signal in step and dir. I have my machine an hour from my house, so I am going to drive there and check that. I don't know why I did not notice that before.
Thanks for your coments.

[garyc]

Hugo terminal #10 must be connected to a ground of your breakout board, this was something I ran into when I hooked mine up, do not connect it to your power supply ground. This is how the vampires reference the signal, Your power supply ground gets connected to terminal #1

[Richards]

Gary, thanks for clearing that up. Each power supply (i.e. 5VDC, 24VDC, 70VDC) must have a DC ground from which the high voltage is referenced. With a break out board, that 5VDC power supply might be generated by the break out board itself (the PMDX-122 for example). In that case, the ground signal for the V203v stepper drivers would have to come directly from the break out board.

Mariss suggests tying all of the various grounds together at a chassis ground point so that the actual case is at ground potential. I've had a hard time accepting that practice because I learned my stuff from a different school that insisted that chassis ground and circuit ground were two different things and that they should never be mixed together. HOWEVER, Mariss is correct in that ALL PC power supplies sold world wide connect signal ground to case ground AND by connecting all grounds together, many of the unexplainable problems disappear. I got caught on this very issue a few weeks ago when I connected a Gecko G203v, power supply and motor to my Shopbot Alpha-PRT to be used as an indexer. I 'floated' my power supply's ground without connecting it to the Shopbot ground, thinking that the opto-isolators on the G203v should be 'isolated' from all other electronic signals. Well, that didn't work. The Shopbot kept seeing an Alpha motor fault signal - even though that signal line was not connected. As soon as I tied the grounds together, everything worked perfectly. (I don't like it, but I'm certainly not going to take the time to layout a new controller board for my Shopbot just because I disagree with their circuit designer.)

So, bottom line best practices is to connect the - (minus) side of the capacitor feeding the stepper motor power to chassis ground and then to also connect the ground signal from any other DC power supply used to that same chassis ground point. Since the green/yellow ground wire from the AC power will also be tied to that chassis ground point, everything will be properly grounded. If you're using DIN terminal blocks, just use the Green/Yellow grounding blocks that automatically pass any signal to which they are wired directly to the metal DIN rail (assuming that the DIN rail is making good electrical contact to the metal chassis). Also, if you're using shielded cable be sure to connect ONE END of the drain wire to chassis ground. DO NOT connect the other end of the drain wire to another ground point. That could cause a ground loop which would cause things to not work properly. Just remember to tie all ground signals to the same bolt stud in a star pattern and everything will be properly grounded. (When I use a DIN rail and grounding terminal blocks, I insert all of the grounding blocks so that they are all adjacent to each other on the DIN rail and then I also run a heavy ground wire from one of the terminal blocks to the grounding stud on the metal case. That grounding stud is usually just a few inches away from the DIN rail - so creating a ground loop would not be an issue.)

[Hugo Carradini]

Thank guys.
Back from the shop and the problem keeps the same.
Let me remember my friends that I made my kitchen homework and then I install the system and everything run properly. I run the machine few times with no problem.The problem started when I reinstall Windows XP and Mach3 2.48 . I am having problems in the area with electricity coming in at 110 volts, but I don't think that is the problem. I will recheck the ground installation. I run my test driver and no problem, and when I run a G-Code program , router will start and shut normally and the LEDs in the parallel port card dance nicely. Something to report is that if I close the Mach program and close the computer, not the control box, all 4 motors start softly vibrating .

[Gerald D]

Mariss Freimanis published the attached troubleshooter this morning. It might help you.

[Hugo Carradini]

Thanks Gerald.

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald and friends.
I was checking the Mariss troubleshooter
I need to understand the meaning of certain concepts.
¿What means Jog CW and jog CCW? ¿Is it Jogging Right and left?:confused:
¿What is the "controller" and how could I checked if it is set correctly?¿Is It the Mach driver?
Thanks for the help and I am sure we will be out of intensive therapy soon and stronger then ever.:)

[Bill McGuire]

Hugo...
Sorry for your problems..
CW means clockwise, CCW is coounterclockwise (rotate the motor shafts in both directions).

Also, if you still believe the software might be the problem, you might have to delete the files on your computer or do a "Clean" install to erase the old information when reinstalling.

Sometimes reinstalling the system or programs will give you an updated version (fix a glitch), but may just still just use the operations which were previously used in the program. Therefore, if the problem was in the "saved" instructions, it may just still use those instructions.
Hope this does not confuse you more than help...
Bill McGuire

[Hugo Carradini]

Thanks Bill.
The good thin of all this is that I am learning more that if I had the machine OK.

[Gerald D]

Posted by Hugo in the CNCzone forum:

Hello guys.
I finished a MechMate table, used it for a while with excellent results and after few days I decided to install a new computer and a new Mach3 V2.48 . After that I have not been able to make my motors move and I think is a problem in my control box and need help, cause I don't have electronic experience. Before I change my computer, I remember that I close Mach program and the computer, but forgot to shut down the main electricity to the control box. When this happens the motors started vibrating and making a lot of noise just the time I need to react and shut the current. This happened a couple of times. I also remember that when I turned on Mach3 and then the control box I could listen the motors engaging. Now I know they engage because cant make them move but there is no sound. I even tried to do the same error that I made before (closing the computer and Mach) and now they will vibrate very slightly and I think that this is where the problem is around and I hope I dint ruin the break board. I am using 4 G230V, PMDX-122 card , PMDX-135-8020 preparation module an 4 PK296A1A-SG7.2 motor. Other point that can help is that I can control my router from the computer and if I run a G-code program it will start and close my router normally so I just want to know what type of values I have to start measuring to get my baby beast running again.
I hope you guys can help me see some light at the end of the tunnel.
Thanks in advance and hope no to be in the http://www.cnczone.com/forums/images/smilies/wrongforu.gif

[Gerald D]

. . . install a new computer and a new Mach3 V2.48 . After that I have not been able to make my motors move . . .

This is the first news of a new computer. Suggest you try your old computer again. Your two computers may have different grounding systems. Did you plug both computers into the same mains outlet?

Remember that you must not connect the ground of the PMDX-122 to the main ground point of the control box.

Also, see Fabrica's experience here (http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1940&postcount=121).

[driller]

I bought a time delay relay rated for 60 seconds and 10 amps.

When I turn on the PC, the 5 volts from the PC power the relay,

the relay turns on power to the geckos.

Dave

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald. I am glad to know that you are fallowing the illness of the baby beast. :)
I just receive this from Hood in the Mach support forum because he wants the xml file "What profile do you use for Mach? Do you just start by clicking on the Mach3Mill icon? If yes then look for Mach3Mill.xml, you will have to copy it to another location then rename it to something else, Hugo.xml for example. You can then attach it to a post by using the additional options button. If you don't rename it you wont be able to attach it as someone else in the past will have attached Mach3Mill.xml and the forum will only allow one example of each.

These is going to be a little slow because I got my Machine 45 minutes from home . Will keep in touch with progress.

[Hugo Carradini]

[QUOTE=Gerald D;5538]This is the first news of a new computer. Suggest you try your old computer again. Your two computers may have different grounding systems. Did you plug both computers into the same mains outlet?

No I did not

[Gerald D]

The questions that I have asked are for finding "ground loops" or interference caused by bad grounding systems. In your new workshop, there may be problems with the electrical power points (the mains outlets) and there can be differences between them. The best is to connect the computer and your control box to the same mains outlet (power point).

In the photo below you see a ground wire from the PMDX to the main control box ground. That is a mistake - the PMDX-122 must not be grounded to the control box because it is grounded to the computer via the "printer" cable.

http://www.mechmate.com/Forum/messages/832/890.jpg

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald and friends.
The baby beast is almost cured. She rock and roll a little this afternoon
I feel like a foul,:o but the problem was that I inverted the step and dir inputs when I reinstall Mach3. Insted of setting 3-2 5-4 7-6 9-8 I put 2-3 4-5 6-7 8-9. I don't know why I end up with that combination. The only problem now Is that I cannot make the motor for axis Y move.:confused: The other three motors run nicely.
¿Any idea?

[Gerald D]

Hugo, don't feel like a fool. That same problem also caught me, and a lot of other people. Mach changed the "wiring" from an older version of their software (I think it happened between Mach2 and Mach3?).

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald and friends.
Baby beast is back again.:) The problem with the motor that would not move was easily fixed. I take the cables from the Geckos and the breakboard and put them back again and tight them carefully and, rrruunnnn , started moving nicely again.
¿What I learned with this experience and want to share with the newbies?
1- Most of us are so in a hurry to see the beast working that don't give the importance and take the necessary time to read all the manuals carefully and people like me , that don't have electronics experience, necessary have to take extra time to understand the basics. (After that you will feel with a lot of confidence with your machine)
2- We read that the cables have to be handled carefully and checking the correct contact with the wire and the screw, but we don't realize how important this is. Stadistics says these is the mayor problem.
3- And the most important part: Be sure that your control box is organize in a way that you can handle the cables easily for revisions. (My control box is nice looking , but every thing is so compact that is a pain in the........... to reinsert those little cables) My next control box will be done thinking in this fact)
Any way, for those that got nervous thinking they could run with with similar problems , forget it, this machine is a carefully well designed project, just try to keep it as similar as possible to the original blue beast MECHMATE and you will end up with a nice machine.
Thanks Gerald for such a great opportunity and thanks for the rest of the good friends that take their time and knowledge to help fix the unexpected problems, that people like me get in the way.
Hugo Carradini, a happy owner of a MECHMATE:cool:

[gmessler]

Congrats Hugo!!:)
Good luck with your new machine.

[Doug_Ford]

I knew you'd figure it out eventually. Thanks for telling us what the problem was and for sharing the tips.

[PatM]

Your's was an understandable oversight. If you want foolish mistakes, read this transcript!

http://www.kzconsulting.info/wordperfect_support.htm

Beautiful machine you made there.

[Hugo Carradini]

It looks like a MechMate, it cuts like a MechMate, it weights like a MechMate so it is a MECHMATE Beast.
Just kidding Gerald,:o you are right. I have being so aborted watching these baby learning to move that I had not got the time to have the decals done.
Guys thanks for your commentaries.
To the newbies:
I broke my first bit.:D ¿How? Well, again, always wanting to see result immediately, I dint see (if I had taken my time, probably would had seen it) there was a small nail laying inside one of the holes of the bolts that grab the board to the base channels and damage a corner of the bit a was using to flat the table board.
So take your time and be patience. Will save you money.;)

[grandpi]

Congratulations for achieving the Mechmate (and all your problems with).
Is it possible to have photos of first works ?.

On wich software do you work ?
What do you think about the cutting speed ? Do you think, in a professionnal way it is important to have 2 Mechmates ?

What do you think of Ponoko web site as new cnc user ? They contact me to work with as other Futur Mechmate user could do it.

Bye,

Pierre.

[pksharma]

Congratualations Hugo for you newborn,
Please post some photos of it, may be a video.
Also some works of it.

PK

[Hugo Carradini]

Thanks for your comments PK and Pierre. :)
My next project is, building MechMates for people interested in having one here in my country. But first, I have to learn many things about Cad/Cam software, electronics, organizing the new shop, bank loan etc, etc, etc.:p I don't have a reference to compare my MechMate except a couple off two small machines I build before and is like a horse wagon against a car. I have potential clients that are very satisfied with the machine development (I have done couple of V-Vetric samples) but i still have to get more confidence fore making serious demonstrations.
I have to learn to graduate the motors to achieve the best results an so there are many others parameters that have to be checked and learn and at the same time have to take time for my main job and time for the bureaucracy of the paper work that has to be done, etc.
In this moment I am fixing the problem of the dust that makes the machine and I found a great place for buying cheap dust blower. Go to the place where they fix laundry dryers and check for a use turbine with motor. I got one very cheap, no noise and a lot of suction nice for making a simple cyclone. I am not going to cut nothing more till a build my dust control system.
Pierre I have not checked Ponoko yet and don't know how they operate.:confused:
Regards to all.

[grandpi]

Hi Hugo,

On your last reply you have said you are going to build Mechmate for your local users/customers. I would like to know if you think of it like a real business way in your country or just a way to help people to developp small businesses (no judgement from me in the question !). Maybe, i could be interested to do same in South of France ( with Gerald agreement of course).
Thank you,

Pierre GRAND

[javeria]

Hugo,

Did u get to finish ur dust control system.

RGDS
irfan

[Hugo Carradini]

irfan i am waiting for a http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-POWERFUL-1-HP-MINI-DUST-COLLECTOR_W0QQitemZ170181664755QQihZ007QQcategoryZ 11810QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem to star building my system. I will post.:)
Pierre I was busy and away from the forum. In the beginning I was planing on building MECHMATES for helping people start small business but there is a long curve of knowledge to be archived before I can start doing anything:confused: sow I am studying and practicing to get to known the machine and the softwares .

[javeria]

Hugo do you think the one on Ebay can do u a good Job, I think U can buy that and build a clear vue type cyclone for it, as that ebay item has a good price tag.

www.clearvuecyclones.com

http://billpentz.com//woodworking/cyclone/index.cfm

Dont work without the dust control, its very harmful to your lungs.

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald and rest of the MechMate addicts.
I am posting my results for taking away the dust that was killing me. Is a very low cost budget project but works fine and takes away the 95% off the dust that was all over. The turbine is a 3/4 HP and I had to use two houses of 2" each because it was impossible to get a light 4" house. Suction is enough and noise is low and can be on all day with out getting hot. Next I will build it more esthetically, I just cant hold more dust.
Regards

[cncb]

Hugo, looks good buddy but you need to surface/change your spoilboard! Looks like it has seen a lot of cutting!

[Gerald D]

Good to hear from you Hugo!

[grandpi]

Nice to hear you again.... to share first cutting experience (next week in my case).

Bye,

Pierre.

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald and friends. I am having some problems that would like to ask for help . Lately when I start to cut, the control box will shut of moments later but Mach will keep running normally with out notice of failure. It will happen two or three times and then it seems to normalize for the rest of the day. ¿what should I start checking? My computer is clean of virus. Mach runs nice in the virtual form.
Thanks in advance

[Gerald D]

Which part of the control box is shutting off?

Do the lights go out everywhere? On the Geckos, the PMDX 122, the PMDX 135?

Picture from earlier in this thread:
http://www.mechmate.com/Forum/messages/329/15199.jpg

[Gerald D]

The black wire (ground - with red/blue ends) from the PMDX-122 to the plate under the Geckos should be removed.

[Hugo Carradini]

Gerald the control box just turn of. So I push back again the start button and run again. I think is the main rele. Tomorrow I will have the control box open and check again for a more precise information.
Thanks for your time.

[Hugo Carradini]

OK. I will take away the cable tomorrow and inform.

[Gerald D]

The emergency stop switches hold the relay in the ON position. If there is a loose connection, or a dirty switch, then the control box will switch off.

[smreish]

My first thought too Gerald....check the e-stop loop connections.
Also, you may want to check the physical contacts for shakey or loose wipers - very difficult - but when the gantry moves and the e-stops shake, you can lose a connection. New contact blocks cheap, finding the real problem - hard. I personally think Gerald's assumption is spot on. I have similar problems with the Dust Collection Contactor - start/stop switch in my shop about every 6 months due to dirt and vibration.

Good luck Hugo.
Sean

[Gerald D]

Yes, contactors are not dust-proof. A little dust will settle between the contacts. No problem for the main contacts carrying the full Amps - that just burns off the dust. But the small auxiliary contacts carrying the latching/e-stop circuit have low amps going through them. However, dust in a contactor will not cause your symptoms......it does not open a contactor that has already closed. It makes a contactor difficult to switch on after a period of not using it.

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald and friends. Sorry for not answering Saturday but had to solve a couple of problems out of town.
Well , I found a lose cable in the E-Sop, so I tight it up and made a deep clean up, made some test and...... :)Voilaaaa, baby beast back to normality. For those of us like me that never made any electronic job before, fixing those problems with your and the rest of the guys help is a nice training that gives a lot of extra confidence.
Thanks again:):):)

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello guys.
I know you all like photos so there goes my first commercial work i made for an small airline called RUTACA. They ask me to cut their logo for installing in some doors and office entries. The owner was very pleased with the finish of the cut.:) I just got the skeleton of the work.:eek: I will post the letters soon when they paint them and installed:o

[Gerald D]

Often the scrap pieces are the most interesting! :)

We have people buying the scrap panels, screwing them together with hinges and making room divider/screens from them.

[Hugo Carradini]

Yes, I was thinking that some times, even the sacrifice board could be turn in an interesting and artistic panel . It is just a mater or imagination.

[Jason Marsha]

Its good to see that the money is rolling in Hugo. Not sure if signs are as expensive in Venezuela as they are here in Barbados but with some more jobs like this one and your baby should have paid for itself.

Jason

[Gerald D]

If you have those jobs for 40 hours per week, you could pay your MechMate build costs in under a month.....no? :)

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Jason. Nice to hear you. A lot of time has happened since your good advice about the bits I should start with.:) It is just like in that marvelous Island where you live. Publicity people pays ten times better then carpenters shop down here .
Gerald you are right, this machine can pay it self in very short time.:):) I am very interested in organize an efficient cutting and engraving service.
You gave me the opportunity to build in five month the type of machine that I spend five years before trying to build. Again my deep respect for you.

[Mcyoda]

http://www.mechmate.com/Forum/messages/329/15199.jpg

Hugo,

What type of power supply is that with 4 large capacitors and where did you get that?

[Gerald D]

http://www.pmdx.com/PMDX-135/

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald.
After four years off silence:o I want to say hello again and thank you once more for the wonderful opportunity I had to build a MECHMATE under your advise and others great forum guys. I have been searching the forum once a wile, but there was so little to say that I just keep reading and learning. Compare to the new machines, I have the basic model but The Baby Beast can still handle tons of dust, electric failure etc, etc, and still gives me hours off great time. I have a friend, Guillermo that started by his own on a water jet project and knowing him and his capacities and the big help that everybody gets in this great forum he will end up with an efficient and good machine.
Well I feel like the lost son that came back, but I just want to say that the good friends even if we are not there the frienship and the respect keeps the same .
Rgards
Hugo Carradini

[smreish]

Great to "see" you Hugo. Bien Dia

[Jason Marsha]

Hugo you have returned to us :) I hope that your Mechmate has kept you busy these past four years.

Great to hear from you. Post pics of your completed projects if you have any, we would love to see them.

Jason

[Gerald D]

Hi Hugo! Welcome back!

[Guillermo]

Hi Hugo.

This could be usefull in the kind of work you are in.

http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3506&page=6

Hasta la vista

[domino11]

Welcome Back Hugo! :)

[Hugo Carradini]

Hello Gerald and friends.
Today after four years making and breaking the Baby Beast has grown up and moved to its new workshop more comfortable and prepared for it.:):):):) After a long time reached its coming of age and it is capable of facing challenges and a variety of jobs and do well at all. Soon I will send photos of the new workshop. It is small but very comfortable. If you want to see what I've been doing lately review cdcortedigital.wordpress.com
I have not update it, but can have an idea of ​​what I'm doing.
It is not easy to do business today but fortunately my clients are growing and there are good prospects.
Regards

[Gerald D]

Beautiful work in your gallery (http://cdcortedigital.wordpress.com/galeria/)!

[darren salyer]

Incredible work.